Reduction of Number of Originals of County Contracts
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the County of Erie to take any and all necessary steps to reduce the amount of paper that is used in conducting County business;
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the County of Erie to take any and all necessary steps to reduce the number of originals of County documents, to reduce the time expended by County employees in signing County contracts, and to reduce the time expended by County employees in notarizing multiple originals of County contracts; and
WHEREAS, the number of originals of County contracts currently being submitted to the County Executive’s Office for review, approval, signature and notarization, exceed the number required or needed in many instances.
NOW, THEREFORE, I MARK C. POLONCARZ, Erie County Executive, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Erie County Charter Sections 301 & 302, do hereby order as follows:
1. It is ordered that the when County Departments and/or the County Attorney’s Office prepare County contracts for the signature of the Erie County Executive, or his duly appointed designee, the following number of original contracts shall be prepared and forwarded;
a. One for the County Attorney; and
b. One for each party that is a signatory to the contract; and it is
2. Further ordered that exceptions to the above can be made where:
a. There is a need for additional original contracts due to some unusual circumstances, such as where a third party funder may require an original contract; or
b. Where a Department can certify copies of County contracts based upon the signed original contract and thus fewer original copies are required; or
c. In the case of the Erie County Department of Social Services, it is only required to prepare and forward one original contract, which it shall retain once fully signed, and thereafter issue certified copies as it has been doing in its ordinary and normal course of business; and it is
3. Further ordered that County contracts between the County and its vendors, guarantees or grantors, shall not require that the County Executive or the Deputy County Executive have their signature notarized, unless there is a requirement imposed by a third party such as a grantor for notarization, or if a contract is required to be filed with the Erie County Clerk’s Office; and it is
4. Further ordered that any County Department that requires a copy of a contract to perform its duties, shall accept an electronic copy of an original contract in a PDF format and may inspect an original contract held by the Erie County Department of Law or agency that retains an original copy of such contract; and it is
5. Further ordered that all County Departments and the County Attorney’s Office effectuate the mandates of this Executive Order no later than February 29, 2012.
GIVEN, under my hand and the Privy Seal of the County of Erie in the City of Buffalo this seventeenth day of February, in the year two thousand twelve.
County of Erie
By: __________________________
Mark C. Poloncarz
Erie County Executive