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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Civil Services Commission - 02/24/1990 r CITY OF KENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES Thursday, February 24, 1994 Members Present: Ron Forest Callius Zaratkiewicz Others Present: Sgt. Weissich, Debra Leroy, Cpt. C.E. Miller, Cpt J. Miller, Rose Nelson- Human Resource Senior Analyst, Lt. Cline, others present. Chair Forest called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m. I. COMMISSION BUSINESS: None. II. REPORTS City Attorney, Roger Lubovich- "Mayor White had appointed Carl Hart to the Civil Service Commission. Mr. Hart brought to our attention yesterday that he was not a resident of the city. The Statute requires a three year residency in the city prior to being appointed. He has been a resident for a number of years, but six months ago he moved out of the city. Even though the Statute allows flexibility in adopting regulations that conform to the State requirements, the Citys Ordinance states that those sitting on the Commission follow the requirements of the Statute. We have no flexibility. Our requirements are those • that are set forth in the Statute. Mr. Hart cannot sit on the Commission and therefore the seat is again vacant. I assume Mr. White will be making an appointment soon." Fire Chief Angelo- Scheduling conflict Police Chief, Ed Crawford- no report. Human Resource Senior Analyst, Rose Nelson- no report. III. HEARINGS IV. OLD BUSINESS Chair Forest motioned to approve the Minutes from the January 20, 1994 Civil Service Commission Meeting. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest asked what was currently happening with Dave Santos's Reclassification. The Civil Service Examiner stated that she had prepared a Draft of the updated Position Description for Mr. Santos and sent copies to all parties concerned. She stated that her understanding was that instead of calling the position "Evidence Supervisor" it should be "Lead Evidence Technician". The difference between the Draft and the position description prepared in 1993 (after his first reclassification request was denied) is that the position now reports to the Support Services Detective Sergeant rather than the Detective Lieutenant and the Supervisory • duties have been added. Page 2 February 24, 1994 Civil Service Minutes Chairman Forest asked Human Resource Senior Analyst Rose Nelson if she had anything to add. Ms. Nelson stated that the issue of salary is at this point moot because Mr. Santos has signed a Union card, so that now has to be negotiated. V. NEW BUSINESS Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the letter dated October 7, 1993 from Officer Roy Wilkowski tendering his resignation from the Kent Police Department effective December 31, 1993. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the memo dated January 20, 1994 from Mayor White appointing Mr. Carl Hart of Bell Anderson Insurance Agency to the Kent Civil Service Commission. He will replace Raul Ramos. His appointment will continue to April 30, 1994. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the memo dated January 25, 1994 from Captain Jim Miller requesting that June Nomer, the number one applicant on the Data Entry . Specialist Eligibility List, be removed due to the fact that she has accepted employment elsewhere and is no longer interested in the position. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the letter dated January 27, 1994 from Chief Crawford to Officer Charles Smith informing him that due to the fact that he has exhausted all of his accrued sick leave benefits and is not medically able to return to work at this time, his employment with the City of Kent as a police officer is terminated effective January 19, 1994. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the letter dated January 27, 1994 from Chief Crawford to Officer Steve Hunt informing him that due to the fact that he has exhausted all of his accrued sick leave benefits and is not medically able to return to work at this time, his employment with the City of Kent as a police officer is terminated effective January 21, 1994. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the letter dated January 27, 1994 to Tanya M. Buttolph confirming her employment with the City of Kent Police Department as a Probationary Records Specialist effective February 16, 1994. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the letter dated January 27, 1994 to Lucy V. Davila confirming her employment with the City of Kent Police Department as a Probationary Data Entry Specialist effective February 16, 1994. Seconded and carried. • Page 3 February 24, 1994 Civil Service Minutes Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD Item (a) of the memo dated February 1, 1994 from Lt. Cline requesting that the Record Specialist Eligibility List be extended to September 23, 1994. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest OPENED FOR DISCUSSION Item (b) of the memo 'That future testing for Records Specialist and Data Entry Specialist be combined to one testing and that hiring for either position come from the combined list". Lt. Cline stated that the testing processes for both the positions are very similar. The Police Department is looking at saving time and costs by combining them. Many of the same people test for both positions. In the application form allow the individual to check off which position they are testing for, either one or both. Once the testing process is complete there would be two lists to draw from for those positions. Sgt. Weissich, Police Guild questioned, "if this is a single test for two separate lists with two separate classifications, I'm curious why it is the same test for two separate positions that have two different job functions? Secondly if it is going to be the same test, is it just by a check block that they get differentiated between where they fall on the two lists? Or in fact do we have one list where, depending on where the opening is would they be picked off that one list to fill an opening on either position?" • Lt. Cline stated that there would be testing, everyone would be ranked, and there would be two separate lists. One for Data Entry Specialist and one for Records Specialist. So if the individual did not want one of the positions then they would only be on one list. Chairman Forest asked if that would then change the ranking on the other list? Lt Cline: "Yes. As far as why the certain type of testing. I don't know I wasn't here when we changed and created the Data Entry involved in this process. I can only assume that we used a similar process to what we had for Records Specialist when we started the process for Data Entry." Chairman Forest asked the Examiner if she was involved in the process at all? The Examiner stated that she was and that the written test for the Data Entry Specialist included some computer related questions and the typing speed was five words per minute more. The tests are different test, but they both cover the reading comprehension, spelling and grammar. Chairman Forest asked if two separate tests were given. The Examiner stated yes. Lt Cline stated that they were looking at merging the tests into one test and with regards to the typing test that the typing speed be one speed for both, sixty words per minute (that is the requirement for the Data Entry Specialist position). • Page 4 February 24, 1994 Civil Service Minutes The Examiner stated that one of the current Record Specialists had not made the Data Entry Specialist List due to the typing speed of sixty words per minute. A difference of five words per minute. She stated that the Record Specialist candidates, in general, cannot type that additional five words per minute. If you're setting the typing speed to sixty words per minute you will lose some candidates who would normally have been hired for Record Specialist. Police Guild President, Sergeant Weissich: "From the Guild perspective, I'd like to make it clear that we oppose, at least on its face, philosophically the idea that one test should be used to test candidates for two separate and distinct job classifications. I have a problem with two separate candidates as Firefighter and Police Officer using that theory since we do a lot of similar Public Safety kinds of jobs. Could in fact then be tested in the same test to establish one list and use that one list to appoint Police Officer or Firefighter if they checked both blocks. I have concerns about that. Unless the job classifications are merged or unless there is something absolutely delineating what the differences are, which I'm not hearing, we are definitely on the record as opposing the request." Commissioner Zaratkiewicz stated that he had a concern that one position seemed to be more computer oriented than the other and that they should be kept separate until either the Commission has a better understanding of what they are doing or until they can adequately merge them together. Lt. Cline stated that at this time there is no intent to merge the two positions into one. The intent was to ease the testing process and free up some resources. Chairman Forest agreed with Commissioner Zaratkiewicz. He stated that he was aware that we're looking at every way we can to save but that Bruce's point is well taken. If we start consolidating test to save dollars here and there, we'll all be taking the same test. City Attorney Lubovich asked if both tests could be given at the same time? The Examiner explained that would eliminate those who wished to apply for both positions. C/A Lubovich then asked if a combined test could be prepared for those who wished to take both, so the candidates have an option? Have tests available for both positions and then a combined test for those wishing to test for both. The Examiner stated that it would have to be fair to all candidates and that a longer time would have to be given to those who wished to take both tests. Rose Nelson stated that from the Human Resource standpoint is there some other way you could determine through experience who would be more qualified to be a Records Specialist and who would be more qualified the other? For instance the application, years of experience in one field rather than the other? • Page 5 February 24, 1994 Civil Service Minutes The Examiner stated that each position already has levels of experience required and that if they do have the minimum level of experience they must be allowed to test. Rose Nelson then inquired about the salary levels and was told that they are identical. She then asked if it could be discerned from the application which list they should go on based on their experience. The Examiner stated that was the candidates choice. Rose Nelson stated true, but that the Examiner could screen them by their experience to ascertain which position they were qualified for. The Examiner stated that she does presently screen them according to their experience, but that they can meet both positions experience requirements. Rose Nelson stated that she empathized with one test for both levels but that in Human Resource they test for each and every level. A lot of their testing is based on the application and the Oral Interviews, they do not necessarily put people through practical experience unless they feel that it is absolutely necessary. She offered to work with the Examiner to streamline it a little more. She thought that there were still a lot of unanswered questions and perhaps it needed to be tabled. Chairman Forest asked if it could be tabled until the next meeting until the Commission has all the information needed to make a decision. • Captain Jim Miller suggested that perhaps an alternate position that Lt. Cline would be addressing in a minute might be a better way out. Lt. Cline stated that another alternative would be to give the written and typing tests separately for each position and then having a combined Oral Board. At that point the Oral Board Scoring could be combined with the other scores. The Chief Examiner stated that the dimensions for the two positions are separate. Chairman Forest moved to Table the Item until the next meeting. Seconded and carried. The Chief Examiner stated that she felt that there was a problem between what the Police Guild and the Police Administration were feeling and that she would be happy to work with Rose to resolve it. Chairman Forest stated that the Examiner, Human Resource, the Police Guild and the Police Department need to get together and come to an understanding and bring it along to the next meeting. Chairman Forest OPENED FOR DISCUSSION the memo dated February 7, 1994 to Officer Tracy Church from Chief Crawford informing her of the findings of the Vehicle Safety Review Board and Chief Crawfords determination that the accident was preventable and suspending her for one day. He also notified her that before disciplinary action could be taken a predisciplinary hearing • would be scheduled in accordance with Civil Service Rule XV. Page 6 February 24, 1994 Civil Service Minutes Captain C.E. Miller stated that the Department had no official position at this particular time other than what has been expressed. Officer Church would be the one to initiate any appeal. Sgt Weissich: "For the record, Kent Police Guild would like to highlight for the record that the suspension has not been invoked yet. The predisciplinary hearing has not taken place yet and we'd like to be sure that there is no question that the time period has not triggered yet in terms of an appeal to Civil Service." Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT THE LETTER INTO RECORD. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the memo dated February 9, 1994 from J. Brent McFall, Director of Operations authorizing the Fire Department to hire two probationary Firefighters. Seconded and carried. Chairman Forest motioned to ACCEPT INTO RECORD the memo dated February 15, 1994 from J. Brent McFall, Director of Operations authorizing the Police Department to hire one Records Specialist and one Data Entry Specialist. Seconded and carried. Police Guild President Weissich: "I have a question, and I haven't been in at the get go on the Dave Santos Reclass situation. Again, I just want to point out for the Record, why has it taken • so long to get this resolved and now I'm hearing On the Record, that before one issue got resolved he has signed a Union Card and so that has to be negotiated, when in fact the Reclass was an issue that was allegedly settled and going to be settled before he ever signed a Guild card. He was not represented by the Guild at the time this issue was resolved and now that issue is going to be resolved in the Union bargaining arena. I'm curious about that." Chairman Forest: 'To my understanding, the Reclass and the salary are two separate functions. The Commission determined that there would be a reclass. The salary is not controlled by the Commission and is controlled elsewhere. Once they get the Reclassification finalized and approved here then they will negotiate a wage difference for Dave. Are we all on the same page?" Captain C.E. Miller: "The only question I would have is how can Mr. Santos be represented by the Guild prior to his having signed a card. You have an action that took place several months prior to the Guild becoming his official representative and they can only move forward from, I believe February 1, 1994 to represent him and negotiate a salary. And yet you have an action that was required prior to that. I'm a little confused." Chairman Forest: 'That is two different items Captain. The Reclassification was handled here, the wage is a separate item." Captain C.E. Miller: "But the wage issue was supposed to have been taken care of from the date the issue was settled here at the hearing. The Guild then becomes involved down the line. What happens between the dates? How can the Guild represent him and say that this should have • happened in 1993 for example?" Page 7 February 24, 1994 Civil Service Minutes Chairman Forest: "We've acted on the reclassification, determined that the reclassification was needed but we haven't approved that reclassification have we?" C/A Lubovich: "Thats been done. Regarding the question of wages,what happens for that short period is a good question. I think that now that he is signed up, whatever we negotiate will have to deal with that in the past. I don't see how we can negotiate. I think that the Union has to be involved." Captain C.E. Miller: 'The only question I have is can the Guild negotiate, and or the City negotiate with the Guild retroactive to a period of time that the Guild has no representation over an individual? Thats my legal question for you." C/A Lubovich: " There is a legal issue here, I don't think they can go back prior to representation, I'll have to look at that. It might be an issue here." Chairman Forest: "Roger can you find that out and bring that to us at the next meeting?" C/A Lubovich: 'The reclassification is not an issue, it happened. Its a question of salary. It doesn't necessarily dictate that a salary will go up or down. What the City does with that...we're going to have to resolve that. What the City does is going to affect a month or two period. How • that fits in with labor." Forest: "Thank you. As there is no other business to come before the Commission, we will adjourn." Adjourned at 8:35 a.m. The next Civil Service Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 17, 1994 at 8:00 a.m. in Council Chambers West. Respectfully submitted, Catherine M. Guiguet Secretary & Chief Examiner Approved: n Forest, Chair