HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Civil Services Commission - 11/16/1995 CITY OF KENT
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
November 16, 1995
Members Present: Mike Pattison
Ron Banister
Callius Zaratkiewicz
Others Present: Chief Crawford, Chief Angelo, Captain C.E. Miller, Lt Shepard, Dave
Santos, B/C Scott, Acting A/C Robertson, Mary Ann Kern, Debra Leroy,
Lt Cline, Captain Jim Miller, others present.
Chair Pattison called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
I. COMMISSION BUSINESS:
II. HEARINGS
III. OLD BUSINESS
A. Accept into Record
1. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the minutes from the October
24, 1995 Civil Service Commission Meeting. Seconded and carried.
• 2. Chair Pattison moved to accept into record the letter dated September 29,1995 to Mr.
David A. Toney removing him from the Entry Level Police Officers Eligibility List due to
failure of the background portion of the selection process. Seconded and carried.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. Approval and Accept into Record
1. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record letters dated October 26, 1995
from Chief Crawford to Mr. Ronald C. Rasmussen, Mr. Greg W. Duffin and Mr. Robert
A. Constant confirming their appointment as Probationary Police Officers effective
December 1, 1995. Seconded and carried.
2. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record memo dated October 26, 1995
from Lt. Cline clarifying that the order of hire for the three probationary police officers is
Rasmussen, Duffin and then Constant. Seconded and carried.
3. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the memo dated October 31,
1995 from Chief Crawford announcing the selection of Debra Leroy to the position of
Records Supervisor. Seconded and carried.
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4. Chair Pattison moved to approve and accept into record the letter dated November 8,
1995 from the Civil Service Examiner to Russell S. Osterhout acknowledging that he has
accepted employment with Thurston County Sherrifs Department and notifying him of
his removal from the Entry Level Police Officers Eligibility List. Seconded and carried.
V. Action Items for Discussion
1. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the Certification letter dated October 26, 1995 from
the Civil Service Examiner establishing the Eligibility List for the position of Police
Records Supervisor for the Police Department.
The Chief Examiner said that City Attorney Lubovich had stated that it need to be under
this particular section.
There being no other input for discussion regarding this list Commissioner Banister
motioned to accept it into record. Seconded and carried.
2. Chair Pattison opened for discussion Resolution No. 8 regarding Rule XII,
APPOINTMENT PROCEDURE. He also stated that the Commission had received two
letters regarding this. One dated October 18, 1995 to the Commission from Attorney
Steve Dijulio regarding Certification for Special Needs, and the other letter received
November 6, 1995 from the Kent Police Guild regarding the proposed change to Rule
XII.
Captain C. E. Miller stated that the Resolution had an additional proposed change
made because the first one did not fully address the needs of the Corrections Facility.
This was done after the Commissioners had received the first Resolution
Chair Pattison asked if the Resolution was different from what they had in their packet.
City Attorney Lubovich: "I'll explain it. Changes on Section 1.5 page 2 is highlighted, it
is the new language that has been substituted. The sentence originally stated 'For
purposes of this provision, a gender specific appointment requirement shall occur when
an appointment of a female corrections officer is necessary to ensure that all shifts at
the Corrections Facility consist of one female corrections officer per shift.' The
language was changed to read 'for purposes of this provision, a gender specific
appointment requirement shall occur when an appointment of a female corrections
officer is necessary to ensure a minimum of three corrections officers per squad unless
special circumstances as approved by the Civil Service Commission require otherwise.'
The issue was really the coverage of female corrections officers at the facility and the
way it was originally worded apparently did not provide enough coverage and I'll let
Captain Miller speak to the changes."
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Captain Miller: "With the original proposal it was allowed that there be one female officer per
shift. If she were to take a holiday or a vacation day or comp day, sick day or any other form of
leave other than her regular day off, I would not have any coverage as far as a female officer.
This then puts me in jeopardy of going against Jordan versus Gardener which is the Federal
Rule saying that only female corrections officers may search female prisoners. It also doesn't
address things like female officers being in training or any other time they might be away. That
special provisio at the end is that I might need to come to you for the ability to hire somebody
on a temporary basis for a long term due to injury and/or medical reasons.
I discussed this with John Pagel the Guild resident and he is not here today as he is out of
town. John was in favor of the original resolution. He in essence is in favor of saying you can
have nine female corrections officers, but he is not in favor of saying that I could have a
minimum of three female officers per squad. I definitely need to be able to hire three female
officers in order to comply with the intent of Jordan vs Gardener."
Chair Pattison: "Intent?"
Capt C.E. Miller: "there is also a side issue on it also. Their union contract says that they have
the right to bid for their shifts and days off. Under the existing conditions, the first two female
• officers whether its a line officer or a sergeant, once those first two bid all the rest of them just
have to bid whats left over and they don't get to bid. Therefore, although there has been a
decision that its not my fault that it violates the contract, therefore there is no problem. I don't
think its fair to the female officers that have to take the leftovers because we can't comply with
the bidding process.
Those are the two issues, coverage and we have to comply with the Guild contract."
Dave Santos: "Representing the Guild. I was not privileged to that particular conversation
between John and the Captain. My understanding was that the Guilds position with regards to
this is to not allow the administration to go beyond what is required under the Supreme Court
Ruling. I believe that Administration has the ability to hire back vacation scenarios or sick leave
scenarios whereby they can hire a female officer to comeback on an overtime basis.
With regards to the shift bid, as long as I've been involved with the Guild, which has been a
year, the Guild has never been formally approached that this is a problem. So we would not
like this to be brought in as a justification carried further when we have never received any type
of formal complaint that it was a problem to begin with. Basically that is the Guilds position as
of right now."
Chair Pattison: "So is the Guild against adoption of the Resolution in its entirety?"
Dave Santos: "We're in favor of it as it is worded by Roger in the first draft."
. Capt Miller: "If I might respond to that. It is correct, I could bring people in on overtime. But as
a responsible manager of a Division I have to try to stay within the budget constraints and I can
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do that by not paying overtime and hiring at the proper levels or proper numbers, then thats in
the best interests of the department and the city. As far as no formal complaints, he is correct.
But there have been several informal complaints or inquiries made to John and myself in
reference to this issue. The only reason that it has not been brought forward as a formal
complaint is that a few years ago, Mary White brought that forward. It had been heard and the
Guilds position at this time was that it was old."
Chair Pattison: "Is there other discussion of this resolution?"
Commissioner Banister: "I would ask you how often does it happen that you are without female
personnel on duty at the time?"
Capt Miller: "Right now the staff I have down there. They average thirteen days a year
vacation. Multiply that by seven. They each have eleven holidays a year off. There is another
seven times eleven thats 88 shifts. If I start multiplying this out there is a tremendous number
of shifts."
Commissioner Banister: "So you're definitely at minimum is what you're saying?"
• Capt Miller: "I'm below minimum. Right now I am at minimum."
C/A Lubovich: "Can we ask Captain Miller if there is another position that might satisfy both the
Guild and his minimum needs?"
Chair Pattison: "Okay?"
Capt Miller: "Unfortunately without going to three members per squad I can't guarantee that I'll
always have a female officer there. The Guild did indicate that they might be willing to go with
the minimum number of nine females. But then again thats just another way of saying three
per squad, as we have three squads. That was the only other alternative that John suggested
to me."
Chief Crawford: "In respect to the Guild, I don't understand the position of the Guild in terms of
the damages to the Guild. I don't see it taking away from any employee. I don't see anyone
excluded from the Guild. I don't see any issue here other than Management issues trying to
staff the Correctional Facility with the appropriate gender ration that allows us to operate in an
efficient and effective way. I there were anything that I could think of as I'm listening here today
that would affect the Guild members in any way then I would absolutely say lets go back to the
drawing board. But I see this as the Commanders responsibility to try to manage that facility in
a way will sustain all the difficulties that we have nowadays and to jail operations. I certainly will
go back to the table if there is anything I could see that would affect a Guild member. But what
I see is nothing more than making sure that there is an appropriate ratio between men and
women in the facility that by law is required to have that ratio and they are still all Guild
members and no one will be treated in a disparate way."
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Capt Miller: "I might add one more comment. There is no intent to lay anyone off and hire
female corrections officers to remedy the problem we have right now. The intent is as
vacancies occur then we would implement this resolution."
Commissioner Banister: (To Dave Santos) "Is there anything you can see from the Guild. It
sounds like you haven't been involved with it as much as John has."
Dave Santos: "Yes, that seems to be the problem. The comment made about 9 positions
being okay by the Guild. I don't know in what realm that was figured out but I was always told
that it was six. Six was the minimum to cover all shifts and have the people you require on
days off. The figure nine, this is the first time I've heard of it so I'm at a disadvantage because I
don't know exactly what John and Chuck had spoken on regards to this issue. My suggestion
is that it be tabled for another month until Guild President Pagel is back and the Guild and the
Administration can get together and maybe discuss this a little further. Obviously to me there is
some kind of agreement that nine is a sufficient number. Under what criteria these nine people
are going to work into this scenario I don't know so I would not be able to put in a suggestion
one way or the other. "
• Commissioner Banister: "Does that create a problem?"
Capt Miller: "It might. We have an existing eligibility list of Corrections Officers and that may
very well expire before the next meeting. If it does then we get into a process of not extending
that list and going for another testing process. If this resolution isn't passed then I am going to
be asking Roger to draft another resolution which allows us to have two different list. So we will
be addressing this issue one way or the other. In the long run for the Citys preventatives of
cost I'd like to be able to move forward on this issue."
It was ascertained that the list could be extended but Captain Miller did not wish it extended
unless he could hire from it to meet what he perceives as their needs.
Chair Pattison: "Normally I would want to move forward but the reality is that we just got this
new resolution for the first time this morning so I'm more inclined to table it and come back to it
next month."
Commissioner Banister: "Would it create a hardship? Is it something we can live with if we
do?"
Capt Miller: "I can live with whatever?"
Chair Pattison: "I did notice that this case was 1992 and we've been fine for three years. Do
we need a motion to table it?"
C/A Lubovich: "Just move that it will be on the next Agenda, that both resolutions be brought
forward on the same Agenda. You can do anything you want"
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Chair Pattison: "I would prefer if there was some agreement and we just brought forward one."
C/A Lubovich: 'There are two resolutions here and we'll bring them both forward."
Chair Pattison: "I would preferjust to see one if we could get some consensus and bring one
forward that would be best for us."
C/A Lubovich: "Alright, so my understanding is that if there is no consensus we'll bring them
both forward. If there is a consensus we'll bring a new resolution forward?"
Chair Pattison: "Yes, so moved." Seconded and carried.
3. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the memo dated October 31, 1995 from Captain
Dave Everett notifying the Commission that Officer R.E. Miller was made a provisional
sergeant effective October 15, 1995 to fill in for Sergeant Emerson who is off on Medical
Leave with a tentative return date of January 1996.
The Examiner stated that Officer Miller met the minimum requirements for filling the
Sergeants position. There is no current Sergeants Eligibility List.
. Commissioner Zaratkiewicz motioned to approve item three and place it into record.
Seconded and carried.
4. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the memos dated November 7, 1995 from Lt. Cline
and Captain C. E. Miller requesting permission to begin the selection process for
Accounting Services Technician and to consider modifications to the testing process for
this and the Word Processing Technicians selection process.
Capt C.E. Miller: "I have asked for an opinion from Roger regarding the Accounting
Services Technician in order to move it forward. Closed testing vs open testing for what
most of us would consider a lateral move in the department not a promotional. Our Civil
Service Rules don't address some of those issues so based upon the States intent, they
talk about an open competitive exam. Based on that decision it depends on how we
want to move forward or we request the Chief Examiner to move forward in the testing
process."
C/A Lubovich: "If I may I didn't have time to get back to Captain Miller but did respond
to Catherine. I think that this could actually be a transfer under Rule XIV, transfers
consist of changing an employee from one position to another position in the same or
comparable rank. Then it goes on to suggest what a demotion and a promotion is...The
Chief may at any time transfer an employee from one position to another within the
same rank under his jurisdiction. It is my understanding that the Police Department may
want to fill this slot from within and I don't know if there is interest from others or enough
within, I'm not sure of the exact issue. If that is the issue I think that it may be done as
an internal transfer because it is not a promotion or a demotion but a straight transfer.
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I may be incorrect on that but that is my understanding of it."
Dave Santos: "I'd like to speak to that. I polled the bargaining units and at this point in time I
do not have any interest in the Accounting Services Assistant position from in-house. I do not
have anyone interested in applying for that position."
H.R. Director, Sue Viseth: "If I may also speak to that. There is potentially interest in other
departments throughout the city where this could potentially be a promotional opportunity for
lower classified employees in that career field. I just wanted to bring your attention to the fact
that it has been our intent whenever practical to open what could be perceived as a promotional
opportunity to all the employees to give everyone an opportunity for transfers or promotions. I
think this would be a good opportunity as well."
Capt Miller: "If I may add to that. That is probably where the open-competitive exam comes in.
When we have a promotional opportunity within the department it is closed within to members
of the Department who are within that job classification, whether you're talking Record
Specialist being promoted to Records Supervisor or someone who meets the qualifications
within the department from another job category. Or, as in a promotion to Sergeant, Lieutenant
and Captain, etc.
When we don't have people to qualify, we open it up to the outside. What Sue is suggesting is
that it be opened this much just to the City. My question to Roger is when it says 'make it an
open competitive exam', do we have to open it up to everyone or can we restrict how far it is
open? Our Rules do not address that. There is some language within the State Civil Service
Rules that talk about open-competitive exams but again it requires somebody with a little more
knowledge to interpret what the intent of that is."
C/A Lubovich: "I haven't read that. I haven't responded to that question yet. I don't know if I
have an answer to that yet."
Chief Examiner Guiguet: "My understanding regarding the transfer issue is that we couldn't
transfer someone from the City side that would pertain to the Classified Services. We would
have to do an open exam."
C/A Lubovich: "The question is can you open it just within the City? I suspect that you could
but not having read the statute we probably could."
Chief Examiner: "It has been done previously."
C/A Lubovich: "I know that there is a question if you could do that and at the same time run a
full blown open exam. I don't think you can do that. You can't have simultaneous types of open
exams. So the question is whether or not it can be limited to the City employees. I suspect it
could but I would have to verify that."
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Chief Crawford: "If I might make a suggestion. Now we're talking about getting clogged up. If
there is any opportunity, because we really need this position. We need the supervisor to move
into her supervisory position. We are going into a lot of other transition issues with annexation.
If there is any opportunity at all to open the testing process to the employees of the City for this
position I would certainly appreciate it. I don't understand how anyone can argue that it would
have to be open to the world because people don't have a standing. Its up to you. Our position
in this is that we are starting to get bogged down and can't move forward. I would certainly
appreciate anything you can do."
Commissioner Banister: "There should be no reason, Roger, why they can't do that, should
there?"
C/A Lubovich: "No, I can't think of any reason why they couldn't do it. I just haven't read it. "
Commissioner Banister: "I would like to make a motion that we go ahead with the testing for
the City employees."
Commissioner Zaratkiewicz: "Seconded."
• Chair Pattison: "Is the language on our Agenda sufficient to meet the Chiefs' request or does
that speak to your motion properly?"
Commissioner Banister: "I think that we should word it that it be open to City employees."
C/A Lubovich: "The definitions don't really speak to it much. Closed exam means a
promotional exam open only to qualified permanent employees of the department. Open exam
means a promotional exam open to all applicants who meet the qualifications as stated by the
Civil Service for the position. It doesn't say whether it is limited or not. I don't see why you
couldn't declare it limited. I don't think the Statute is going to say you can't do that."
Chief Angelo: "You may want to make it an open competitive examination inside unless there
are not sufficient candidates and give the police the opportunity to have an open examination.
Otherwise they would have to come back if they don't have enough applicants inside and have
to request permission again."
Commissioner Banister: "I make the motion that we open it to City employees as long as there
are qualified people available. If they are not available then open it to general public
application."
C/A Lubovich: "What determines qualified or not? Do we get sufficient applicants?"
Chief Examiners: "It would be the minimum qualifications that are set out in the position
description for that particular position."
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C/A Lubovich: "So if we get one applicant who meets the minimum only in the inside exam is
that satisfactory?"
Chief Examiner: "In the past we have set the number at a minimum of three. That number was
set simply because of the Rule of Three."
C/A Lubovich: "That needs to be determined so that it is not confusing."
Dave Santos: "If I understand what we are doing, are we covering both portions? The Word
Processing position too? Is the wording that you are using now is going to apply to that
position? With regards to that position I have at least two people right now who have
expressed an interest."
Chief Examiner: "No, we are talking about the Accounting Services Assistant position."
Dave Santos: "Right, thats what I mean. I just wanted to clarify that we are separating the two
positions out here."
The Chief Examiner confirmed with the Commissioners that was their intent.
• Commissioner Banister: "That is now the motion."
C/A Lubovich: "That is also as we discussed, a minimum of three qualified applicants?"
Commissioner Banister: "Yes."
Chair Pattison: "There is a motion before us, it has been seconded. Those in favor say aye.
(All Commissioners voted Aye) Motion carried.
The next item is the Word Processing Technician Selection process. There is a request that
there be modifications to the testing process. Is there any conversation specific to that at this
point?"
Chief Crawford: "I think that this is where were going to have another discussion. Mr. Santos
just stated he believes there are two applicants who would like to apply for the Word Processing
position within the Department. I think that as a failed type of testing system and my personal
request is that we open it again to the City so that employees from the City can compete for
that position. That doesn't mean that the person internally doesn't have an opportunity to take
the position because the Chief still has the Rule of Three and that is what that Rule is for, to
take someone that is performing well and is still in a position to take it say if they came out
number three.
•
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By locking positions up like that what you are doing is excluding good applicants, one and two,
by setting a standard say of three portions, you are getting people to apply that really, quite
frankly are not going to take the position if they were selected. Just so they can fill the function
of three. I can tell you where that has happened but I would like to think that we as a City, the
argument on the other side is that on the civilian side of the Police Department people would
like to have opportunities to either change jobs or promote up. I think we need to take a wider
view of that. People on the civilian side of the Police Department should receive the same
opportunities to promote up and to transfer City wide for their upward mobility as anyone else.
Instead of blocking one agency up vis a vis the other agencies. The Police Officers are a
different group they can only promote up through the police ranks. They can't transfer to other
departments, people can't transfer in. On the civilian side of the house people can move to
higher portions and move up the ladder on the merit system function. I would prefer that we
start and not get locked into having to always promote or change jobs in house because it does
cause us some difficulty."
Dave Santos: "I am in agreement with the Chief with regards to having a qualified pool of
people to choose from. I'm also in agreement with sometimes in the past where individuals
have put in for tests to keep things in house. The question I have is primarily for Sue. Are
there other Bargaining units in the city that keep their promotions closed. I've heard rumor that
• ASFME does do that."
Sue Viseth: "Not anymore. We were successful in negotiating that one out of the contract this
time around. That contract involves our Finance personnel as well as administrative support
staff throughout the city in a number of departments. We now will open all of those positions
city wide so that every city employee has an opportunity to compete for those portions. It was a
tough battle but we made the same argument the Chief was talking about. That we don't want
to have a closed shop. We want employees on the civilian side to have the opportunity to
transfer from the Police Department to another city department or from a city department into
the Police Department. The only contract right now that does still have that language is the
Teamster contract within the maintenance worker personnel."
Dave Santos: "I'd like to say I'm going to make a Guild decision here but I am just going to
voice my opinion and I think that it is probably the opinion of the rest of the Guild. In the past
that has been the problem, is that the other bargaining units have not opened up those
positions to other city or Police Department employees. If that is the case, then I perceive the
Guild not having a problem with opening this type of testing city wide at this time."
Commissioner Banister: "I make a motion that it be opened to city employees with the three
qualified applicant minimum as required by the previous motion."
Chief Angelo: "I need to ask something quite different, because then we start overlapping the
uniformed service in other issues. It would seem to me that the department and the Chief
Examiner get together and make sure that they set the minimum. It may be desired in certain
situations to set a higher minimum. I don't believe that there is anything in the rules that says a
minimum has to be three. I think that there is nothing wrong with the suggestion that the
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minimum be three or greater. Each department needs to evaluate that on different positions on
the need of number of candidates necessary for testing."
Commissioner Banister: "Well, I think we're saying just three on this one."
C/A Lubovich: "Right".
Commissioner Banister: "Its not a rule from here on forward, it is just for this position."
C/A Lubovich: "For this exam it is established at three."
Chief Angelo: "Thank you."
Commissioner Banister: "And mainly because if there are two people within the department
who would apply for the position right now you need to open to the city employees.
I made the motion."
Commissioner Zaratkiewicz: "seconded".
Chair Pattison: "Those in favor of adoption say Aye. (All commissioners said aye) Carried."
5. Chair Pattison opened for discussion the memo dated November 9, 1995 from Chief
Angelo informing the Commission of the Provisional appointment of Battalion Chief Dale
Robertson to the rank of Assistant Chief, effective November 13, 1995 due to the
upcoming disability leave of A/C Jed Aldridge.
There was no discussion.
Commissioner Zaratkiewicz: "Motion that it be approved into the record."
Chair Pattison: "Those in favor of adoption say Aye. (All said aye) Motion carried.
Is there any other business to come before the Commission?
Lieutenant Cline: "On the last item regarding the Police Department. We might, after
looking at this and seeing how it is going to be within a group of employees that are
already a known commodity, that we might want to change some of the aspects of the
testing that we normally do for entry level.
We would like permission that we be able to work with Catherine if we see that there are
some reasonable changes to the process, we might screen by them."
Chief Examiner: "I think that with regards to minimizing numbers if we get large
numbers in regards to going forward so that we don't have to have a large Oral Board or
typing tests or any of the other areas of testing."
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Lt. Cline: "We want to make sure that the minimum requirements for that position are tested
for. We might not need to test to the extent that we would with regular hiring when we go to the
outside for those people we know nothing about. Within the framework of the Civil Service
Rules the testing and selection process is listed 'take an appropriate examination'. We would
work with the Examiner to determine what would be the appropriate testing because it might not
be exactly the same as what we would do for entry level people that are off the street and we
don't know anything about."
C/A Lubovich: "When we do the exam we don't really give you much detail of the exam do
we?"
Chief Examiner: "Both our Entry Level Police Officer and Firefighter process had already been
set. There is an actual process that we do use. With regards to the Support Staff that tends to
be governed by the position descriptions."
C/A Lubovich: "They can submit recommendations but it is up to the Civil Service Commission
to approve and establish the exams and process. It is up to the Commission if you want to see
it yourself or if you want to give the Examiner..."
Chief Examiner: "It states within the Rules that the Commission does. The last time we carried
out the Word Processing testing we carried out a written test, typing test and Oral Board. For
the Accounting Services we carried out written test, typing test, adding machine test and an
Oral Board. That is the previously approved process."
C/A Lubovich: "The Rules say, Rule IX, Section 1: All examinations shall be approved by the
Commission before the examination is held. To an extent you'd grant approval if we have
basically a standard exam for a standard types of examinations and then a precedent. That
probably has standing approval, but if you make modifications I think that the Commission really
needs to either get pre approval of that under certain conditions or have it reviewed at the time.
The Commission approves the examination. So if you want to give pre-approval to different
examination scenarios based on certain conditions then thats approval, but have them
submitted to you at a subsequent date. You do not have to sit there and have them presented
to you thirty days from now and make an approval if you know what you want to do with it. It
does say that the Commission approves the examination before its held."
Commissioner Banister: "I would not have objections to making it an adjusted exam. But I
would like to know what the adjustments are."
C/A Lubovich: "You don't know what the adjustments are so you can't really give pre approval
unless you know what they are."
Chief Examiner: "Were you thinking of actually changing it after the point that you had the
number of candidates?"
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Lt. Cline: "That was a possibility. If we ended up with just three candidates. It might not be
necessary to do an Oral Board. It might be something that we'll just have an interview with the
Chief and Commander for that particular position. So, depending on the number of applicants
and instead of using the exact same examination as we have in the past, the,Examiner might
do something geared more towards the position understanding that these are people that we
already know about that have a level of proficiency within the city. Within the Rule. I'm not
saying anything outside the Rule. If it is something that is already authorized by the Rule, but
that Catherine would then create a test that would be more geared towards the position and the
circumstances we have for this testing."
Chief Examiner: "It is pretty much governed under Rule X, that we could use a combination of
any of those criteria. In actual fact you could do that."
Cpt Miller: "You might want to take into consideration is that we are constantly updating and
the job descriptions as well as the skills, knowledge and abilities. Thats another reason we may
need to recommend a change in the testing process is to meet the new qualifications as
established within the job classification."
Commissioner Banister: "Could we actually make a motion that the test be modified to meet
the requirements of the time?"
C/A Lubovich: "I don't think that meets the intent of the Rule. You don't even know what the
exam is going to be. We're getting to a point where these job descriptions are getting more
complex and specific. My recommendation is that when you look at each exam a little more
carefully as approval rather than just have the standard exam. You can't use the same exam
over and over when the jobs are changing all the time. To give a blanket approval on
something that you're not even sure what its going to be. My point is that under one testing
scenario you're going to use written and oral test for this and if it doesn't meet a certain
condition then you will use written and oral, psychological and evaluation through a Police
Officer questionnaire or something. Thats a pre approval. To say modified based on 'you really
don't know what the exam is' its not rally a good approval."
Capt Miller: "Might I suggest that after we receive approval to go forward with the process and
by the time Catherine makes up the Announcements and its open for a period of time and we
evaluate the applicants to make sure that they meet the minimum requirements of the job we're
probably going to be back at another meeting and by that time we can work together and
actually present to the Commission the actual test process. I think that we can get this process
rolling and not violate any rules."
C/A Lubovich: "What do you tell the applicants about the testing process?"
Chief Examiner: "Normally I'll put the testing process and dates on the back of the Job
• Announcement so they know what to expect."
Page 14
November 16, 1995
Civil Service Minutes
Capt Miller: "We have a wide range in the Civil Service Rules of what we can test. Can't we
put in the announcement - may consist of a written test, a typing test etc. Its up to them to
prepare for it. Its no different than a promotional exam that says ' we may gather materials
from this area, this area and this area."
C/A Lubovich: "My caveat is that you want to make sure that you don't have the announcement
say that you are going to have a written and oral test and then when they come down to test
you have a whole different litany of exams."
Chief Examiner: "Rather that list my dates I'll just state that they may consist of any number of
items. I can do that."
Commissioner Banister: "His request was just to modify it and that is all we would react to and
not how until its done right?"
Chief Examiner: "We can do the announcements and everything and then once we have the
cutoff we can come back to the Commission with the requested test process for that particular
position at that point in time. It would be more timely."
Chair Pattison: "Do you need anything from us?"
`• C/A Lubovich: "No."
Chief Examiner: "I'll put this on the Agenda for the next meeting that they will come back to the
Commission with the testing requests."
There being no further business to come before the Commission Chair Pattison moved to
adjourn. Seconded and carried. Adjourned at 8:50 a.m.
The next Regular Meeting will be held on Thursday, December 21, 1995 at 8:00 a.m. in Council
Chambers West.
Respectfully submitted,
CAV,14. W ,
Catherine M. Guiguet
Civil Service Secretary & Chief Examiner
Appro�/ed:
.0 Mike Pattison, Chair