Los Osos CSD board approves personnel-policy updates to clarify GM authority and hiring flexibility

The Los Osos Community Services District board on July 2 adopted amendments to its personnel policy intended to clarify administrative authority, modernize language, and increase hiring flexibility.

General Manager Walt told the board staff and district counsel reviewed the personnel policy and proposed updates in four categories: governance and administrative authority (clarifying that the general manager may select applicants, make hiring decisions and set initial compensation within board-approved salary ranges); recruitment and retention (expanding advanced-step hiring authority and recognizing prior full-time public agency service for vacation-accrual purposes); policy modernization and cleanup (consolidating redundant language, updating the district gift policy and correcting the org chart); and legal compliance updates (modernizing protected-class terminology and flagging potential updates to layoff provisions for future review).

Walt noted district counsel reviewed the redlines and supports the recommended changes. Board members asked questions about advanced-step hiring and accrual-credit examples for experienced public employees; staff clarified that advanced steps remain constrained by board-approved salary ranges and do not change the salary scale itself.

On motion and roll call, the board adopted Resolution 2026-26 amending the district personnel policy. Directors present voted to approve the amendments. Staff said layoff-section updates will be analyzed and could be included in future updates coordinated with bargaining-unit agreements.