HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Civil Services Commission - 06/15/1995 CITY OF KENT
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING
JUNE 15, 1995 MINUTES
Members Present: Mike Pattison
Ron Banister
Scheduling Conflict: Callius Zaratkiewicz
Others Present: Human Resources Director, Sue Viseth, others present.
Chair Pattison called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m.
I. COMMISSION BUSINESS: HR Director Viseth took the minutes. Examiner Guiguet off ill.
II. HEARINGS
III. OLD BUSINESS
A. Accept into Record
1. Chair Pattison moved to approve the minutes from the May 18, 1995 Civil Service
Commission Meeting. Seconded and carried.
B. Action Item
• 1. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the letter dated May 23, 1995 from Chief Crawford
to Chair Pattison requesting reconsideration of the Commission to approve the extension
of the Eligibility List for Police Captain to the full 18 months.
Chief Crawford stated that, "the letter speaks for itself'.
Lt. Cline: "Is this just to reopen for reconsideration or do you want information regarding
opinions regarding the list?"
Commissioner Banister: "I would like an explanation from Lt. Cline after his statement not
to extend, because of the fact that he said that he believed that the examination was not
adequate and there was a throw out part of the test."
Lt. Cline: "I'm a little confused. Are we looking at the reopening issue to talk about or
actually talking about the issue?"
Chair Pattison: "First, lets talk about it."
Lt. Cline: "My position regarding the examination was because I believe two out of five
portions of the exam were not used for evaluation. That created a problem for the testing
process. It would not be in the best interests, in my opinion, of the candidates or the
Agency to continue with a list based on a test that had problems. I feel that with a
situation like this, all things being equal, I probably agree with Chief Crawford, that I would
extend the list. But I think with this situation where we had a problem with the test and a
problem which I feel is significant. That at this time, the list has stood for a year and I
feel that it would be inappropriate to extend it. "
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Civil Service Meeting - Minutes
June 15, 1995
Chair Banister: "Thats what we based it on when we voted against it, wasn't it?"
Lt. Cline: "Yes."
Chair Pattison: "Those haven't gone away?"
Lt. Cline: "No."
Chief Crawford: "I have a lot of experience in testing and I assume you folks do to. I've
never seen an examination in my life that hasn't had some problems. Particularly by
applicants who have not placed in the top or been promoted off an examination. This
examination had a section of it where one or two, I don't remember which, were excluded
from grading. This doesn't mean that the examination is bad. This means that the
testers in their wisdom, during the examination process, excluded them so they could be
fair and consistent to all people taking the examination.
Let me go back a step. I think its very important if there is a problem with the
examination, there is an appropriate time to appeal that examination. If that appeal does
not take place at that time, then an individual has no standing before this Civil Service
Board or anyone else. I think that there is something else that is extremely important.
There are two things that you really want to get from an examination. One is that you
want to rank order people so that you can make a selection. Two is that you want to
• comply with EEOC requirements. I believe that this examination did that. Three, I think
that there is something that is probably more paramount to all of that. You have to look at
the people that placed, one, two, three, four on the examination. Those were very
qualified, extremely capable individuals. It would be a travesty to allow a list to expire that
has very qualified individuals that are still on the list for the statements that I've stated in
my letter."
Chair Pattison asked for any further discussion.
City Attorney Lubovich: "Let me just give a procedural note. The Commission, under the
Rules would be allowed, if there was to be a change, to make a motion to rescind the
previous act and to take new action. These are parliamentary rules, Roberts Rules,
which have been adopted for the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service Rules do
not address the issue of the lapsed list, the one that has not been extended. In the past,
it is my understanding that the Civil Service Commission has granted extensions after the
lists have expired. It would then be effective from the date that it expired."
Commissioner Banister: "I take it that there have not been any complaints on the test
that the 40% was eliminated?"
C/A Lubovich: "I don't know."
Chair Pattison then motioned to rescind the Commissions previous act. Seconded and
carried. He also moved to extend the Eligibility List for Police Captain effective date to be
the time it actually elapsed with the six additional months to the full 18 months.
Seconded and carried.
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Civil Service Meeting - Minutes
June 15, 1995
IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. Approval and Accept into Record
1. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the letter dated May 24, 1995
from Chief Crawford notifying Police Officer Derek V. Kammerzell that he has
successfully completed his probationary period effective May 24, 1995. Seconded and
carried.
2. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the letter dated May 24, 1995
from Chief Crawford notifying Police Officer Thomas L. Hankins that he has successfully
completed her probationary period effective May 24, 1995. Seconded and carried.
3. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the letter dated May 31, 1995
from Chief Crawford notifying Corrections Officer Christopher Ward that he has
successfully completed his probationary period effective May 31, 1995. Seconded and
carried.
4. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the Certification letter dated
June 1, 1995 from the Civil Service Examiner establishing the Eligibility List for the
position of Fire Lieutenant for the Kent Fire Department. Seconded and carried.
. 5. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the Certification letter dated
June 9, 1995 from the Civil Service Examiner establishing the Eligibility List for the
position of Entry Level Police Officer for the Kent Police Department. Seconded and
carried.
B. Action Items for Discussion
1. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the memo dated May 24, 1995 from Chief Crawford
requesting that the Commission authorize the minimum qualifications for promotion to
Records Supervisor be as follows:
"Must be presently employed by the Kent Police Department and have served
satisfactorily for 24 months as a Records Specialist."
C/A Lubovich asked if there was more than one person eligible under these minimum
qualifications?
Lt. Cline told him there was.
There being no further discussion Chair Pattison moved to adopt the minimum
qualifications. Seconded and carried.
Chair Pattison asked if there was any additional business to come before the Commission.
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Civil Service Meeting - Minutes
June 15, 1995
Chief Angelo stated that the Entry Level Firefighter Eligibility List was due to be extended another
six months on June 24, 1995. He requested that it be extended.
Commissioner Banister motioned to extend the Entry Level Firefighters list an additional six
months. Seconded and carried.
There being none, the meeting was adjourned at 8:16 a.m.
The next Regular Meeting will be held on Thursday, July 20, 1995 at 8:00 a.m. in Council
Chambers West.
Respe tfully submitte
Catherine M. Guiguet
Secretary & Chief Examiner
Appro Wison,
Mike
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