To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Executive’s Office, Human Resources Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: M. Christina Rivera, 707-565-2048; Janell Crane, 707-565-2885
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Department Head Personal Services Agreement - Director of Permit Sonoma
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the County Executive to execute a Personal Services Agreement with Scott Orr as the Director of Permit Sonoma, effective December 9, 2025, through December 9, 2028, at the “G” step in the position’s salary range and with other County benefits in accordance with Salary Resolution 95-0926.
end
Executive Summary:
The salary and benefits provided to County department and agency heads must be considered by the Board of Supervisors/Directors at a regularly scheduled Board meeting. Further, an oral summary of the recommended action to be taken on the salary and benefits must be presented at the meeting where the final Board action is taken. (California Government code sections 54953, 54956)
After a nationwide recruitment and extensive selection process, the County Executive has selected Scott Orr to be appointed as the new Director of Permit Sonoma. Staff request the Board authorize the County Executive to execute the Personal Services Agreement effective December 9, 2025, for a three-year term through December 9, 2028. The Director of Permit Sonoma is appointed by and reports to the County Executive, and the agreement places Mr. Orr at the “G” step of the salary range for the job classification. In addition to the annual salary, other benefits and compensation are provided as prescribed by Salary Resolution 96-0926.
Discussion:
Permit Sonoma is the County’s consolidated land use planning and development permitting agency. Its mission is to balance environmental protection with sustainable development with a focus on customer service.
The Director of Permit Sonoma is appointed by and reports to the County Executive and is responsible for the services provided to the community to ensure safe building, construction, and environmental development. The Director leads a staffing complement of 170 full-time equivalent (FTE) across six divisions: 1) Engineering and Construction, 2) Code Enforcement, 3) Planning, 4) Natural Resources, 5) Fire Prevention and Hazardous Materials, and 6) Administration. The department’s 2025-2026 fiscal year budget is approximately $70.1 million.
The County conducted a nationwide recruitment to identify the next Director of Permit Sonoma. Applicants who best demonstrated possession of the ideal candidate characteristics identified for the position were invited to interview with a diverse group of panelists, consisting of subject matter experts, County department heads, and community stakeholders and partners. At the conclusion of the process, the County Executive selected Scott Orr as the new Director of Permit Sonoma.
Mr. Orr has nearly a decade of progressive experience within the department, starting as a Planner, and promoting to Supervising Planner, Project Review Division Manager, Deputy Director of Planning, and Assistant Director. He has been serving as the department’s Interim Director since July 2025, in conjunction with the former director’s retirement. During Mr. Orr’s tenure with the department, he has worked on modernizing permitting practices, guided complex projects, supervised large multidisciplinary teams, and addressed Sonoma County’s most pressing land-use challenges. Mr. Orr has a Master of City and Regional Planning degree and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies.
The Personal Services Agreement executes the salary at the “G” Step of the salary range, which is $245,737.51 annually, with the term of December 9, 2025, to December 9, 2028. It includes all other benefits and compensation as prescribed in the County’s Salary Resolution 95-0926.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$234,633 |
$414,294 |
$426,723 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$234,633 |
$414,294 |
$426,723 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$23,463 |
$41,429 |
$42,672 |
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$211,169 |
$372,865 |
$384,051 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$234,633 |
$414,294 |
$426,723 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the Permit Sonoma budget for approving the recommended action. The salary and benefit costs of the Director are already included in the adopted departmental budget.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
Personal Services Agreement - Director of Permit Sonoma
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.