Sec. 21-5. - Classified and unclassified service generally.

The civil service system of the county is hereby divided into the unclassified and the classified service. The unclassified service shall consist of:

(a)

All officers elected by the people and all confidential or special investigators employed by any of said elected officers;

(b)

All appointive boards and commissions;

(c)

Members of the civil service commission;

(d)

All persons serving the county without compensation;

(e)

Interns;

(f)

Intermittently employed, hourly or seasonal employees;

(g)

Persons employed under contract to supply expert professional or technical service in a temporary position;

(h)

The Sonoma County Fair Manager and Sonoma County Fair or Fairgrounds employees employed by Sonoma County Fair and Exposition, Incorporated, or its successors;

(i)

The director of economic development;

(j)

The two (2) assistant sheriffs;

(k)

The county administrator;

(l)

The director of permit and resource management;

(m)

The director of human services;

(n)

The information systems director;

(o)

The director of transportation and public works;

(p)

The director of child support services;

(q)

The director of regional parks;

(r)

The director of health services;

(s)

The LAFCO executive officer;

(t)

The agricultural commissioner/sealer;

(u)

The waste management agency executive director;

(v)

The human resources director;

(w)

The director of the office of law enforcement review and outreach;

(x)

The director of emergency management;

(y)

The county equity officer;

(z)

The public defender;

(aa)

The chief probation officer;

(bb)

The director of Sonoma public infrastructure; and

(cc)

The registrar of voters.

The board of supervisors may amend this section to add to the unclassified service other positions or classifications that are of a high level, policy-making nature. Such positions or classifications shall be limited to department heads. Any such amendment shall specify the exact position or classification to be added to the list of exempt positions or classifications. No such amendment shall be applied to the incumbent of any affected position in a manner that would deprive them of any property rights protected by the constitution.

The classified service shall comprise all positions not specifically included by this section in the unclassified service, provided, however, that in the event of the creation of a new position or in case of a vacancy in any position requiring peculiar and exceptional qualifications of a scientific, professional or expert character, upon satisfactory evidence that competitive examinations to qualify applicants for said position are impracticable, and that the position can best be filled by the selection of a person of recognized attainments, competitive examinations may be suspended by the commission, but no such suspension shall be general in its applications to such position and all such cases of suspension shall be reported, together with the reasons therefore to the board of supervisors. This section will not apply to positions in the social service department for which there is federal or state reimbursement. At all times, at least one (1) of the assistant sheriff positions must be filled by appointment from within the Sonoma County sheriff's department.

(Ord. No. 6506, § II, 2-25-2025; Ord. No. 6467, § X, 4-16-2024; Ord. No. 6448, § II, 10-3-2023; Ord. No. 6328, § II, 10-20-2020; Ord. No. 6242, § II, 9-11-2018; Ord. No. 6298, § I, 11-2-2010; Ord. No. 6131, § I, 9-15-2015; Ord. No. 5821, § 2, 12-16-2008; Ord. 5719 § 2, 2007: Ord. No. 5470 § 2, 2004: Ord. No. 5347 § 2, 2002: Ord. No. 5336 § 4, 2002: Ord. No. 4609-R § 1; Ord. No. 330-7-A; Ord. No. 2324-R; Ord. No. 1794-R; Ord. Nos. 353, 353-A, 353-B; Ord. No. 305-A)