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Clallam County staff outlines screening committee and strict criteria for coroner recruitment
Summary
County HR presented a recommended screening committee and a detailed screening matrix under ordinance 1037; commissioners agreed staff should finalize the matrix and bring candidate recommendations to a public meeting for a formal appointment.
Clallam County HR staff presented a recommended screening committee and detailed screening criteria on April 27 as the county prepares to recruit a coroner under an ordinance adopted March 31, 2025.
HR director (speaker 8) told commissioners the packet includes a job description and an intent statement for the recruitment, and recommended committee members including a judge and the prosecuting attorney, along with county administrators and HR representation. "We have created a job description that will be used in the recruitment process," the HR director said, adding staff will prepare a screening matrix to make the initial review efficient for committee members.
The recommendation follows Ordinance 1037 and Clallam County Code 3.32, which govern appointments when an elected office is transitioned to an appointed role. The HR presenter said the screening committee is intended to be 3–7 people and will perform an initial screening and interviews, then forward recommended finalists to the Board of Commissioners for a public decision.
Commissioners pressed on logistics and workload. One commissioner (speaker 1) emphasized the statutory requirement for public decision-making: "You're required to make a decision in a public meeting," the commissioner said, underscoring that the screening committee can recommend finalists but cannot make the final appointment in executive session.
Staff described equivalency standards built into the screening criteria so candidates without a conventional academic path would not be automatically excluded; the matrix allows, for example, combinations of education and years of experience to meet minimums. HR said it will do much of the preparatory work — drafting the matrix and coordinating schedules — and return finalists to the commissioners for public interviews and selection.
No formal appointment was made at the work session; staff said it will finalize the screening matrix, coordinate the panel, and bring the recruitment forward to a future public meeting for commissioners to act.
Next steps: HR will finalize the screening matrix and coordinate the screening committee; the board will receive recommended finalists and make any appointment during a public meeting.
