The Office of County Administrator, instituted in 1952 as a result of permissive state legislation, greatly augmented the ability of the Commissioners to deal with a vast variety of problems and exercise stronger fiscal planning and control in all areas. The existence of the position of Administrator does not alter the fact that there is no clear delineation between administration and quasi-legislation, no distinction between policy execution and policy making, in the county structure. Both take place within the Board of Commissioners.
The administrator and deputy county administrators are appointed by the Board, and can act only as directed by the Board. They are the administrative coordinators, with a management supervisory relationship to the various county offices and departments which are under the Board's direct jurisdiction.
James McCafferty, MSSA
County Administrator
(216) 443-7215
(216) 443-8088 (fax)
As County Administrator, James McCafferty is the Chief Operating Officer of Ohio’s largest county, managing an annual budget of about $1,464 billion, and 9,400 employees.
Mr. McCafferty had 28 years of experience with the Department of Children and Family Services. He began his career in social service work as a line social worker in Adult Services. Mr. McCafferty was responsible for developing, implementing and supervising Cuyahoga County’s Elder Abuse Hotline.
Mr. McCafferty has held many supervisory positions within the agency: Child Sex Abuse Unit, Case Review Unit, Administrator in Direct Services, Deputy Director of Direct Services, and Deputy Director of Administrative Services.
Mr. McCafferty holds a Master of Social Science Administration degree from the Mandel School of Applied Science, from Case Western Reserve University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree from Xavier University.
Watch the Administrator's August, 2008 video greeting.
(windows media video) | (YouTube)
Richard B. Werner
Deputy County Administrator
(216) 443-7032
(216) 443-5884 (fax)
Rick Werner serves as the Deputy County Administrator for Health and Human Services, a position that he was appointed to December of 2003. In that role, he helps to coordinate the work of the County’s human service departments that include the Cuyahoga Support Enforcement Agency, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Employment and Family Services, the Department of Senior and Adult Services and the Family and Children First Council.
Prior to his appointment, Werner served in various leadership capacities in the County’s human services department. Before joining the County in 1998, Werner served as Executive Assistant for External Affairs to Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White from 1994 - 1997. Werner received a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University in 1981 and a law degree from the University of Michigan in 1985. A native of Lakewood, Ohio, Werner lives with his wife and two daughters in Cleveland.