San Joaquin supervisors direct policy to hold finalist interviews for board‑appointed department heads in public

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted to direct staff to draft and return with a written policy requiring that finalist interviews for positions appointed by the board be held in public. The motion, brought by Supervisor Rickman, passed 4–1.

Supporters said public finalist interviews increase transparency and accountability for leadership chosen to run county departments. "Conducting interviews in public serves multiple critical purposes," Supervisor Rickman told colleagues, saying public sessions reassure residents that selections are made on merit and give candidates a chance to demonstrate their public‑facing skills.

Human Resources Director Jennifer Goodman cautioned that opening finalist interviews could reduce the candidate pool because some applicants wish to keep their job searches confidential. Goodman also outlined ways the county could limit unintended consequences, such as pre‑screening to narrow candidates to a top three and using closed sessions for earlier recruitment steps.

County counsel and the CAO said staff will draft a practicable policy that balances transparency with privacy and recommended limiting public interviews to finalists rather than all applicants. The board’s direction includes asking staff to return with a written policy for formal adoption.

The board’s action does not immediately change current recruitment practices; staff will prepare the policy language and implementation steps for a future meeting. The motion required staff to consider confidentiality protections, recommended panel compositions, and whether public comment would be allowed for finalist interviews.