HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03111986 - IO.2 or 4 10 .E
TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE Contra
DATE; CW
March 10, 1986 S
rf1� �/'1�1/
Liability Issues Involved in Sponsoring cour �/
SUBJECT: "Hands Across Contra Costa Day"
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Request the County Administrator to obtain the following
information and report to the Board on March 25, 1986:
1 . What is the cost of liability insurance to protect the
County from any claim resulting from the actions of County
officers or employees?
2. Is such insurance available?
3 . What limits should the Board place on the sponsorship of and
involvement in the event on the part of the County; its
officers and employees in order to reduce the potential
liability exposure?
4 . Remove this item as a referral to our Committee.
BACKGROUND:
On January 21, 1986, the Board referred to our Committee the
proposal to organize a "Hands Across Contra Costa Day" to
coincide with the USA for Africa "Hands Across America" event
being scheduled for Sunday, May 25, 1986.
Our Committee has met with staff on two occasions to explore the
liability issues involved in having the County, its officers and
staff involved in this event. The principal liability exposure
involves an injury which might occur to an individual who
involved himself or herself and relied on implicit or explicit
commitments from the County that it was safe to stand on a road,
or to otherwise participate because of the County' s involvement
in planning and approving the route, or in other aspects of the
planning for this fund-raising event.
County Counsel has indicated that the Board should define and
approve any level of involvement by County officers or staff in
this event. If additional liability insurance is available, it
would help to protect the County from the possible exposure from
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
PROVE OTHER ���
SIGNATURE s�ncy C.�Fand�en unne W. McPeak
ACTION OF F30W ON March 11 , 1986 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED
_X_ OTHER _
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X III I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
cc: County Administrator ATTESTED ___ March 11,_ 1946
County Counsel _ - - - _-------
PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
J
M382/7-83 B GC� 1A�ec�C DEPUTY
Page 2
the involvement of County staff in the planning and execution of
such an event. In the absence of such insurance coverage,
Board-authorized participation in the activity will be covered by
the County' s self-insurance program and funds.
A United Way representative, who indicated they have obtained
insurance to protect their involvement as co-sponsor of the
event, would be willing to look into the possibility of carrying
the County as "additional insured" if the County were to pay the
additional premium. (Later in the day, the United Way
representative reported back to the County Administrator' s Office
that their insurance agent would not consider adding the County
as "additional insured" and would not even quote a possible
premium.
It is clear that the extent of possible County exposure depends
on the level and degree of involvement of County staff,
particularly to the extent that individual participants rely on
the County' s involvement as some level of guarantee that it is
"safe" to participate and "safe" to stand on a particular County
or city road while participating.
Our Committee believes that the Board must provide guidance and
direction to County staff on the level of their involvement.
This can only be done based on advice from the County
Administrator as to what insurance coverage may be available and
at what cost and what involvement of County staff is warranted on
the basis of that information.
We have, therefore, made the above recommendations.