After a botched and fumbled appointment process, an independent panel has suggested that a policy be adopted preventing county supervisors from directly appointing relatives to boards and commissions.

The panel made this recommendation after selecting a candidate for a Cemetery District Board position. The choice, often a routine and somewhat mundane task, was turned into a political soap opera following the nomination of one supervisor’s husband.

From the Contra Costa Times:

Contra Costa supervisors’ relatives should not serve on any board-appointed panels, a committee recommended Tuesday, following the controversial handling of an East County cemetery board seat.

The supervisors’ Public Protection Committee recommendation will next go to the full board for a vote.

Last week, supervisors appointed Vickey Rinehart to the Byron-Brentwood-Knightsen Union Cemetery District Board after an out-of-county group of cemetery district representatives recommended her over supervisor Mary Piepho’s husband, David, and other candidates.

Read the full article here.