Minutes Civil Service Commission 4 5 05
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Date: Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Time: 3:00 P.M.
Place of Meeting: City Hall, Conference Room A
Present: Merle Duehr, Loras Kluesner
Absent: Richard Wertzberger
Also Present: Personnel Manager Randy Peck, Fire Chief Dan Brown; Fire
Department Employees and Dubuque Professional Firefighters Representatives:
Dave Beaves, Wayne Dow and Roger Wernimont
Chairperson Duehr called the Civil Service meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. in the City Hall
Conference Room A.
1. Approve minutes of March 15, 2005 Civil Service Meeting
Kluesner moved to approve the minutes of March 15, 2005. Seconded by Duehr,
Motion carried 2-0.
2. Request to schedule Entrance Exam for position of Water Pollution Control
Plant Operator
Kluesner moved to receive and file the communication and to schedule an
entrance examination for the position of Water Pollution Control Plant Operator
with the exam being open to all current employees and the general public, that
the exam be a multiple choice and that the list be good for two years, that the test
be scheduled for Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 6:30 P.M. at a place to be
determined with deadline for requesting to take the test be Thursday, May 5,
2005 at 5:00 P.M. Seconded by Duehr. Motion carried 2-0.
3. Request to schedule the Promotional Examinations for the positions of Fire
Equipment Operator, Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Fire Marshall,
Assistant Chief, Medical Officer and Emergency Medical Services
Supervisor.
Chief Brown explained that the current promotional lists will expire in July 2005.
He requested that these promotional exams be held in May with the results held
until July 2005. He recommends that Vantage/McCann be used for the exam
and that three separate times be scheduled for the various examinations with a
date to request to take the tests also be scheduled.
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Chief Brown also requested that all the rules for eligibility to take the various
promotional examinations be the same with the exception of Assistant Chief
and also qualifications for Assistant Fire Marshal from 1 year in grade to 8 years
in grade.
Dave Beaves, President of Dubuque Professional Firefighters, spoke objecting to
the requested change in requirements to take the Assistant Chief test stating that
the Assistant Fire Marshall testing criteria has changed in 1996, 2001, 2003 and
now a request for change again in 2005.
Chief Brown stated that the decisions for change in 1996,2001, and 2003 was a
joint recommendation with the firefighters association. The requested change
would give the members of the department more opportunities and allow for a
larger pool of applicants.
Dave Beeves stressed that there is a need for Line Officer experience in their
background if they are to be able to test for the Assistant Chief position. With the
present recommendation the Assistant Fire Marshal could be someone without
sufficient Line Officer experience
Duehr asked if the qualifications for the other positions (FEO, Lieutenant;
Captain, Assistant Fire Marshall and EMS Supervisor) were agreeable to the
Union members. They agreed that they were.
Chief Brown stressed that it is not in the City's best interest to fast track the
qualifications necessary to take the Assistant Chief Test. At this time there are
14 Lieutenants, 7 Captains, 24 Firefighters and 24 Fire Equipment Officers.
Duehr stressed he was uncomfortable with making a decision at this time without
reviewing the specifics of the Union's request. He asked if the Union could
provide, in writing, documentation of their concerns and deliver them to the City
Clerk as soon as possible, the City Clerk then would fax them to the
Commissioners and a meeting later this week would be set up to further
consider this issue.
Agreement was reached that another Civil Service meeting would be held on
Friday, April 8, at 3:00 P.M. to discuss and decide on this one issue.
Kluesner moved to schedule the Promotional Examinations for the positions of
Fire Equipment Officer and Captain (also possibly Assistant Fire Marshall) on
Tuesday, May 31, 2005 at 6:30 P.M.; also moved to schedule the promotional
exams for the positions of Lieutenant and Assistant Chief (also possibly Fire
Marshall) for 6:30 P.M. on Wednesday, June 1, 2005; and further moved to
schedule the promotional exams for the position of Medical Officer and EMS
Supervisor (also possibly Fire Marshall) at 6:30 P.M. on Thursday, June 2, 2005,
all at a place to be determined, and that the requests to take the examinations be
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in the Fire Department Office no later than 5:00 P.M. on Monday, May 9, 2005.
Seconded by Duehr. Motion carried 2-0.
There being no further business, Kluesner moved to adjourn. Seconded by
Duehr. Motion carried[to. The meeting adjourned at 3:54 P.M.
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Chairperson
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