Sentence:  In the light of these circumstances , as well as the fact that the issue at trial in this respect centered entirely on the Department 's recommendation , which petitioner repudiated but which both the appeal board and the courts below found supported by the record , we find no relevancy in the <WSD>hearing</WSD> officer 's report and notes . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  an official appointed by a government agency to conduct an investigation or administrative hearing so that the agency can exercise its statutory powers