[Amended 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 11-05]
Pursuant to Article VII, § 1.7-711, of the Charter, the County Manager shall review and evaluate the need for and function of each County Department at least once every four years. The schedule for the evaluation of each County Department shall be established by the County Manager.
[Amended 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 11-05]
In the course of the evaluation, the County Manager shall take into account the following specified factors:
A. 
The legal mandate or necessity for the Department;
B. 
A determination of public need for the Department's services;
C. 
A review of the methods used in the implementation of each Department's programs and an analysis of alternative methods that may be employed to achieve the Department's legal mandates;
D. 
An evaluation of whether County government is the most effective body to implement the Department's programs;
E. 
An evaluation of whether the absence or reduction of the Department or the Department's provision of services would significantly harm or endanger the public health, safety or welfare;
F. 
An analysis showing the costs of compliance for individuals or other entities regulated by the Department;
G. 
The efficiency with which formal public complaints filed with the Department have been processed, and
H. 
Any other written criteria that the County Manager believes in the exercise of his best professional judgment, would aid in the furtherance of making County government more competitive and performance-oriented.
The Director of each Department under review shall cooperate with the County Manager's evaluation of the Department. The Director shall provide such information and documentation that the County Manager may from time to time request during the course of the performance of the evaluation.
A. 
On or before June 30 of each year, the County Manager shall complete his evaluation regarding the need for County Departments subject to review and shall submit his recommendations regarding the continuation, abolition or reorganization of the Department. The County Manager shall submit his recommendations about the affected County Department in writing to the Chief Executive and County Council.
B. 
Upon receipt of the County Manager's recommendation, County Council may adopt an ordinance or resolution on or before October 15 to either:
(1) 
Continue the existence of the affected Department for another four years;
(2) 
To abolish the Department; or
(3) 
Reorganize the Department subject to evaluation and review.
C. 
Any ordinance or resolution submitted pursuant to Article IV, § 1.4-402(m), of the Allegheny County Home Rule Charter or proposing the abolition, reorganization, or modification of a County department, agency, or function shall be preceded by review under this article.
[Added 2-1-2005 by Ord. No. 06-05]
D. 
Any action taken under the authority of Article V of the Allegheny County Home Rule Charter in which the abolition, reorganization, or modification of a County department, agency, or function is made shall be preceded by review under this article.
[Added 2-1-2005 by Ord. No. 06-05]
All orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, certificates, licenses, contracts, rates and privileges issued by a County department that has been or is subject to abolition will continue to be in effect according to the previous terms until modified, terminated, superseded, set aside or repealed by the successor Department, by a court of competent jurisdiction or by operation of law.
[Added 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 11-05]
Pursuant to Article VII, § 1.7-711, of the Charter, the County Manager shall evaluate each County agency through a four-year staggered sunset review process. In order to provide adequate time for each review and resulting recommendations and to ensure review every four years, one-fourth of all existing County agencies shall be evaluated each year beginning in 2006.
[Added 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 11-05]
A. 
In the course of the evaluation, the following specified factors shall be taken into account:
(1) 
The legal mandate or necessity for the agency;
(2) 
A determination of public need for the continued existence of the agency and its services;
(3) 
A review of the methods used in the implementation of each agency's functions and an analysis of alternative methods that may be employed to achieve the agency's legal mandates;
(4) 
An evaluation of whether the agency is the most effective body to implement the agency's programs;
(5) 
An evaluation of whether the absence or reduction of the agency or the agency's provision of services would significantly harm or endanger the public health, safety, or welfare;
(6) 
An analysis showing the costs of compliance for individuals or other entities regulated by the agency;
(7) 
The efficiency with which formal public complaints filed with the agency have been processed; and
(8) 
In the case of an agency that has received appropriations from the County's operating budget in any of the five years prior to the sunset review, a financial audit of the agency performed by an entity independent of the County.
B. 
The County Manager may also utilize any other written criteria that he believes, in the exercise of his best professional judgment, would aid in the furtherance of making the agency more competitive and performance-oriented.
[Added 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 11-05]
The Executive Director, Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, or other appropriate head of an agency under review shall cooperate with the County Manager's evaluation of the agency by providing such information and documentation that may be requested during the course of the evaluation.
[Added 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 11-05]
To assist in the evaluation of each agency, the County Manager may schedule a public hearing at which time the opinions and comments of the public and groups and organizations interested in or affected by the agency may be obtained.
[Added 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 11-05]
A. 
On or before June 30 of each year, the County Manager shall complete his evaluation regarding the need for agencies subject to review and shall submit his recommendations regarding the continuation, abolition, or reorganization of the agency and whether further County support of the agency should be provided. All recommendations regarding the affected agency should be submitted in writing to the Chief Executive and County Council.
B. 
Upon receipt of the County Manager's recommendations, County Council may adopt an ordinance or resolution on or before October 15 to either:
(1) 
Continue the existence of the affected agency for another four years, if appropriate, or continue the relationship with the agency for another four years;
(2) 
Abolish the affected agency, if appropriate, or sever the relationship with the agency; or
(3) 
Reorganize the agency subject to evaluation and review, if appropriate, or alter the relationship with the agency.