The San Mateo County Department of Parks does is not constitutionally mandated in any charter. Since it is a local branch of government it reports to local officials, and not state ones. A similar document to a state constitution would the county charter. The county charter is structured in a similar fashion and uses similar language to state/federal constitutions. The Department of Parks works with some institutions that are state mandated by the San Mateo County Charter. In recent years, the scope of the County Department of Parks has increased. Previously they focused solely on developing and maintaining county parks. However, in recent years they have explored working with city parks departments to maximize the public's access and utility of parks throughout the county. The book brings up the point that often times local institutions levels of responsibility can overlap. This highlights that organizations should work together in shared areas of responsibility to enhance the effectiveness and utility towards its citizens. Here is an online copy of the San Mateo County Charter:
http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/Attachments/countycounsel/pdfs/Charter%202012.pdf
