Civil Service Commission

RUSSELLVILLE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES July 25, 2023, 5:00 p.m., Central Fire Station, Russellville and Online via Google Meets Commissioners: City/Department Representatives: Mark Lykins, Chairman Present Trey Smith, City Attorney, Present Toni Bachman, Present David Ewing, Police Chief, Present Jon Brown, Present Kirk Slone, Fire Chief, Absent Ruben Camacho, Absent Brent Moix, Battalion Chief, Present Barbara Horton, Present via telephone Mayor Fred Teague, Present Phillip Lea, Present Jason Ramsey, Absent Meeting Minutes Commissioner Bachman moved and Commissioner Brown seconded a motion to approve minutes of May 23, 2023 as presented. The Commission approved the minutes. Business  New hire written test for Russellville Police Department will occur on Thursday August 10th at 8am at the police department. Mark Lykins and Phillip Lea will administer the test.  New hire testing for the Fire Department is Scheduled for September 16th and 23rd. One applicant remains on the list that expires in October.  Chief Moix requested that we change the rules for new hires for the Fire Department from twenty one years of age to eighteen years of age. In order to do this the rules and regulation for the Civil Service would need to be amended. Commissioner Lea moved to amend the rules and regulations for civil service to lower the minimum age from twenty one to eighteen years old. Lea also asked that this be the first reading for that rule change. Commissioner Brown seconded the motion. Discussion ensued on the importance of maturity for managing crisis situations. The Commission voted to approve the motion.  Chief Moix brought up the issue three readings for changing the rules. He stated that City Attorney Trey Smith said that the Civil Service did not have to have three readings in order to change the rules. Discussion ensued as to what the best course of action would be. City Attorney Trey Smith arrived in the meeting and indicated that it was not legally necessary for the Civil Service to have three readings in order to have changes to our rules. Commissioner Lea amended his motion to remove the first reading portion of the motion. Commissioner Brown seconded and the Council approved the amended motion.  Chief Ewing of the Russellville Police Department asked that the Commission waive competitive testing in order that he might hire a certified officer. Officer John Frank would be hired to be a school resource officer in Russellville. Commissioner Brown moved that we waive competitive testing so that the city could hire Officer John Frank. Commissioner Bachman seconded the motion. The Commission voted to approve the motion.  Chief Ewing requested PAT testing and interviews for new hires on August 12th. The Commission agreed. Commissioner Lea, and Commissioner Lykins are available. Commissioners Bachman and Horton are a maybe. Commissioner Brown is not available.  Chief Ewing asked the Commission to consider an alternative entry level written test that incorporates a video format for much of the test. A set of written notes were handed out (attached) and the bullet points were discussed. Chief Ewing asks for permission to pursue this new testing format. Commissioner Lea pointed out that the new testing format would require a change to the Civil Service Commission Rules and Regulations concerning the Commission administering the exam. Commissioner Lea moved that the Commission utilizes the National Testing Network exam process for the police department. Commissioner Brown seconded the motion. The Commission approved the motion.  Chief Ewing brought up the issue of the hat colors on the PAT test. Appendix VII in our rules has the colors for hats. Hat #4 is changed to green hat. Commissioner Lea moved that we change the hat color in the PAT test to a green hat. Commissioner Brown seconded the motion. The Commission approved the motion.  Chief Ewing requested that the Commission make the following changes to officer titles in the Russellville Police Department. Going forward we would change the title of Captain to Assistant Chief and the names for office of Major and Captain would be removed. Chief Ewing pointed out that this is a change in names only. Commissioner Bachman moves that we change the title of Captain to Assistant Chief and eliminate the office of Major in the Russellville Police Department. Commissioner Lea seconds the motion. The Commission approved the motion.  Chief Ewing requested that the Commission change the Rules and Regulations to extend the probationary period for newly hired police officers from twelve to eighteen months. It was noted where those changes were and Commissioner Lea agreed to make all of the changes to the Rules and Regulations for the Commission. The Commission gratefully accepted his offer. Commissioner Brown moved to extend the probationary period for new hire police officers from one year to eighteen months. Commissioner Bachman seconded the motion. The Commission approved the motion.  It was noted that the new hire list for RPD which was created in June is exhausted. One of the persons on the list is presently nineteen. They would not be eligible to hire until next summer.