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27 APPENDIX 1 CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT PURPOSE This section provides guidance for the continued operations of local government and the preservation of essential records. OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS GENERAL The State Law provides for the filling of vacant elective offices by the County Commission. State law establishes that the Vice-Chair/BoC is to perform the duties of the Chair/BoC, in case he/she is absent or is temporarily disabled. In the absence of the Chair/BoC, State law provides that the Vice-Chair/BoC has the authority to proclaim the existence of a disaster and request the Governor to proclaim a State of Emergency. Each political subdivision should identify a succession of authority that defines the internal transfer of power for continued operations of government. SUCCESSION OF AUTHORITY FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT In the event the Chair/BoC is unavailable or inaccessible, the succession of authority for the administrative management of County Government is as follows: 1. Vice-Chair/BoC 2. Commissioner/BoC 3. Director of Emergency Management 4. Director of Public Works It is the policy of all Klickitat County governments that all department heads designate successors to fulfill their functions in the event of their absence or disability. It is also the policy of Klickitat County government that department heads designate primary and alternate locations to direct department operations. ---PAGE BREAK--- 28 SUCCESSION OF AUTHORITY FOR LOCAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS Municipal governments shall formalize the internal transfer of power for continued operations of government. The order of succession should be identified by position titles and made available on an annual basis to KCDEM. Such adopted rules and regulations should provide for appointment of temporary interim successors to the elected and appointed offices of the political subdivisions. In the event that such formalized succession has not been identified, the language of RCW 42.14.050 may be applied. RCW 42.14.050 provides that “In the event that the executive head of any city or town is unavailable by reason of [emergency or disaster] to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the office, then those members of the city or town council or commission available for duty shall by majority vote select one of their number to act as the executive head of such city or town. In the event [that the emergency or disaster] reduces the number of city or town council members or commission members, then those members available for duty shall have full power to act by majority vote of those present.” PROTECTION OF ESSENTIAL RECORDS It is the policy of Klickitat County that County departments identify and adequately protect essential records. The County Auditor is the lead for providing guidance and direction related to the identification and preservation of essential records. The Budget and Technical Services Department will provide guidance and direction for minimizing disruption to telephone communication services, computer equipment and data processing capabilities. All other participating jurisdictions shall establish policies for guidance and direction related to the identification and preservation of essential records and minimizing disruption to telephone communication services, computer equipment and data processing capabilities. RELOCATION OF THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT IN AN EMERGENCY RCW 42.14.075 allows local government to conduct the affairs of that local government at a place within or without the territorial limits of the political subdivision if it becomes imprudent, inexpedient or impossible to do business at the usual places. The decision to relocate Klickitat County government will be dependent on the circumstances and information available at the time of an emergency. City government may relocate to County government facilities as may be necessary. Klickitat County will assist such displaced city governments in reestablishing reasonable functionality. It may also be necessary for County government to relocate to a city facility.