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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Civil Services Commission - 12/17/1981 i KENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING MINUTE_ S December 17, 1981 The last regular meeting of the year was called to order by Chairman T. Richard Ried. Present were: Commission member Donald Whitener; Chief Angelo and Acting Assis- • taut Chief Fronsdahl from the Fire Department; and Chief Skewes, Captains Byerly and Rees, Sergeants LaBelle and Lutz and Detective Kelch and Officer Damitio from the Police Department. Also present: Administrative Assis,ant Mike Webby. The minutes of the meeting of November 19, 1981 were approved as submitted. Administrative Assistant Webby reported that the technical test for the police sergeant's examination has been developed by Captains Byerly and Rees, which will be brought to the Commission for certification, the technical test conducted and a follow-up with an assessment center for a smaller group. Prior to the assessment center, Mr. Webby will be back before the Commission to discuss that aspect of the test. Chairman asked if the test has been approved by Chief Skewes, to which the Chief responded affirmatively. Based on the recommendations, it was moved and seconded to approve the police sergeant's examination. Motion carried. Chief Angelo reported that the Fire Department is getting ready to give the oral board and technical side of the examination for Assistant Fire Chief which is being held on December 21st. He stated that each participant will go through both phases and he anticipates having a list prior to the next meeting to be certified. . It was reported by Captain Byerly that an oral board will be held on December 22nd for • the next group of ten candidates and he recommended that we cut it off at that point on the list because there is a noticeable difference in the scores with the next group. He also reported that on January 23, 1982 there is a physical agility and written exam scheduled for a new group. As a result of the last test, Captain Byerly requested the following names be removed from the Law Enforcement Eligibility List: Arthur F. Edge, failed oral board Gregory R. Wilson, failed oral board Rick A. Hoffman, failed oral board Michael J. Beckwith, failed oral board Donald R. Whittington, withdrew (letter received by P.D.) Steven E. Sills, failed oral board It was moved and seconded to remove the previous names from the law enforcement eligibility list and to accept the letter from Mr. Whittington into the record. Motion carried. The letter from Captain Rees concerning changing the police lieutenant's qualification which was tabled from the last meeting because of a lack of a full-bodied Commission was the next item on the agenda. Chairman Ried asked for any comments from Captain Rees, to which he replied that there has been no lieutenant examination for the past five or sic years and at the present time the qualifications for lieutenant are exactly the same as for captain. Chief Skewes pointed out that we allow credit for academic achievement for the captain's position and he felt the lieutenant's position should re- ceive the same credit. He emphasized that he wants the best candidate and he gave • his recommendation as 'yes'. Sgt. LaBelle agreed with the police administration related subjects, but he said he would like to see in the proposal 'prior supervisory experience' and to show written proof of their experience, for both lieutenant and captain positions. He said that officers who have served as alternate shift supervisors Kent Civil Service Commission Meeting Minutes - page 2 December 17, 1981 have shown their ability to handle the job and he would feel more comfortable working with a lieutenant that has shown prior supervisory experience. Captain Byerly read a . memo from Sgt_ Hammer expressing his concerns about the proposed lieutenant's qualifications. Sgt. Hammer questioned if it is necessary to make any changes in the present qualifications since there are already supervisory personnel who more than qualify for the position. He further stated that no consideration is,given for a person's past performance, duty Issignments or accomplishments. He expressed his concern that every time a promotional test is given, the rules seem to be altered or changed. It was moved and seconded to accept the letter into the record. Motion carried. The Chairman requested a motion to approve the request by the police administration but Commissioner Whitener stated he still had some concerns with Section II and requested an executive session, but after opinions from Chief Skewes, Mr. Webby and the Chair- man, it was agreed that rule changes should not be made in executive session. Mr. Whitener stated he is bothered by the constant request for rule changes and also the possibility of someone without supervisory experience moving into the lieutenant's rank. He said he definitely wants to see experience as a sergeant included. He questioned if this proposal is aimed at one or two individuals to meet this situation by by-passing the sergeant's rank and if we are getting 'top heavy' in supervisory personnel. He said his main concern is downgrading the role of lieutenant, that a person ought to have the experience in mid-management of a sergeant before he is ready to become lieutenant. Chief Skewes responded that one can look at the eligibi- lity list to see if it is designed for one person. He said the department has grown in size which has forced sergeants to take on extra supervisory duties. He stated the need for a span of control; he needs sergeants on the street. He stated again he wants • the best candidate which does not mean he performed as a sergeant but meets the qualifications, including administrative skills and he said officers have been per- forming sergeant's duties. Mr. Webby added, though he said he is not involved in police or fire except for putting together tests, sofar as being top-heavy is concerned, it is not the case, that all forms of public agencies are doing the job with few at the top that couldn't be compared with the private sector with the services provided at the low cost we do. Mr. Webby supported the Chief's contention that by creating a lieutenant's position, the department has abetter span of control. Mr. Whitener replied that he is not opposed to more lieutenants if they are coming through the experienced rank of sergeants, that experience translates the skill and ability. Chief Skewes added that the assessment center cannot be designed to benefit any individual, that it can only be designed, if designed properly, to measure the skills and abilities needed in the job. He further stated that the Commission, or the ser- geants, should not have a fear of who is taking the test because the assessment center will measure the abilities and management skills and the probationary period is to find out if a person can do the job. Chairman Ried remarked that as we have no complete Commission nor a letter from the Police Guild in response to our memo, we will table this issue until a letter is received from the Guild and then a special meeting called. It was moved and seconded to table the matter on the lieutenant's qualification until a letter is received from the Police Guild at which time a special meeting will be called. Motion carried. Chief Skewes invited Mr. Whitener to meet with him if he had any other questions or wants more information. • It was moved and seconded to accept Attorney Mirk's memo in reference to Rule IX, Section 3. Motion carried. Kent Civil Service Commission Meeting Minutes - Page 3 December 17, 1981 In the absence of any response from the Firefighter Union, it was moved and seconded to approve the change as proposed by Assistant Chief Fronsdahl for Rule VIH, Section 4, • "Firefighter 1st Class". Motion carried. The memo dated December 1, 1981 from Assistant Chief Fronsdahl regarding the dis- ability leave of Firefighter 1st Class Douglas Easter, effective August 18, 1981, was read. It was moved and seconded to accept the memo into the record. Motion carried. The memo of December 1, 1981 from Assistant Chief Fronsdahl in reference to the disability retirement of Firefighter 1st Class Danny Burke, effective October 7 , 1981, was read. It was moved and seconded to accept the letter as part of the record. Motion carried. The letter dated December 7, 1981 from Richard E. Barber, Firefighter applicant, was read. Assistant Chief Fronsdahl submitted his letter of December 14 written to the Commission explaining the testing process utilized for the Firefighter exam which began with the written exam on November 23rd, at which time both groups of applicants were informed that the top fifty (50) scorers from the written and physical agility tests would be scheduled for the assessment lab and oral board later in the week, but because of the time frame, all applicants were scheduled to take the physical agility, a pass or fail basis. In order to establish the top 50, the applicants with the highest written scores were scheduled for Monday morning but with fails and no-shows, it took part of Monday afternoon to obtain the 50 including the score of 83.34%. The remainder were offered the opportunity to take the test for experience but only one applicant • accepted. The applicants scheduled for Tuesday were called and informed of the situ- a tion and given the same opportunity, to which 13 tested for drill. Chief Angelo suggested that there may have been a lack of clarity in the applicant's mind about the top 50 and to reinforce the same offer that we made that day to offer the opportunity to take the physical agility. Chief Fronsdahl suggested meeting with him personally and send an official letter. The letter of December 13, 1981 from Officer Mark E. Damitio, requesting participa- tion in the police sergeant's examination though he is seven days short of the thirty-six months' requirement as of December 14, the final date of acceptance of application, was read. With Chief Skewes' recommendation that if someone becomes eligible during the lifetime of the eligibility list, he should be able to take the test, it,was moved and sec- onded to approve the request. Motion carried. The letter of December 9, 1981 from George Stollwerck of the Kent Public Schools cancelling the charge for the use of Kentridge Auditorium on November 23, 1981 for the Firefighter exam was read. It was moved and seconded to accept the letter into the record. Motion carried. It was moved and seconded to certify the Firefighter Eligibility List as follows: Robert J. Schneider Micheal R. Smith • Mike D. Richardson Brian R. Renner Kenneth T. Ewell Neal D. Houser Gerald L. Stoumbaugh Kent Civil Service Commission Meeting Minutes - Page 4 December 17, 1981 Firefighter Eligibility List cont'd. Mark W. Thompson 40 David J. Stargel Kip E. Ware Brian L. Kruml Patrick W. Date Darby D. Handley Maurice G. Morrow Peter R. Sugges Charles F. Heitz Jr. Miles C. McDonald William A. Engler Tom L. Hardy Jeffrey S. Barsness Motion carried. The subject of putting promotional eligibility lists in alphabetical order was discussed, but no action taken. Chairman Ried thought he would have to look into the subject more and suggested Mr. Webby work up a proposal. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 21, 1982 at 8:00 a.m. at Fire Station headquarters. w Meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Amy E. Kato Secretary and Chief Examiner Approved: T. Richard Ried Chairman • CITY OF � CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION December 17, 1981 (extended to December 17, 1983 on TO: THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 5-20-82) The following names represent the Eligibility List for the position of Firefighter: Robert J. Schneider Micheal R. Smith Mike D. Richardson Brian R. Renner Mark W. Thompson-r- `- Kenneth T. Ewell Neal D. Houser Gerald L. Stoumbaugh Mark-W.-3'h� David J. Stargel • Kip E. Ware Brian L. Kruml Patrick W. Dale Darby D. Handley Maurice G. Morrow Peter R. Sugges Charles F. Heitz Jr. Miles C. McDonald William A. Engler Tom L. Hardy Jeffrey S. Barsness I hereby certify that the list has been legally prepared and represents the relative rating of the names appearing thereon. Amy E. Kato Secretary and Chief Examiner 1 4 a: 220 SO. 4th AVE. /KENT, WASHINGTON 98031 /TELEPHONE(206)872-8250