2021-10-29 Merit Appeals Board Minutes

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Merit Appeals Board October 29, 2021 Two—in my prior capacity as the Recruitment and Examination Manager, I have mentored and trained County employees in the recruitment and examination function as part of professional HR development. Three the acting director of human resources and I share a common ancestor and are blood -related. I have concluded that we are third cousins, once removed. Since the Merit Appeals Board is the appointing authority for the next director of human resources, I have recused myself to avoid any appearance of potential conflict. Vice -Chair Mel Ventura is serving as Acting Chair in this matter and the Merit Appeals Board members will plan and proceed with the process leading to the selection of the next director of human resources. I just want to thank all of you, my fellow Board members, for your understanding of my recusal. Any questions? MS. MATHEWS: Congratulations you two. CHR. CABANAS: Believe me, Waylen had no idea. Let me tell you, I have agonized over my recusal because I felt like I was abandoning all of you. I have agonized over this, but this is not about me. This is about keeping everything transparent, not having a cloud over the Merit Appeals Board. And so, yeah, it might feel like I'm abandoning you but I'm still with you folks in spirit. And whatever I can do to help the Board, outside of that process—like, the orientation from the managers coming—giving us an overview then those are the things that I can be thinking of. But I did agonize over it. I had many sleepless nights. But—yes. So, anyway, let's move on, `cause we still have a number of things on the agenda. And now so, Counsel, do I recuse myself for 7A? I need to, right? MR. YOSHIMOTO: Yes. CHR. CABANAS: Although Mel is not here. MR. YOSHIMOTO: Yes, Madam Chair. So, at this point, we should read into the record Item 7A, since it is on the agenda. After we do that, though, given the fact that you have recused yourself from this item and that the Vice -Chair is not present—my recommendation would be that the Board continue this matter as well, until you have all the members, as possible, are available. You could, however, still proceed today, if you wanted to `cause you do have a quorum. So, that's just a recommendation, but not—it's not a hard or fast rule so. But, anyway, so read the agenda item into the record. And, actually, one more thing because Chair Cabanas is going to recuse—or has recused herself from this matter and the Vice -Chair is excused, we would need to appoint a Temporary Page 23