Internal Services Director Rich Inman said competition from
other counties has complicated the search process.
Hollister – County officials hope to fill the probation department’s highest position using a search firm by October – almost a year after the department fell into turmoil.
Internal Services Director Rich Inman said competition from other counties has complicated the search process. As an incentive, the county has increased the chief probation officer’s annual salary from $86,900 to $98,500, Inman said.
“The problem may be the salary,” Inman said. “We just can’t compete with the surrounding counties.”
The San Benito County Probation Department severed its relationship with Chief Probation Officer Deborah Botts in January, leaving longtime department employee Mary Covell in charge. The decision came after Botts had been on administrative leave for three months for undisclosed reasons, alongside former Juvenile Hall Supervisor Tim Pierleoni, who had served as second in command.
Covell, however, plans to leave the probation department, she said.
“I know I’m going to stay here until they get their new CPO,” Covell said, later adding, “It’s been a very unique and wonderful journey.”
Officials involved in the search for the new chief probation officer hoped to have a permanent leader in place at the start of summer. But several factors stymied the search.
Until April, the Juvenile Justice Commission was out of compliance with state law and was unable to advise judges, who will appoint the new chief probation officer. State law dictates that the commission, which oversees the county’s juvenile hall, must advise the judges in their hiring decision.
County officials also decided to contract with an outside agency to find candidates. Sacramento-based CPS Human Resource Services has been searching for a new chief probation officer since June, Inman said. The company will close its application process Aug. 23, and should recommend potential candidates to both judges and the Juvenile Justice Commission.
If it goes as planned, the county could have a new chief probation officer in place in October, Inman said.
Both the county and the state, which runs the San Benito County Superior Court, have given $13,000 each to pay for the search.
Inman said it is typical to use such a service when hiring for an executive position. He said the use of the search firm will expand the department’s hiring options. Inman said he did not know how many applications the company had received as of Monday.
“We want to get as broad and diverse an applicant pool as we can get,” Inman said.
