County Administrator

Donna Cogswell
Acting County Administrator
111 Polk Street
Montross, VA 22520
dcogswell@westmoreland-county.org
804-493-0130

Power & Duties of County Administrator

§ 15.2-407. Powers and duties of county administrator.

A. The board may by resolution designate the county administrator as clerk of the board. In such case and upon the qualification of the county administrator authorized by this article the county clerk of such county shall be relieved of his duties in connection with the board and all of his duties shall be imposed upon and performed by the county administrator. If the board does not designate the county administrator as clerk, the county clerk or one of his deputies shall attend the meetings of the board and record in a book provided for the purpose all of the proceedings of the board, but he shall not be authorized and required to sign any warrants of the board, such authority being hereby vested in the county administrator. However, the board may by resolution of record require the county clerk to sign all warrants of the board.

B. The county administrator shall, insofar as the board requires, be responsible to the board for the proper administration of all affairs of the county which the board has authority to control. He shall keep the board advised as to the financial condition of the county and shall submit to the board monthly, and at such other times as may be required, reports concerning the administrative affairs of the county.

C. The county administrator shall, if the board requires, examine regularly the books and papers of each department, officer and agency of the county and report to the board the condition in which he finds them and such other information as the board may direct.

D. The county administrator shall from time to time submit to the board recommendations concerning the affairs of the county and its departments, officers and agencies as he deems proper.

E. Under the direction of the board, the county administrator, for informative and fiscal planning purposes only, shall prepare and submit to the board a proposed annual budget for the county. The board may, however, direct that the county budget be prepared by the county clerk.

F. The county administrator shall audit all claims against the county for services, materials and equipment for such county agencies and departments as the board may direct, except those required to be received and audited by the county school board, and shall present the audits to the board of county supervisors together with his recommendation and such information as necessary to enable the board to act on such claims.

G. If the board, by resolution, designates the county administrator as clerk of the board, the county administrator shall: (i) have all the powers, authority and duties vested in the county clerk as clerk of the board, under general law; (ii) pay, with his warrant, all claims against the county chargeable against any fund under the control of the board, other than the general county fund, when such expenditure is authorized and approved by the officer and/or employee authorized to procure the services, supplies, materials or equipment accountable for such claims and after auditing the claims as to their authority and correctness; (iii) pay with his warrant all claims against the county chargeable against the general county fund where the claim arose out of purchase made by the county administrator or for contractual services by him authorized and contracted within the power and authority given him by board resolution; and (iv) pay with his warrant all claims against the county authorized to be paid by the board.

Code 1950, § 15-370; 1950, pp. 123, 694; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 69; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-705; 1997, c. 587.