Civil Service Commission




        TUMWATER CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING JULY 11, 2024 Page 1 CONVENE: 5:35 p.m. PRESENT: Chair Simon Tee and Commissioner Blake Chard. Staff: Secretary/Chief Examiner Michelle Sutherland and Police Commander Jay Mason CHANGES TO There were no changes to the agenda. AGENDA: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES: JUNE 13, 2024 AND REVISED MINUTES OF MAY 9, 2024: MOTION: Chair Tee moved, seconded by Commissioner Chard, to approve the minutes of June 13, 2024 and the revised minutes of May 9, 2024 as published. A voice vote approved the motion. STATUS OF Chief Examiner Sutherland reviewed the status of the eligibility lists. ELIGIBILITY LISTS: APPROVAL OF Chief Examiner Sutherland advised of four proposed candidates to include ENTRY LEVEL on the eligibility list. Five candidates are proposed for removal from the POLICE OFFICER list. ELIGIBILITY LIST: MOTION: Commissioner Chard moved, seconded by Chair Tee, to approve the Entry Level Police Officer Eligibility List for July 2024 as presented. A voice vote approved the motion. APPROVAL OF Chief Examiner Sutherland reported the proposal is for the removal of two LATERAL candidates from the existing eligibility list. One candidate was hired by FIREFIGHTER the department and the second candidate failed the Chief’s interview. ELIGIBILITY LIST: MOTION: Commissioner Chard moved, seconded by Chair Tee, to approve the Lateral Firefighter Eligibility List as presented. A voice vote approved the motion. APPROVAL OF Chief Examiner Sutherland reported the proposal is the addition of three APPROVAL OF candidates to the Lateral Police Officer Eligibility List. One candidate is LATERAL POLICE proposed for removal as the candidate was hired by another agency. 


        TUMWATER CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING JULY 11, 2024 Page 2 OFFICER ELIGIBILITY LIST: MOTION: Commissioner Chard moved, seconded by Chair Tee moved, to approve the Lateral Police Officer Eligibility List as presented. A voice vote approved the motion. APPROVAL OF Chief Examiner Sutherland presented the exam plan for consideration as POLICE SERVICES the department recently was informed of a resignation by a Police Services SPECIALIST I EXAM Specialist 1. Chief Examiner Sutherland reviewed the grade components PLAN: attributed to each section of the exam. The exam plan has been previously used. Chair Tee remarked on the high weight attributed to the oral board. He asked whether the weight of 80% is typical for other positions. Chief Examiner Sutherland said the range can be from 50% to 80%. The police department determined that the weight of the oral board is the best fit for the police department. MOTION: Commissioner Chard moved, seconded by Chair Tee, to approve the Police Services Specialist 1 Exam Plan as presented. A voice vote approved the motion. APPROVAL OF Chief Examiner Sutherland reported the request is for consideration of the LATERAL FIRE Lateral Fire Prevention Officer exam plan. The exam plan was approved PREVENTION by the Commission last spring. The department extended an offer to a OFFICER EXAM candidate after conclusion of the first exam process. The candidate PLAN: returned to their previous position requiring the department to repost the vacant position using the same exam plan. MOTION: Commissioner Chard moved, seconded by Chair Tee, to approve the Lateral Fire Prevention Officer Exam Plan as presented. A voice vote approved the motion. UPDATES: Commander Mason reported the police department has four vacant police officer positions. Two candidates for two of the positions are currently undergoing a background investigation. One individual is nearing completion of the Field Training Program and will move forward as a certified police officer with the Tumwater Police Department. Three police officers are attending the Basic Law Enforcement Academy. The department has scheduled ongoing new hire oral boards monthly. Staff is working closely with Chief Examiner Sutherland and the Communications Manager to develop a plan for advertising for lateral police officers in response to future growth and as the department experiences an increase in attrition through retirements. Previously, the City has utilized various digital communication methods to advertise lateral officer positions. Staff is working on developing a communications plan to advertize lateral police 


        TUMWATER CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING JULY 11, 2024 Page 3 hire opportunities. Two of the lateral police officer candidates are from the King County area and Texas. Over the last several years, the department has not been successful in attracting lateral candidates. Staff is working on ways to overcome barriers to develop a viable list of lateral candidates. Chief Examiner Sutherland agreed on the importance of the City pursuing innovative and proactive methods to recruit police and fire positions, as well as other City positions. Chair Tee commented on previous efforts by the City to recruit proactively for firefighter candidates through diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. He asked about the status of those efforts and any positive results that may have occurred from those efforts. Chief Examiner Sutherland said the process produced positive results for the fire department. The same process was offered last winter to recruit candidates. The process was able to attract several viable candidates. Staff continues to work with the new Communications Manager and other departments to develop new communications strategies for recruitment. NEXT MEETING The next meeting is scheduled on August 8, 2024. DATE: ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Chard moved, seconded by Chair Tee, to adjourn the meeting at 5:57 p.m. A voice vote approved the motion. _________________________ ___________________________________ Simon Tee, Chair Michelle Sutherland, Secretary Chief Examiner Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services, psmsoly@earthlink.net