Civil Service Commission

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 24, 2012 City Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room MEETING MINUTES Commissioners: City/Department Representatives: Toni Bachman, Chairman Present Paul Northcut, City Council Liaison Present Bert Fleck Present Trey Smith, City Attorney Present Joe Morrow Present Tom McMillen, Chief of Police Present Jim Campbell Present John Cochran, Fire Chief Present Phillip Lea Present Tracey Cline-Pew, Human Resources Present Toni Bachman, Chairman called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. The Commission reviewed the minutes of the December meeting. Bert Fleck made a motion that the December minutes be approved. Joe Morrow seconded the motion. The minutes were approved. OLD BUSINESS Civil Service Commission • None Police • None Fire Department • Chief Cochran asked that the exact dates for the Driver and Captain promotional testing tentatively set for April 2012 be finalized. Chief Cochran recommended that the written test be given on the last Saturday in April, and that the Assessment Center and oral interviews be held on another date after the results of the written examination were received. He stated that there were between four to six candidates for each test, but the written test for both Driver and Captain could be given at the same time. Toni Bachman pointed out that at least one Civil Service Commissioner had to be present for the written testing and for the assessment center. It was decided that the testing schedule would be as follows: Written Examinations 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 24, 2012 RPD Conference Room (Joe Morrow, Phillip Lea) Assessment Centers 1:00 p.m., Thursday, April 26, 2012 City Hall Conference Rooms (Joe Morrow, Phillip Lea)  Oral Interviews 8:00 a.m., Saturday, April 28, 2012 City Hall 1st Floor Conference (Toni Bachman, Bert Fleck, Jim Campbell, Joe Morrow, Phillip Lea) Chief Cochran discussed with the Commission the section in the Arkansas civil service law regarding the length of time a valid promotional list is in effect. The law permits the Commission to allow a list to be valid for no less than one year and no longer than two years. Since 2009 the Commission has allowed a list to be valid for two years. The law further states that if the Commission allows a list to be valid for more than one year members who wish to test for promotion but do not have enough time in service per the prerequisites per the Commission’s rules and regulations in their current rank may be eligible to test for the next higher rank. Specifically, when the list is valid for two years the law allows a member to test if they meet the time in service prerequisite during the period of time the list is valid. As was his recommendation in 2009, Chief recommended that entry level lists be valid for two years and promotional testing be limited to one year. The primary reason for the request is to reduce potential complexity of maintaining a list and animosity among the ranks of the Department. A lengthy discussion ensued. It was pointed out by the Commission that having a certified list that expired in one year could create a hardship on the firefighters who would then be required to study for and take the test every year in order to remain on the certified list. Each department would also be required to maintain current study material. Chief Cochran pointed out that was always the case since the Commission was created in 1979. Chief McMillen stated that in the case of the Police Department where rules and regulations are constantly changing this could be burdensome. A decision was made that candidates who would reach their minimum years in rank requirement during the period that the certified list was valid would be allowed to go through the promotional testing process. If they passed the test, they would be put on the certified promotional list with an asterisk beside their name indicating that they would not be eligible for promotion until they met the required years in service of their current rank. Because of this, if there was a promotion available on a certain date, it would be given to one of the top three candidates that had fully met all requirements, even though a candidate with an asterisk beside his name was ranked higher on the certified list. NEW BUSINESS Commission • None. Fire Department • None Police Department • Chief McMillen asked the Commission to set a date in June or July for promotional testing in the Police Department for all ranks. He stated that study material was already available for officers  to check out for a 30-day period. One Saturday would be needed for written tests, assessments could be done during the week, and oral interviews the following Saturday. Toni Bachman suggested that the written tests be given at 8:00 a.m. on July 14, 2012, assessments sometime between July 16 – 20, 2012, and oral interviews be conducted at 8:00 a.m. on July 21, 2012. These tentative dates and times will be confirmed in the near future. Bert Fleck made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Joe Morrow. Toni Bachman declared the meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.