Alpine County Municipal Code Art. VI Selection Procedures and Appointments

The county will establish minimum qualifications for determining the fitness and qualifications of applicants for each class or position and for temporary appointments. Such minimum qualifications will be reasonably related to successful job performance in the class in which an applicant seeks employment. Upon hiring, the county will require necessary documentation of citizenship or authorization to obtain employment, and may also require evidence of discharge from the armed forces of the United States, possession of valid license for various purposes or other evidence of identification, fitness and qualifications. (Ord. 533 §6.01, 1991)

The department head may make inquiry into the past record of competitors and may recommend to the administrative services coordinator disqualification of anyone whose record, in the judgement of the department head, warrants such action. The administrative services coordinator may refuse to declare as eligible or may withhold or withdraw from certification prior to appointment, anyone who comes under any of the following:

A. Lacks any of the minimum qualifications established for the position for which applicant applies;

B. Is physically or mentally disabled as to be incapable of performing the duties of the position to which applicant seeks appointment and for which accommodation cannot reasonably be made;

C. Has intentionally attempted to practice any deception or fraud in applicant’s application, in the selection procedure or in securing eligibility;

D. Has failed to reply within a reasonable time to communications concerning applicant’s availability for employment;

E. Has made himself/herself unavailable for employment by requesting his/her name be withheld from certification;

F. Is, in accordance with board rules, found to be unsuited or not qualified for employment. (Ord. 533 §6.02, 1991)

A. The administrative services coordinator, in conjunction with the department head, will schedule selection procedures as the current and anticipated needs of the service require with due consideration to current departmental workload. Scheduled selection procedures may be postponed or cancelled by the administrative services coordinator by notifying all persons affected and posting public notice, however, special interview dates will not be granted. Since the applicant will know from the onset of advertising the date set for interviews, it will be incumbent upon the applicant to be available on the specified date.

B. Selection procedures will be competitive and of such character as to fairly test and determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors actually to perform the duties of the class or positions for which they seek appointment including, if required by law or deemed necessary and appropriate, written tests, oral tests, performance tests and tests of physical strength, stamina and dexterity. A selection procedure will be deemed to be competitive when applicants are tested as to their relative qualifications and abilities or when a single applicant is scored by a panel of not less than three interviewers. (Ord. 533 § 6.03, 1991)

Whenever deemed beneficial, selection procedures will include tests for proficiency in the use of skills appropriate to the class or position for which the test was given. The department head will approve all written test questions in advance. (Ord. 533 § 6.04, 1991)

A. In any selection procedure, the education, experience, and personal qualifications may be rated by interview, and where appropriate, written tests and/or skill tests. When an interview is required, all applicants will be evaluated by an appropriate interview panel consisting of at least three persons qualified by education or experience to evaluate the qualifications of the applicants for the position. The interview panel will evaluate each applicant’s experience, education and personal fitness for the position. The department head appoints this panel. The department head may observe the oral interview process, but will not score those interviewed.

B. The department head will establish a list of questions to be asked of each applicant and assign a weighted value to each question. All applicants will be asked the same questions. The administrative services coordinator will determine that the questions to be asked are job related, appropriate, and meet legal parameters.

C. Interviewers will mark on forms provided, the degree to which, in their judgement, each candidate possesses the desired qualifications. Each panel member will assign a numerical score for each question asked. The arithmetic average of the panel members will determine the candidates’ final interview scores. Panel members will refer any inquiries by interviewees regarding the interview process to the administrative services office. (Ord. 533 § 6.05, 1991)

The merit system of the state will apply to selection procedures in the department of social services in accordance with state law. (Ord. 533 § 6.06, 1991)

A. Full-time Employees. A candidate who has been offered full-time employment with the county shall undergo a background investigation and verification of past employment. The applicant shall be found to be fully qualified for the position prior to hiring. The standards used for employment verification and background investigation may vary depending upon the nature and duties of the position being filled. Those standards shall be established by resolution of the board of supervisors, as amended from time to time.

B. Part-time Employees. The appointing authority may require past employment verification and background investigation for part-time employees prior to hiring where the position involves access to county funds (other than petty cash), county property of historic value, confidential information, controlled substances or participation in law enforcement activities. Any such investigation should be conducted under the standards established for full-time employees. Part-time employees shall include contract employees, seasonal employees, temporary employees and independent contractors. (Ord. 642 § 2, 2002)

A. Policy. The efficient and economical administration of the county services requires that each employee meet minimum medical and physical standards for satisfactory performance of his or her position.

B. Requirements. All new appointments may be conditioned on the appointee’s passing a pre-employment medical history evaluation. This requirement may be waived for temporary employees and for appointees who have passed a medical examination within the past year. Promotional appointments may be required to take a medical examination.

C. Administration. Prior to commencing work, a general medical examination will be conducted by the county health department, which will determine if any other exams are required such as vision, hearing, EKG, or mental health exams. The county health department may refer the appointee for additional exams when deemed appropriate. A recent physical exam by another physician may suffice at the discretion of the health officer. The health officer will make the final determination of fitness for employment after considering the medical evaluation in light of the work requirements of the particular position in question.

D. The medical history and records of the examination will be confidential information maintained by the county health department, not to be released except by court order or with the written approval of the applicant. The medical history will be deemed part of the employment application, but will be maintained in a separate, confidential file. (Ord. 533 § 6.08, 1991)

The department head will make the final selection from among the qualified candidates and will recommend hiring, or may decline to recommend hiring, from the qualified candidates. A successful applicant will be notified within ten days of appointment. The department head will notify the candidates not selected of their nonselection to the position within ten days after the close of the interview process. The personnel department may perform this function at the request of the department head. Should the department head decline to recommend a hiring, readvertising procedures may be requested. (Ord. 732 (part), 2019: Ord. 533 § 6.09, 1991)

It is a county policy that moving expenses not be reimbursed for any county employee, elected official appointment, or exempt appointment. (Ord. 533 § 6.10, 1991)

An appointment will usually be made at the first step of the appropriate five-step salary range. However, in the event an employee entering county employment is found to possess extraordinary qualifications for a position through former education or experience, or in the event that qualified employees are scarce and cannot be secured through normal recruitment and hiring procedures, the department head may recommend the employment of such employee at a higher step of the salary range upon making an appropriate finding with respect to qualifications, education, experience and need. Appointments pursuant to this section shall be subject to county executive officer approval. (Ord. 758, 2025; Ord. 732 (part), 2019: Ord. 533 §6.11, 1991)

After completion of the probationary period and granting of permanent status, subsequent merit step increases will be submitted upon recommendation of the department head, after completion of the evaluation process, to the personnel department for implementation. (Ord. 732 (part), 2019: Ord. 533 §6.12, 1991)

The department head will prepare a performance evaluation for each employee at the completion of three months of probationary employment and again prior to the completion of six months’ probationary employment. For those classifications requiring a twelve-month probationary period, the department head will prepare a performance evaluation at the end of six months and prior to the expiration of twelve months. The performance evaluation may be prepared more frequently at the discretion of the department head at any time during the probationary period. Subsequent to successful completion of the probationary period, department heads will provide a performance evaluation for each employee annually, at the time of their anniversary date. Appointed department heads will be evaluated annually by the board of supervisors, who may delegate this function. (Ord. 533 §6.13, 1991)

A department head may, with the concurrence of the employee and of the administrative services coordinator, extend a probationary period for up to three months in order to provide adequate opportunity to evaluate a probationary employee or to resolve prior poor performance evaluations. (Ord. 533 §6.14, 1991)