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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Civil Services Commission - 07/19/1990 (3) CITY OF RENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES CITY BALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS July 19, 1990 Members present: Robert Jarvis Alex Thornton Ron Forest Others present: Chief Frederiksen, Chief Angelo, Captain Byerly, Bill Williamson, Catherine Dixon The meeting was called to order at 8: 10 a.m. by Chairman Robert Jarvis. REPORTS Acting City Attorney, Bill Williamson- City is working on a Leave of Absence Policy. Currently working with Don Olsen on a LEOFF I Policy with regard to Family Leave Issue. May affect the Civil Service Commission in that it is beyond the Collective Bargaining Issues. Fire Chief, Norm Angelo- Busy summer so far, Covington Fire Station to be dedicated on August 4 at 12 : 00 invitation extended to attend even though it is not within the city. Police Chief, Rod Frederiksen- No report. Personnel Director, Don Olson- No report. OLD BUSINESS Approval of Minutes from June 21, 1990 Civil Service Commission meeting. Motion seconded and carried. NEW BUSINESS Chairman Jarvis opened for discussion the 1991 Civil Service Commission Budget briefing by the Civil Service Secretary & Chief Examiner. Mrs Dixon presented the 1991 Budget and asked for direction from the Commission. Chairman Jarvis questioned the increases in the Medicals and Psychological Examinations. Chief Examiner stated that the Police are now carrying out drug testing and that Dr. Tueffers fee now reflects that. Also that Chief Frederiksen had decided to have all physicals and psychologicals done by the same doctors each time to maintain consistency. Page 2 Civil Service Commission Minutes July 19, 1990 Advertising/Employment- Object code increased due to Minority Recruiting requirements. Presently being researched by the City Attorneys Office and Chief Frederiksen. Chief Frederiksen stated that he had worked with personnel at the University of Washington and coordinating through the C i t y Attorneys office as well. He is concerned about enhancing minority recruiting and anticipates some extra fees in advertising in different papers and systems to reach minorities. Assessment Centers- Object code 4290 area not fully resolved with regard to which budget it comes from. Put in for additional $4, 000 for Outside Assessor to come in and run the Assessment Center for Police Promotionals. Chairman Jarvis questioned how much time it would take to rewrite the Civil Services Rules & Regulations covered under Legal Services, object code 4140. Chief Frederiksen stated that he would anticipate that with using a consultant it would probably take a six month period of time to go over the andleanitiate the requested changes for a substantial overhaulof the language. Necessary approvals would take up another nine months after rewrite. City Attorney stated that Foster Pepper was presently doing the rewrite. Chairman Jarvis advised City Attorney that there was no one doing the rewrite at present. Fos er Pepper was used for the inclusion of the non-uniformed personnel into the Civil Service Rules in 1989 4Chairman Jarvis stated that his question was whether or nbt the rewrite needed to be included into the budget for 1991. Chief Angelo stated that the need is to get the consultant on board as quickly as possible to get the proposal together. City Attorney stated that $5, 000 was a fairly minimal amount for that scope of a study and that "you get what you pay for". Minimal fee for overhauling the Citys ' Civil Service Regulations. Depends upon just how much the Commission wants to go beyond a "fine tuning" . Consultant should be able to package the various options. Chief Frederiksen stated that he had done a draft R/P and would assume that that would be the way the City would want to proceed. Page Civil 3 Civil service Commission Minutes July 19, 1990 City Attorney stated that he had not yet looked at the R/P due to a backup in Word Processing but that clearly the R/P was the best way to go because you are basically getting free advice from those firms and consultants who would propose to the Commission how best to go about a full blown effort to examine the Civil Service Rules and Regulations. Chairman Jarvis asked the Secretary and Chief Examiner if she was looking for a Motion to present the Budget. Chief Examiner stated that she felt she needed to inform the Commissioners of the Budget and if there was any input the Commissioners might have with regard to the budget. Commissioner Forest stated that he felt that the Examiner was on top of that area and had full confidence in her. Commissioner Thornton stated that he had talked to Mr. Chow with regard to a stipend for the Commissioners and had heard nothing back. The Chief Examiner stated that the request had gone to Sandra Driscoll, City Attorney. City Attorney, Bill Williamson stated that the question was whether there is authority under Washington State Law to reimburse the Commission Members for expenses incurred for their attendance at the meetings and matters like per diem for Commission Hearings. Commissioner Thornton stated that it was really not that big but that there is a point of being fair. There are car expenses. City Attorney stated that out of pocket expenses for Commissioners are reimburseable. Commissioner Thornton asked the City Attorney to look into it for the Commission. City Attorney agreed to do so. Chairman Jarvis then stated that he felt the Chief Examiner was on top of the Budget and he had confidence in her. Chief Examiner asked for direction with regard to incorporating the Commissioners expenses and/or stipend into the 1991 budget. City Attorney stated that he would need to look into the stipend issue and that he would ,have an answer back in good time for the 1991 budget. Page 4 Civil Service Commission Minutes July 19, 1990 - Chief Examiner stated that there was a Budget Presentation to be made on July 26th at 9: 00 am to Administration at the Senior Center and who would be making the presentation. It was decided that the Examiner would be giving the presentation. , Civil Service Examiner then asked for clarification regarding changes to Applications and Job Announcements to reflect Selection process, Veterans Preference and procedure for submitting applications presented by Civil Service Secretary & Chief Examiner. She asked if changes in wordings needed to go before the Commission before they could be initiated. City Attorney stated that the Chief Examiner would have to give notice to the Commission prior to changing either the application or the Job Announcements. The Examiner would have to present changes to the Commission before initiating such changes. For the purposes of changes made prior to the current Civil Service meeting the City Attorney stated that the Commission would have to approve those changes at this time. Chairman Jarvis motioned to accept into Record. Seconded and carried. Civil Service then asked for the Job Announcement Weightings be approved by the Commission. Chief Angelo stated that the Fire Department did not put weightings on their Job Announcements due to the fact thay participants played toward the weightings when taking the tests. Chief Examiner stated that in fact the Fire Department Job Announcements did show weightings. Chief Frederiksen asked if these weightings were also for the Assessment Centers or just for the initial entry examination process. Chief Examiner stated that the weightings were only for the entry selection process. Chief Angelo then stated that he had understood that the weighting was also for the Assessment Centers and that he had no problem with the weighting being on the Job Announcements for the entry selection process. City Attorney questioned if anything was different in the selection process for any of the Departments. Captain Byerly stated that the Police did not run an Assessment Lab in their selection process which the Fire Department does. Chief Frederiksen then stated that the Civil Services Rules and Regulations outlined the selection process with the key words "testing may consist of any or all of the following" . Page 5 Civil Service Commission Minutes July 19, 1990 He then suggested that the word "will't on the Job Announcement be changed to "may". City Attorney agreed with this statement. City Attorney advised the Commission that because selection is applicant driven and that application itself may be binding that the Commission should approve those changes. Moved by commissioner Forest, seconded and carried. Chief Frederiksen stated for this particular testing that the Police Department will go along with the weighting as it is presently worded. Discussion ensued regarding the weightings and whether or not other wordings might be used. A generic Job Announcement was mentioned to save the $25 printing fee generated whenever there are changes to the Master of the form. This was discarded due to the fact that the dates change each time there is a new Job Announcement and a new Master Form has to be generated. Therefore there will always be a $25 fee. Chief Frederiksen stated that each department usually submits the weightings for the selection process to the Commission before a Job Announcement goes out and that perhaps this could be done by each department and included on the Job Announcement. City Attorney asked Chief Frederiksen if a statement to the participant is made with regard to the fact that he/she will no longer be considered for continuing on in the selection process as they proceed through the testing. C h i e f Frederiksen stated that indeed such a statement was made during the selection process by notifying the participant that he/she has been removed from the Eligibility List. City Attorney stated that he felt it should be mentioned somewhere in the testing process that if an applicant fails one portion of the examination he/she will not continue on in the selection process. Chairman Jarvis then asked if anyone had anything additional to add to the discussion. There was no response. Chairman Jarvis then motioned to accept into record the memo dated June 20, 1990 from Chief Frederiksen recommending removal of Timothy Hughes from the Police Officer Eligibility List due to information obtained during the psychological testing. Seconded and carried. Page 6 Civil Service Commission Minutes July 190 1990 Chairman Jarvis motioned to accept into record the Certification letter dated June 28, 1990 from the Secretary & Chief Examiner establishing the Sergeantsf Eligibility List. Seconded and carried. Chairman Jarvis motioned to accept into record the letter dated June 26, 1990 from Timothy C. Hughes appealing the decision to remove him from the Eligibility list for Entry Level Police Officer. Seconded and carried Chief Examiner asked for direction with regard to both Timothy C. Hughes and Steven Strands (letter dated July 2 , 1990) appeals. Chairman Jarvis motioned to accept into record both Timothy Hughes and Steven Strands appeals. Seconded and carried. Chairman Jarvis entertained a motion to hear the appeals at the next Civil Service Commission meeting on August 16, 1990. Chief Frederiksen stated that he would like to have Dr Smith at the hearing on one of the appeals and requested that Dr Smiths schedule be confirmed first, otherwise the Police Department might have to request an extension of the hearing. City Attorney stated that the Commission could set a Hearing date and then direct the Secretary to ascertain if that is adequate time for preparation for the parties, and then have her report back to the Commission at the next meeting. Chairman Jarvis entertained the motion to accept into Record the City Attorneys recommendation. Seconded and carried. Chief Examiner asked if she was in fact to investigate and report back to the Conmmission. Chief Frederiksen stated that as he had requested that the individuals be removed from the Eligibility List that he would be prepared at the appropriate time to present the case. City Attorney stated that the Commission can accept a notice of appeal as having been adequate and as having been filed. Whether or not there is a basis for denying the appeal, these matters should be on the record and should be heard as part of any hearings date. It is City Attorneys job to bring those forward with the assistance of the departments. This can be done prior to the next date established by the Commission. Page 7 Civil Service Commission Minutes July 19, 1990 Chief Frederiksen asked City Attorney a direct question that if they get into the hearing process the Chiefs intentions are in this case to present the information to the hearing regarding the snafu in the past it has been recommended that the City Attorney's office cannot represent both the Commission and the department in the appeal process. City Attorney stated that that is correct and if that occurred outside counsel would have to be hired. Therefore Chief Frederiksen would have to make a request for legal services if it became necessary. City Attorney stated that one wouldn't want to place the Apellant in the position where some of the merits of the appeal were discussed without the opportunity for him to present argument back as concerns the merit of their appeal. It is process oriented and certainly the Secretary of the Commission, in the City Attorneys opinion, should not assume an investigative role when it is really the departments function. Therefore, the Commission should look at at least two Commission dates in advance so that the departments can have Dr. Smith present and the Department can decide whether or not they want legal counsel. Chairman Jarvis stated that he didn't feel that it would be fair to the person appealing to have to wait two months. City Attorney stated that it could be done at the next meeting but that the Police Department might have trouble having all the necessary people present. Chief Frederiksen stated that he anticipated that both appeals would be fairly short. However, perhaps a Special Meeting might be established. Chairman Jarvis entertained a motion that the appeals be heard at the next Civil Service Meeting on August 16th, 1990. Seconded and Carried. Chairman Jarvis motioned to accept into record the memo dated July 16, 1990 from the Secretary & Chief Examiner disqualifying herself from administering the Corrections Officer Examination process due to her spouse applying for the position. seconded and carried. Chairman Jarvis then addressed Chief Frederiksen if he would then be next in line and would he be available to replace the Civil Service Examiner. Chief Frederiksen stated that he had advised the Civil Service Examiner that he would be available. Page 8 Civil Service Commission Minutes July 19, 1990 The CivilService Examiner then stated that it was her understanding from the City Attorney that she can still continue to accept applications, process them and carry out all the other work not directly involved with the actual Examination. City Attorney stated that that was correct. Captain Byerly asked what will happen with the test portion in the interim. The Chief Examiner stated that the tests had been taken over to Chief Frederiksens office as soon as her husband had advised her that he would be applying for the Corrections position. Chairman Jarvis motioned to accept into record the memo dated July 17, 1990 from Chief Frederiksen announcing the promotion of Detective C.E. Miller to the position of Police Lieutenant effective July 16, 1990. Seconded and carried. Captain Byerly asked if the Commission would address the second paragraph under NEW BUSINESS specifically "Veterans Preferance" and at what portion of the selection process it is applied. Chief Examiner stated that Fire and Police use it in different areas of their selection process. Due to the fact that the terminology does not specify that the Veterans Preferance must be given after the written portion of an examination each department can then apply it where they see fit. City Attorney stated that his understanding was that the Veterans Preferance had to be given before the Eligibility List is established but that he would have to look at the guidelines to be absolutely certain. Suggested that it be put on the Civil Service Commissions next meeting Agenda. Chief Angelo stated that he was willing to go along with the legal guidelines once they had been established. Captain Byerly stated that if there is a person who is one point below the pass point and that person states that they wish to use ther Veterans Preferance at that time, what do you do. Chief Frederiksen stated that the wording is so ambiguous that it allows each department to add the Veterans Preferance in where they decide to and so long as the department remains consistent with this ruling there should be no problems. Page 9 Civil Service Commission Minutes July 191 1990 City Attorney stated that the Civil Service Examiner had brought up is that there is a need to give adequate notice of Veterans Preferance during the application process. Also that a short form of the RCW be put on the Application Form for clarification for applicants. Chief Frederiksen asked for City Attorney to research this prior to the next meeting. City Attorney stated that as of right now they were in the process of doing so. Meeting was adjourned at 9: 15 am. The nest regular meeting is scheduled for August 16th, 1990 in the Council Chambers. Respectfully submitted, Catherine M. Dixon Secretary and Chief Examiner Approved: Robert arvis Chairman