HomeMy Public PortalAboutCharter Review Committee Minutes 11-03-1994 Charter Review Committee
Meeting Date: November 3, 1994
Present were: Chairman Michael Logan, David Ragan, Vice-Chairman Don Acker,
Lester Strother, Jean Spieker, City Secretary Terri Willis, staff representative.
1. Meeting was called to order at 7:33 P.M. with all members present. No members of the
public were present.
2. Approval of the October 24, 1994 minutes. Don Acker made the motion to table the
minutes pending revision. Lester Strother seconded the motion. Passed unanimously.
3. Continue review of the City Charter. Chairman Logan called for our review of Item h.
Section 6.04. The topic under discussion is the grievance committee as well as
establishing a City Civil Service system. Chairman Logan handed out copies of two
sample sections he prepared after reviewing several cities' employment systems. The
examples he provided for our consideration are attached as part of the minutes. A lengthy
discussion of the necessity for having a City Civil Service system ensued. The strongest
point is, this will reassure potential and current employees that there is a system intact that
will provide them with established guidelines for all phases of employment. The
surrounding Cities all have either a City Civil Service or a State Civil Service System in
place. Chairman Logan believes this is competitive feature in securing employment of
desirable personnel.
D. Ragan is concerned about the cost of such a system, and fears we are at risk of creating
a bureaucracy. L. Strother feels example 2 is too generic. M. Logan stated this is so
further information can be defined by ordinance.
J. Spieker noted the very words "Civil Service" seem to evoke a negative response in
people, but we are unable to come up with any alternative. D. Ragan just wants to work
on the grievance committee issue, he is opposed to any Civil Service System. D. Acker
and L. Strother believe this is not meant to be put under the City Manger section, but
should be broken out to its own section.
After further discussion we agreed to present the following proposal and discuss it with
City Manager Hughes. Item "h" would be changed to:
"h. Provide for a City Civil Service System, as approved by the Council.
An additional section would be recommended stating:
Section 6.09 The City Civil Service System shall provide for a Civil Service
Commission, appointed by the Council. The Commission shall provide for:
a. The proper conduct of the business of the Commission;
b. A system for the testing, examination and qualification of applicants for employment
with the City;
c. Certification to the appointing authority of those applicants qualified pursuant to the
rules and regulations of such commission;
d. The establishment of rules and regulations constituting cause for removal or suspension
of employees;
e. Establishing a system of job descriptions and salary classifications, providing for
vacations, sick leave, promotion, demotion, seniority, tenure, cutbacks, leave of absence,
dismissals, suspensions, and disciplinary actions; and
f Procedures for the filing and determination of employee grievances and appeals.
page 2
Chairman Logan called for the Committee's attention on "Print, Format and Preamble"
L. Strother feels the idea is for the Charter to be in a print that is easy on the eyes. We
have tentatively agreed on Times New Roman. This also will depend on the print
available to the company the City designates as the printer for this project. Also to be
considered is placing the Charter in columns instead of across the page print.
Lester Strother believes the Preamble should be more potent. Chairman Logan asked for
the record to reflect that Lester Strother has agreed to review the current Preamble and to
present his findings to the Committee.
Chairman Logan noted we had previously discussed having the Charter state all members
of past Charter Review Committees as well as the original members of the Charter
Committee. All agreed we still feel the same.
D. Acker asked if we would have our recommended changes to work with at our next
meeting, so we can work side by side with the proposed intent and logic statement
J. Spieker handed out at this meeting. Chairman Logan answered in the affirmative, but
also stated this would be our working draft for all our input to be included .
At this point Chairman Logan covered the expected timetable for the rest of the term of
the Committee. The next meeting will be to review the aforementioned proposals and
review the "h" item and proposed 6.09 with the City Manager. In December we will have
another review with the City Attorney, and we will go to the Council with our
presentation in January. D. Acker queried the procedure from that point. He was
advised further action would be up to the Council. They could dismiss the Committee and
take no further action, or accept all or part of our recommendations and prepare for an
election. D. Acker felt it would be important to have clear and concise verbiage used in
our intent.
Our next meeting is November 17, 1994, at 7:30 P.M.
Chairman Logan asked City Secretary Willis to confirm with Mr. Hughes his availability
for the 11/17/94 date. If there is a conflict, would Ms. Willis contact him and to
reschedule our meeting date. Terri Willis agreed to take this action.
4. No members of the Public were present.
5. Meeting adjourned at 8:56 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
cretary Chairman
41)
•EXAMPLE WORDING FOR SECTION 6.04 (h)
EXAMPLE #1 ( added the word City and divided paragraph into two
separate sections. )
h ( 1) . THE CITY MANAGER SHALL PROVIDE FOR A CITY CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM
THAT PROVIDES FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF PERSONNEL RULES,
REGULATIONS, JOB DESCRIPTIONS, AND BENEFITS AS APPROVED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL, EXCLUDING THOSE PERSONS EXEMPTED IN APPOINTED
POSITIONS BY THE CITY MANAGER. THE CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
SHALL PROVIDE FOR EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES OR APPEALS AFFECTING THE
STATUS OR WORKING ENVIRONMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE.
(2) . THE CITY CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM SHALL PROVIDE FOR A COMMISSION OF
FIVE (5) MEMBERS, APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WHO WILL REVIEW
GRIEVANCES SUBMITTED IN THE APPEAL PROCESS. EXEMPTED EMPLOYEES
SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ALL OTHER RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES AND BENEFITS
AFFORDED ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES UNDER THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM.
EXAMPLE #2 ( very generic establishes the CSC and defines the
components to the system. This section allows current
ordinance provisions to be utilized and consolidated
into the system. )
n
h. THE CITY. MANAGER SHALL PROVIDE FOR THE CREATION OF A CITY CIVIL
SERVICE SYSTEM. THE CITY CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM SHALL PROVIDE FOR A
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. THE CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION SHALL:
( 1) PROVIDE FOR THE PROPER CONDUCT OF THE BUSINESS OF THE
COMMISSION;
(2) A SYSTEM FOR THE TESTING, EXAMINATION AND QUALIFICATION OF
APPLICANTS FOR EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY;
( 3) CERTIFICATION TO THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY OF THOSE APPLICANTS
QUALIFIED PURSUANT TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF SUCH
COMMISSION;
(4) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RULES AND REGULATIONS CONSTITUTING CAUSE
FOR REMOVAL OR SUSPENSION OF EMPLOYEES;
(5) ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND SALARY
CLASSIFICATIONS, PROVIDING FOR VACATIONS, SICK LEAVE,
PROMOTION, DEMOTION, SENIORITY, TENURE, CUTBACKS, LEAVE OF
ABSENCE, DISMISSALS, SUSPENSIONS, AND DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS; AND
(6) PROCEDURES FOR THE FILING AND DETERMINATION OF EMPLOYEE
GRIEVANCES AND APPEALS.