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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Civil Services Commission - 04/20/1995 CITY OF KENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES April 20, 1995 Members Present: Mike Pattison Ron Banister Scheduling Conflict: Callius Zaratkiewicz Others Present: Dave Santos, Lt Shepard, Lt. Cline, Chief Crawford, Sue Viseth, Lt. Lutz, A/C Aldridge, Sgt Martinez, Ofc Pagel, Detective K. Holt, Sergeant Stone, Sue Viseth, others present. Chair Pattison called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m. I. COMMISSION BUSINESS: None ll. HEARINGS None III. OLD BUSINESS A. Accept into Record Chair Pattison moved to approve the minutes from the March 16, 1995 Civil Service Commission Meeting. Seconded and carried. • IV. NEW BUSINESS A. Approval and Accept into Record 1. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the letter dated March 23, 1995 from the Chief Examiner to Assistant Chief Kerns notifying him of the approval of his request for an extension of his leave of absence under the conditions outlined by Chief Angelo. Seconded and carried. 2. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the certification letter dated March 29, 1995 from the Civil Service Examiner establishing the Eligibility List for Corrections Lieutenant. Seconded and carried. 3. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the memo dated April 7, 1995 from Chief Angelo notifying the Commission that Firefighters Mark Jones and Jason Napier have successfully passed their Second Class Promotional exam, the promotion to become effective April 12, 1995. Seconded and carried. 4. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the memo dated April 7, 1995 from Chief Crawford re-announcing Curt Lutz's appointment to Corrections Lieutenant effective January 23, 1995. Seconded and carried. 5. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the Certification letter dated April 19, 1995 from the Civil Service Examiner establishing the Eligibility List for the position of Battalion Chief for the Fire Department. Seconded and carried. • Page 2 Civil Service Minutes April 20, 1995 B. Action Items for Discussion 1. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the Request for Appeal by Corrections Officer candidate Mr. Scott Kulin. Chair Pattison moved to accept into record items (a) through and including (a): a. Memo dated March 20, 1995 from Chief Crawford advising the Commission that he has chosen not to hire Mr. Scott Kulin. Accept into record. b. Letter dated March 22, 1995 from the Chief Examiner to Mr. Kulin advising him of his right to appeal. Accept into record. C. Letter dated March 29, 1995 from Mr. Kulin requesting an Appeal regarding the Chiefs decision not to hire him. d. Letter dated April 3, 1995 from the Civil Service Examiner to Mr. Kulin advising him of the receipt of his letter e. Letter dated April 18, 1995 from Chief Crawford to Corrections Officer candidate Scott Kulin confirming his appointment to probationary Corrections Officer effective May 1, 1995. Seconded and carried. Lt Cline stated that the appeal did not need to be addressed due to the fact that Mr. Kulin had accepted a Probationary Corrections Officer Appointment effective May 1, 1995. After some discussion the Commission tabled Mr. Kulin's appeal until the next meeting with the condition that the Civil Service Examiner contact Mr. Kulin to ascertain that if he indeed wished to withdraw his Appeal that he send the Commission a letter to that effect. 2. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the memo dated April 7, 1995 from the Police Department requesting permission to appoint Officer Ron Price Provisional Sergeant during the Military Duty absence of Sergeant Boume. This provisional appointment to become effective April 1, 1995. Lt. Cline stated that the reason for requesting Officer Prices provisional appointment was that Sergeant Bome had been activated and sent to Haiti for an undetermined amount of time, perhaps six months. The Civil Service Examiner stated that Officer Price had been on the last Eligibility List for Sergeant and that he met all the necessary qualifications. Chair Pattison moved to approve the Provisional appointment. Seconded and carried. into record 40 Page 3 Civil Service Minutes April 20, 1995 3. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the request for Appeal by Corrections Sergeant Marilyn Stone. Sergeant Stone stated that her counsel was not present as she had car problems. Sergeant Stone then asked that the matter be held over so her attorney could be present. Sergeant Stone then made her request for Appeal based on item (a): Request for Appeal dated April 7, 1995 by Attorney Sue Sampson on behalf of Sgt Stone for review and correction of the score she received on her test for Corrections Lieutenant. Chair Pattison then read the items (b) through (d) b. Letter dated April 11, 1995 from the Civil Service Examiner advising Attorney Sampson of receipt of the request for appeal. C. Memo dated April 13, 1995 from Captain C.E. Miller to the Commission regarding Sergeant Stone's second appeal. d. Fax dated April 18,1995 from Attorney Susan Sampson to the Civil Service Examiner containing a supplement to the appeal request of Sgt Stone's second Lieutenant's written examination. There was then discussion between Chair Pattison, Sgt Stone and Commissioner Banister regarding staying the request until her attorney could be present. City Attorney Lubovich advised the Commissioners of what they could.do. Chair Pattison moved to decline a stay at this time. Seconded and carried. Sgt Stone then asked for a brief recess to gather up material for her presentation. Chair Pattison stated that there would be a brief recess and that the Commission would readjoum at 8:35 a.m. The Commission readjoumed at 8:35 a.m. CIA Lubovich clarified that the proceeding was for a request for an Appeal not a full fledged hearing at this point. Sgt Stone asked again that the request be set aside so that her Attorney could be present, but that if not she would do so herself by Proxy. Chair Pattison stated that the Commission preferred her to go ahead and Proxy. Sergeant Stone then made her presentation to the Commission. Page 4 Civil Service Minutes April 20, 1995 CIA Lubovich then asked that the Civil Service Chief Examiner deal with the issue of the exam itself, what it would take to get the exam back and that he understands that there is a contract relationship with the City and that there are conditions on the lease. The Chief Examiner explained that there was a contract signed with CPS and that she had after the first appeal asked them if was possible to have a copy of the test and the master answer sheet to be sent to her to allow Sgt Stone and her Attorney to review. CPS had stated to her that it was a custom test and that they do not allow that. The Chief Examiner then asked CPS to send her a letter stating the conditions for her Commission. CPS stated they would do so. CPS also stated that with regards to a regrade that the Chief Examiner and two of her Commissioners to regrade the exam. Chair Pattison then asked for any other input. Police Guild President John Pagel then gave his input, stating that the Civil Service Rules were very clear regarding requests for regarding an exam that it was an automatic okay. In the best interest of all parties, that not only Sergeant Stones test be regraded but that Lt. Lutz and Sergeant Knapps exams be regraded to ensure that the grading is accurate. He also requested that, if possible, that the Oral Assessment questions be rescored to ensure accuracy. He saw two reasons for getting the test back. He stated that obviously this is a very divisive issue within the Police Guild. This is something they have really been struggling with to come to some sort of consensus to what is the fairway to deal with this issue. If it would not be an undue burden that both the Sergeants and Lieutenants test both be reviewed by the Commission. To see if they are similar or the same. The Chief Examiner then stated the various options available regarding rescoring the tests. Commissioner Banister asked if the request was for the whole exam? C/A Lubovich stated that his understanding was that the request was being made on the whole exam. Sgt Stone then reiterated that her request was for a regrade on the second written and the Oral Board due to mathematical errors. From the first Appeal that on the plus score information that she be given credit for everything she earned. Sgt Stone then stated what she had appealed at her first Appeal and what her current Appeal request entailed. • Page 5 Civil Service Minutes April 20, 1995 Officer Pagel then stated that from the Police Guilds standpoint they are not advocating that this test be checked for content validity. It was a purchased test from a well known company that prepares tests and from the Guilds standpoint they do not think that any questions were invalid. C/A Lubovich asked if Officer Pagel was referring to the second written test and Officer Pagel stated yes. Officer Pagel then stated that if the Civil Service Commission has access to these tests the Guild has full faith that the Commission can decide whether or not the tests are the same. Chief Crawford stated that he sensed that the Commission wanted him to say something. That the department has immense respect for all candidates and that he feels that the ball is in the Commissions court regarding such decisions. He stated that the Rules are pretty specific and that one could get into trouble if one gets outside the Rules of the Commission with regards to being fair and consistent and honest. Chair Pattison stated that the Commission move to meet in closed session for not more than five minutes and would rule summarily on the request. Readjoumed at 9:00 a.m. Chair Pattison: 'The Commissioners have conferred and decided on the following: We move to regrade and rescore, only as appropriate, the second written Lieutenant's promotional examination and no further action will be taken. In addition, I am appointing Commissioner Banister and myself to sit in with Catherine on the regrading and rescoring. All those in favor of adoption say Aye. Aye. Motion carries. Is there any additional business to come before the Commission today? No. There being none, I move that we adjourn." Adjourned at 9:02 a.m. The next Regular Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 18, 1995 at 8:00 a.m. in Council Chambers West. Respectfully submitted, Catherine M. Guiguet Secretary & Chief Examiner Appr7 X,j Mike Pattison, Chair •