Madera County civil service panel approves multiple reclassifications and creates two communications director roles

The Madera County Civil Service Commission on June 17 approved a package of personnel actions including individual reclassifications, two new communications director positions and the elimination of the county's public information officer classification.

The meeting, held June 17, centered on human-resources reclassification hearings and the adoption of multiple job classification specifications. Commissioners voted unanimously on each motion recorded in the session, and staff said salary recommendations resulting from several adoptions will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

Commissioners approved individual reclassifications after Human Resources presented duty reviews. HR recommended reclassifying the administrative assistant 3 position in the Department of Social Services for "Mister Velarde" to staff services manager. The clerk/recorder office requested reviews that led to a recommendation to reclassify the clerk recorder manager position ("Miss Luna") and a separate recommendation to reclassify the elections manager position to deputy director of Clerk Recorder Services (later clarified as deputy director of elections). A senior deputy clerk recorder position was recommended for direct status as an elections manager following the review. HR also presented a reclassification request in the Library Department: Mariana Cook, hired as a central services assistant and later placed in the office assistant 1 classification during the county's 2024 class-and-comp study, was recommended for reclassification with direct and permanent status in the new classification; Library Director Krista Riggs told commissioners the reclassification would not create operational gaps and praised Cook's work.

The commission also approved two voluntary demotions submitted in writing by employees: Eliana Ochoa from eligibility worker 1 to office assistant 2 and Maria Rogers from social worker supervisor 2 to social worker 4. Human Resources said both demotions specify that each employee's pay will be set at the step closest to their prior monthly salary but not higher than previously received.

In a bundled set of adoptions, the commission accepted multiple Merit System Services/CalHR job classification specifications that county departments use, including information systems analyst levels 1 and 2, senior information systems analyst, services support assistant levels 1—2, and social services aid. Human Resources said the adoptions allow local departments (notably Social Services and Child Support Services) to use those state job descriptions; the salary recommendations tied to those adoptions will go to the Board of Supervisors.

Human Resources proposed two new classifications: director of communications, intended to "inform, educate and engage residents and stakeholders" and improve county transparency, and director of public safety communication, a role designed in collaboration with the sheriff's office to oversee strategic planning and management of sensitive law-enforcement public information including emergency and evacuation communications. Shanika Dixon of Human Resources told the commission the director-of-communications classification is intended to replace a contracted public information officer; HR said that contract position will be discontinued if the new county classifications are approved by the Board of Supervisors. Commissioners asked whether the director-of-communications would handle both external public releases and internal employee communications; HR replied the position's primary focus is public-facing communication but will coordinate internally as needed.

The commission also approved a separate HR recommendation to abolish the existing public information officer classification, with HR explaining its duties will be folded into the two newly created director-level positions at higher scope.

At the end of the meeting, HR reported the commission's president had reviewed and signed a final order and decision in an April appeal; staff said it is too soon to know whether further legal action will follow.

Votes at a glance: all listed motions below were approved by recorded roll-call votes (three yes, zero no) unless otherwise noted. Where the transcript records a follow-up requirement, that is shown.

- Consent calendar (motion to approve the consent calendar): approved (3-0). - Item 5a: Hearing, reclassification/reallocation of Administrative Assistant 3 (Mister Velarde) to staff services manager: approved (3-0). - Item 5b: Hearing, reclassification/reallocation of Clerk Recorder Manager (Miss Luna) to deputy director of Clerk Recorder Services (direct status): approved (3-0); salary recommendation to Board of Supervisors. - Item 5c: Hearing, reclassification/reallocation of Elections Manager to deputy director of elections (direct status): approved (3-0); salary recommendation to Board of Supervisors. - Item 5d: Hearing, reclassification/reallocation of Senior Deputy Clerk Recorder to Elections Manager (direct status): approved (3-0). - Item 5e: Hearing, reclassification/reallocation of Office Assistant 1 (Mariana Cook) in Library department; HR requested direct and permanent status in new classification (lateral move); commissioners approved (3-0). - Item 5f: Voluntary demotion for Eliana Ochoa (Eligibility Worker 1 to Office Assistant 2) with pay set at the step closest to prior monthly salary but not higher: approved (3-0). - Item 5g: Voluntary demotion for Maria Rogers (Social Worker Supervisor 2 to Social Worker 4) with pay set at the step closest to prior monthly salary but not higher: approved (3-0). - Item 5h through 5n (merit/CalHR classifications including information systems analyst 1—2, senior info systems analyst, services support assistant 1—3, social services aid and related MSS entries): adopted for county use; salary recommendations to Board of Supervisors where applicable: approved (3-0). - Item 5o: Adoption of classification "Director of Communications" (new classification); approved (3-0). HR noted the county contract public information officer would be discontinued and salary rec. will go to the Board of Supervisors. - Item 5p: Adoption of classification "Director of Public Safety Communication" (new classification, developed with the sheriff's office): approved (3-0). - Item 5q: Abolishment of the classification "Public Information Officer": approved (3-0). HR said the classification has been vacant and its duties will be distributed to the two new director-level roles.

The meeting record shows that most actions were presented by Human Resources staff (Sabrina Mendez and Shanika Dixon) and were uncontested by members of the public; no members of the public spoke on the reclassification items when public comment was solicited. Library Director Krista Riggs spoke in support of the Mariana Cook reclassification, saying there would be "no holes" in operations if the change were approved and praising Cook's work. Director of Social Services Deborah Martinez confirmed that adding state/Merit System Services classifications would not negatively affect current staff.

Ending: The commission adjourned after HR delivered a brief staff report about a signed final order and decision in an April appeal; HR said it is too soon to know whether further legal action will follow. Salary recommendations tied to adopted classifications will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for consideration where noted.