2012 ORAL EXAM REVIEW SESSION

Thomas Babb

Ed Williams

ORAL APPRAISAL INTERVIEW Structure:

Four questions for each exam, Three prior to the interview One more during the interview

One half hour preparation time Candidates may take notes No handbags, cell phones, calculators

One half hour total interview time Notes will be available for candidates’ use

TYPES of ORAL INTERVIEW TOPICS

Administration Ethics Philosophies Government Management

and Supervision

DPR DMS CDFA CACASA Current Issues Scenarios Budgets

How do I find out? Talk to your Commissioner/Sealer

Deputies, other applicants. Talk with Liaisons before February 16. Attend a Board of Supervisor meeting. Attend CACASA, Area Group and Deputy

meetings. Read minutes. Read Liaison/CAC Reports. Go to Agency Websites, CDFA, CDPR,

WWMA, NCWM, CACASA, CASAP, etc.

Department of Pesticide Regulation

Know DPR organizational structure. Affiliation(s)? Funded how? How DPR provides funding to counties. Mission? Current Issues and Key Priorities

DPR cont.

The pesticide registration process, continuous evaluation, and CEQA.

Pesticide use reporting, pros and cons. EJ; significance? Explain the relationship between the CAC

and DPR. DPR functions

CDFA Know CDFA’s organizational structure. Relationship between CAC and CDFA?

Strengths and Weaknesses? How contracts/cooperative agreements/

work plans are developed. Mission Statement, Strategic Plan Vision for Agriculture State Agriculture Board

Division of Measurement Standards

Who does DMS report to? Explain the relationship between, and

roles of County Sealers and DMS. What are strengths and weaknesses? Relationships with WWMA and NCWM? Relationship with NIST, and significance of

NIST Handbooks? What are the current key issues?

Plant Health and Pest Prevention Structure, Branches and Programs Funding sources and distribution How does PHPPS work with USDA and

counties? Roles and Relationships. How does a county respond to pest

detections and infestations? Who is responsible for which activities?

What are the components of California’s pest prevention system?

What are the current Issues in PHPPS?

Inspection Services Structure, Branches and Programs Funding sources and distribution How does IS work with USDA and counties?

Roles and Relationships. What are the Current Issues for Inspection

Services and counties?

Animal Health and Food Safety Services

Programs that work with Counties? Current Issues?

CACASA What is CACASA? What are its officers (their titles and

duties)? How does it function? How do items get placed on its agenda? How are “actions” determined? What are the Committees? Functions? Know what is in the CACASA Handbook.

MOU’s and Guidelines

Budget

What are its components?How is a budget developed?What are the main funding sources of

your budget?Process of adopting… how?Annual Financial StatementsUnrefunded Gas Tax Distribution, MOE

ADMINISTRATION Actions requiring Board of Supervisors

approval. How is an item placed on a Board Agenda. Know how a state cooperative

agreement/contract gets approved. Administration of Regulatory Authority Understanding the Role of Other Agencies County Monthly/Annual Reports

ADMINISTRATION Cont. What is the “Brown Act” What is its

significance? FMLA, FPPC, etc. Sexual Harassment, Diversity, Hiring, etc. Violence in workplace policy. How a Commissioner or Sealer is

appointed or removed from office.

ETHICS “Code of Ethics” – CACASA Handbook Do work habits reflect work ethic? Ethics vs.

Integrity? “Token(s) of appreciation” “Integrity, honesty, sobriety, dependability,

industry, thoroughness, accuracy, good judgment, initiative, resourcefulness, courtesy, ability to work cooperatively . . .”

Philosophies Mission, Vision, Values What is a Legislative Platform? Balancing Compliance and Strict Enforcement? How do you decide which issues to take on in

your county? i.e. GMOs, Water Quality, Land Use Planning, etc.

How can a commissioner/sealer be politically aware and astute?

Communication and outreach policies?

GOVERNMENT What are responsibilities of each level? Who are government officials accountable to? How do government agencies interact with

various stakeholders? How do various levels of government interact

with each other? How does the regulated community access

government? What is “Due Process”?

MANAGEMENT Succession planning, and mentoring. Management vs. Supervision. Professional Growth. How would you develop and implement a

new project or program?

SUPERVISION What is “Supervision?” What is a Supervisor’s responsibility in

supporting staff? Why is FLSA something a supervisor

should know? How would you develop and supervise a

Team? Is it “supervison” or “micro-management?”

SUPERVISION How much technical knowledge does

a supervisor need to possess? What are the effects of a lack of

supervision? When is delegation appropriate? Progressive Discipline. What are a supervisor’s “rights” in

assigning work?