2012 ORAL EXAM REVIEW SESSION

1. 2012 ORAL EXAM REVIEW SESSION Thomas Babb Ed Williams

2. 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

3. TYPES of ORAL INTERVIEW TOPICS • DPR • DMS • CDFA • CACASA • Current Issues • Scenarios • Budgets • Administration • Ethics • Philosophies • Government • Management and Supervision

4. 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.

5. Department of Pesticide Regulation • Know DPR organizational structure. • Affiliation(s)? • Funded how? • How DPR provides funding to counties. • Mission? • Current Issues and Key Priorities

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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?

9. 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?

10. 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?

11. 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

12. 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 Statements • Unrefunded Gas Tax Distribution, MOE

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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 . . .”

16. 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?

17. 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”?

18. MANAGEMENT • Succession planning, and mentoring. • Management vs. Supervision. • Professional Growth. • How would you develop and implement a new project or program?

19. 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?”

20. 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?