Supervisors allow limited hiring exemptions, one position per requesting department amid budget review

San Benito County supervisors voted May 12 to allow one hiring exemption per department among those that requested relief from a boardwide hiring freeze, while administration completes FY25–26 budget analysis.

Interim CAO Henny Ring reminded the board that on May 6 supervisors had imposed a hiring freeze on funded vacant positions in the FY24–25 budget while staff refined FY25–26 budget assumptions. Several department heads told the board the freeze had interrupted ongoing recruitments or would impede critical operations.

Integrated Waste Director Selena Stottler asked to lift the freeze for two positions funded by the Integrated Waste fund—a staff services specialist and a code enforcement officer—saying the county’s riverbed and encampment cleanup work and state reporting require immediate staff time. Stottler said the positions are non‑general fund and that encampment removal and illegal‑dumping responses depend on continued staff support.

Treasurer‑Tax Collector Melinda Casillas asked to fill a Treasury vacancy that would otherwise leave the office operating with only one staff member handling reconciliations and a roughly $400 million investment portfolio and monthly interest allocations; Casillas said the position is treated as net county‑cost neutral (treasury activity is largely supported by interest allocations to depositors) and that a candidate offer had already been routed to HR before the board imposed the freeze.

Assessor Tom Slavich requested recruitment for a computer mapping specialist—an input needed for appraisal work and parcel mapping—and for an assessment clerk to avoid diverting appraisal staff to front‑desk duties. Chief Probation Officer (Chief Knez) asked to fill an office assistant vacancy created by a recent retirement to maintain court report processing, clerical support and grant‑funded reconciliation work; probation also uses some non‑general funds to pay staff support.

After discussion about the scale of the county budget challenge and a request from administration to allow more time for FY25–26 projections, Supervisor Velasquez moved that each requesting department be allowed to fill one position; the board approved the motion 5–0. CAO Ring said staff will continue budget work and would provide updated analyses; supervisors asked departments to be prepared to justify ongoing or additional exemptions if the budget picture requires further restrictions.

Board members said they favored exemptions for non‑general‑fund positions that support immediate public‑safety or operational priorities but stressed that all requests will be reviewed as staff completes budget projections.