[00:04:44]
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT THIS MORNING.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN CATCH UP WITH THE
[00:05:01]
CORRECT DATE.AND THIS IS THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING.
WE ARE GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 9 0 6.
[CALL TO ORDER]
SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH EVERYTHING, UH, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE MEETING IS, UM, TO TAKE THE ROLL CALL AND FROM THERE WE'LL GO INTO OUR PLEDGE.YES, PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON.
[ROLL CALL]
COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLINS.UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
MR. HERMAN LONG TO COME UP AND LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.IN CASE, UH, SOME OF YOU DON'T KNOW, MR. HERMAN LONG IS VERY MUCH IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CIVIL SERVICE AS HE WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
IF YOU ARE ABLE, PLEASE STAND AND PLACE YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDI, VISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS?
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Civil Service Commission on agenda items. ]
OKAY, SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON AND GO TO THE CONSENT CALENDARS.DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? NO.
PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON, MA'AM, BUT STAFF WOULD LIKE TO PULL ITEM FOUR FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM FOUR IS PULLED AND I WOULD LIKE TO PULL ITEM ONE, PLEASE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SIX IS PULLED? THAT WOULD BE 1, 4, 6.
ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? THANK YOU.
UH, CHRISTINA, DO YOU WANT TO, UM,
[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 6.)]
ADDRESS THE PULLED FIRST OR THE REST? I THINK YOU NEED TO VOTE ON TWO AND THREE.COMMISSIONERS, IF WE COULD MOVE TOWARDS A VOTE FOR TWO, THREE, AND FIVE.
PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON, ARE YOU ABLE TO VOTE? NO, SIR.
UH, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY FAULT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AWAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE, SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, JUST FLAG US DOWN.
CLICK COME OVER AND SHOW ME DOWN ON THAT BOTTOM HERE WHEN, WHEN YOU SEE THE ACTIVE ITEM ONE RIGHT THERE.
SO DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER JUST RIGHT, YOU WANT ME TO GO DOWN FURTHER? JUST RIGHT WHERE THAT, THERE, AH, NOW IT'S COMING UP.
[1. 24-55342 Recommendation to approve examination results. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
I AM STILL PENDING.OH YEAH, BECAUSE WE MOVED AND SECONDED AND SO NOW WE'RE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
ON ITEM ONE, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE POLICE RECRUIT ITEM, WE HAVE 504, UH, PEOPLE THAT APPLIED.
AND SPECIFICALLY I'M LOOKING AT THE 375 PEOPLE THAT DID NOT REPORT TO THE WRITTEN EXAM.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAD 36 PEOPLE QUALIFIED FOR THE 375.
UM, THIS SEEMS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAN IN THE PAST.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING PARTICULAR ABOUT THIS TEST OR DATES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? YES, IT'S SO LOUD.
SO STAFF WE MET TOGETHER AND I, UM, WORKED WITH MARIA CONNELL TO RECON, UH, RECONCILE THE NUMBERS.
[00:10:01]
BASICALLY THE WAY THIS PROCESS IS, WE'RE THE CANDIDATES HAS TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE THE EXAM AND WE'VE HAD SET UP SOME PARAMETERS TO CONTINUE TO DO FOLLOW UP.SO THESE CANDIDATES HERE HAVE HAD, UM, MORE THAN TWO FOLLOW UP OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO WE HAVE A HARD STOP NOW.
UM, I FORGOT WHAT THE LIMIT, IT MIGHT BE LIKE TWO OR THREE MONTHS THAT IF YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED AFTER CONTINUOUS, WE'RE GONNA REPORT THAT NUMBER OUT TO COMMISSION.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE A ACCUMULATION OF CANDIDATES THAT WERE PERSISTENTLY REACHED OUT AND DID NOT SHOW UP FOR THE EXAM.
UM, IS IT CORRECT THAT THIS IS PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN USUAL IN TERMS OF, OF WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST OR WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST OF PEOPLE NOT, NOT REPORTING? NO.
UM, FROM CONVERSATION WITH MARIA CONNELL, THE SHOW RATE FOR THE IN-PERSON, PELLET B, IT HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY LOW EVEN DESPITE OUR RECRUITMENT OUTREACH, MAKING CALLS AHEAD OF TIME.
AND THIS NUMBER, IT LOOKS RELATIVELY BIG IN AMOUNT TO THE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE APPLIED.
SO, AND THE REASON IS THESE ARE THE, JUST THE NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING REPORTED OUT THIS RECRUITMENT.
SO PRIOR, I MEAN THIS TEST, SO TEST ONE THROUGH 12, YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY, UH, VERY FEW DID NOT REPORT BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T BEING REPORTED OUT.
SO SOME OF THESE FOLKS HERE, HAD THEY SHOWN UP AND TESTED, THEY PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN PART OF TEST ONE THROUGH 12.
SO IT'S NOT AN UNUSUAL NUMBER.
SO THAT, UH, CANCELS UP MY SECOND QUESTION.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, LET'S CALL FOR A VOTE.
UM, COMMISSION HAD ASKED US TO LOOK INTO A PUBLIC COMMENT THAT CAME TO YOU VIA EMAIL AND THIS ITEM ACTUALLY RELATES TO THAT PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO CAPRICE HAS, UM, LOOKED INTO THAT FOR YOU AND HAS AN UPDATE TODAY.
[4. 24-55346 Recommendation to approve downgrade (voluntary). Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IS THE PERSON IN QUESTION HERE? OH, MR. YOUNG IS NOT PRESENT.I ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH HIM LAST NIGHT DUE TO THE MEDICAL ISSUES.
SO I ASSURED HIM I WILL PRESENT THE FACTS AND REPORT BACK TO HIM THE FINDINGS AFTERWARDS.
AND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, UM, I BELIEVE WE CAN GO IN CLOSED SESSION.
ALRIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO I CAN TAKE THE INFORMATION CLOSED DOOR OPEN.
YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE THIS ITEM LISTED AS CLOSED SESSION, SO I DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THE DISCUSSION OPENLY OR DO YOU WANT US TO HE WAS PREPARED TO COME AND SPEAK IN PERSON.
HE'S JUST NOT HERE TODAY EXCEPT HIS ATTORNEY.
WHAT DOES OUR CITY ATTORNEY SAY? OH, NO.
IF, IF, IF HE'S GIVEN AUTHORIZATION FOR HIS, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR HIS CASE TO BE ADVOCATED BY MS. MCDONALD, THAT'S FINE.
IF HE WAS GONNA BE HERE AN OPEN, OPEN SESSION SO WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION IN OPEN SESSION.
YEAH, AND I, I GUESS WE ARE JUST PRESENTING FACTS SO WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING ON IN EITHER WAY, BUT WE ARE CAPRICE GATHERED THE FACTS FOR YOU.
AND I JUST WANNA CLARIFY WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE THAT WE'RE CORRECT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION.
IT'S NOT AGENDIZED AS A CLOSED SESSION, CORRECT.
YEAH, IT NEEDS TO BE AGENDIZED BEFORE YOU CAN TAKE A RECESS.
OKAY, SO AT THE PREVIOUS, OH, I'M A DD, SO, OKAY.
AT THE PREVIOUS CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING ON AUGUST 9TH, COMMISSION DIRECTED STAFF TO FOLLOW UP WITH A MATTER CONCERNING A PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED BY GERALD YOUNG, HE'S A MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT, ONE OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND MARINE DEPARTMENT ON OCTOBER 3RD, MR. MR. GERALD YOUNG EMAILED ME DIRECTLY HIS CONCERNS TO BE HEARD BY THE COMMISSION AND IN HIS OWN WORDS, MR. GERALD YOUNG EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS IN REGARDING
[00:15:01]
HIS RECENT DOWNGRADE FROM MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT THREE TO MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT ONE, WHICH BECAME EFFECTIVE AUGUST 24TH.SO AS DIRECTED BY COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 9TH, STAFF INVESTIGATED THE MATTER WHICH INVOLVED FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION WITH MR. YOUNG AND DISCUSSING THE CONCERNS WITH PARK PARK'S RECREATION, MARINES DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND RELEVANT SUPERVISOR.
SO HIS PUBLIC COMMENT WAS, AND I'M GONNA READ SO THAT IT'S A REMINDER ON OR ABOUT MARCH 10TH, I REQUESTED TO GO BACK TO DAY'S SHIFT.
I WAS A MA THREE, I WAS TOLD BY MY SUPERVISOR, OKAY, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO DEMOTE TO MA TWO OR MA ONE, AND I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE.
I WENT BACK TO DAY SHIFT FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A SUPERINTENDENT WHO'S NOW RETIRED, UM, NO, HE WAS A BUREAU MANAGER CALLED HIM, UH, AND ANOTHER SUPERVISOR IN OFFICE WITH ANOTHER NIGHT SHIFT SUPERVISOR AND AN ACTING SUPERINTENDENT.
AND THEY ADVISED ME I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEMOTE TO A TWO OR ONE, BUT ACTUALLY TO A NON-CAREER.
I SAID, IN THAT CASE, I WOULD GO BACK TO NIGHTS.
SEVERAL MONTHS PASSED AND THEY CAME BACK TO ME ALLOWING ME TO GO BACK TO DAY SHIFT AS A MA ONE, THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT, UM, STATED THAT HE WOULD GO TO, UH, MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT ONE STEP ONE AND TO COME SIGN THE PAPERWORK.
SO HE CALLED, UM, HR, THE PARKS HR ADMINISTRATION, AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO HOLD OFF, UH, AND THAT THEY WERE CHECKING ON THE STEP AND IT, WHICH WAS BASICALLY A 40 CENT DEDUCTION IN HIS PAY.
UM, HE HAD ASKED THE SUPERVISOR WAS THERE ANY MA THREES OR MA TWOS THAT HE COULD TRANSFER TO, AND HE WAS TOLD NO.
AND HE FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD AT LEAST ONE MA THREE POSITION AND HAD ONE M MA TWO LEAD POSITION OPEN, AND HE IS REQUESTING IT.
UH, HE, HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO BE MADE AWARE OF THE TRUTH AND HAVE THIS MISTAKE FIXED.
HE SAID, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO BE PLACED AT MY MA THREE POSITION ON DAY SHIFT, OR EVEN LOOK FOR A MA THREE POSITION ELSEWHERE TO TRANSFER ME TO PLEASE HELP ME TO GET MY PROPER TRANSFER TO DAY SHIFT WITHOUT HARDSHIP OF A DEMOTION.
AND BASED ON MY SUPERIORS NOT FOLLOWING PROPER PROCEDURES OR TO DO SO.
AND AS YOU CAN TELL, I DID NOT MENTION NAMES.
SO, UM, TO CONTINUE ON WITH MY DISCOVERIES, UM, SO THE TIMELINE IS MR. YOUNG.
HE ACTUALLY BEGAN WORKING WITH THE CITY ON OCTOBER 4TH, 2021 AS A SCHOOL GUARD HIRED FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST ON JANUARY 15TH, 2022.
PRIOR TO PASSING PROBATION, HE WAS APPOINTED TO A NON-CAREER MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT TO POSITION IN A PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS CLASSIFICATION POSITION CHANGE WAS AN INCREASE IN PAY ON JULY 16TH.
THAT SAME YEAR, 2022, MR. YOUNG TRANSFERRED TO PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE AS A NON-CAREER MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT ONE POSITION.
AND ON APRIL 22ND, 2023, MR. YOUNG WAS HIRED FROM THE MAINTENANCE ELIGIBLE LIST APPOINTMENT TO A MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT GRADE THREE POSITION, OBTAINING PERMANENT STATUS ON OCTOBER 25TH, 2023.
AND EFFECTIVE AUGUST 24TH, 2024, MR. YOUNG WAS DOWNGRADED TO MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT ONE.
SO, MR. YOUNG, HIS CLAIM, HE MAY CLAIM THAT HE VOLUNTARILY AGREED TO ACCEPT A DOWNGRADE POSITION TO MOVE TO DAY SHIFT.
HOWEVER, THIS DECISION WAS BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER GRADE THREE POSITIONS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF HIS REQUEST TO TRANSFER TO DAY SHIFT.
AND ACCORDING TO MR. YOUNG, HE WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO NON-CAREER STATUS AND LATER OFFER A DOWNGRADE POSITION TO MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT.
ONE AFTER SPEAKING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND A SUPERVISOR, UM, WHO WERE, WAS MADE PRIVY TO THE SITUATION.
ALTHOUGH THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENCES IN THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CONVERSATION, THE FACTS PRESENTED WERE, UH, RELATIVELY THE SAME.
SO MR. BURLEY YOUNG BELIEVED HE HAD NO OTHER OPTIONS GIVEN TO HIM.
THEREFORE, FOR PERSONAL REASONS, HE AGREED TO THE DOWNGRADE FOR THE SHIFTS.
UM, HOWEVER, AT THE TIME OF MR. YOUNG'S REQUEST, THE SUPERINTENDENT DID NOT HAVE A GRADE THREE POSITION ON DAY SHIFT TO OFFER HIM AND THEREFORE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DOWNGRADE REQUEST.
AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UM, THEY DID NOT TELL HIM HE HAD TO GO TO NON-CAREER.
THEY BASICALLY, THEY TOLD HIM ONLY A NON-CAREER POSITION WAS AVAILABLE DURING THE DAY SHIFT AND ONLY,
[00:20:01]
UH, GRADE ONE WAS AVAILABLE.AND WITHIN THAT AREA, HIS SUPERVISOR, UM, THE SUPERVISOR WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER VACANCIES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT OR THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH, UM, THE HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, FUNCTION OF AO, THEY WERE, UH, MR. YOUNG DID NOT COME DIRECTLY TO HIM.
SO WHEN THEIR INVOLVEMENT, THEY BECAME INVOLVED WHEN THE PAPERWORK STARTED TO BE PROCESSED.
SO, HAD MR. YOUNG HAD SOUGHT OUT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR MAYBE HAVE GONE TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE OTHER POSITIONS AVAILABLE, UM, NEITHER MYSELF OR, UH, THE PARKS LEADERSHIP WOULD'VE KNOWN IF HE STILL WOULD'VE TAKEN THAT DOWNGRADE.
UM, HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT, UH, MADE PRIVY TO THAT INFORMATION AND, AND, UH, TO CONTINUE ON, UM, BASED ON THE INFORMATION, ALTHOUGH THE REQUEST AND EFFORTS TO DOWNGRADE AND ASSIGN MR. YOUNG, TODAY'S SHIFT AS MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT ONE BEGAN, BEGAN IN MARCH, 2024.
THE DOWNGRADE ACTUALLY BECAME EFFECTIVE IN AUGUST DUE TO RESOLVING STEP PLACEMENT ISSUES.
AND DURING THIS PERIOD, MR. YOUNG, HE BECAME AWARE OF OTHER GRADE POSITIONS THAT WERE AVAILABLE.
AND IN JULY, 2024, PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE, HE ACTUALLY APPLIED FOR SOME OF THOSE GRADE, APPLIED FOR A GRADE THREE OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND TO THIS DAY, HE WAS NOT GIVEN CONSIDERATION FOR THAT POSITION.
AND THE, THE GRADE ONE, THE DOWNGRADE WAS MOVED FORWARD WITH, AND I, I ATTACHED IN THE PACKET THAT HE DID MAKE FOLLOW, FOLLOW UP CON UH, EMAILS WITH, UM, THE HR FUNCTION OF PARKS AND REC AS TO WHEN WILL I GET CONSIDERATION.
AND SO FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE, I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WERE OTHER POSITIONS AVAILABLE, AND WHEN I BECAME AWARE, I'M NOT EVEN, I'M NOT BEING CONSIDERED FOR IT.
SO, UM, HIS REQUEST IS THAT BASED ON HIM NOT HAVING FULL KNOWLEDGE OF, UH, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, NOT APPROVE THE DOWNGRADE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SEVERAL.
UH, CAPRIS, UH, IS THERE A MA TWO OR AN MA THREE STILL CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN THE CITY? YES.
SO THE, WHAT THE EMPLOYEE SHOULD HAVE DONE IS, I DON'T THINK THE APPROPRIATE QUESTION.
I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITY AND SOMEONE IN A SUPERVISORY ROLE IN MY DAY JOB, I THINK THE ROLE OF THE SUPERVISOR IS TO APPROPRIATELY ADVISE YOUR STAFF.
UM, AND IF SOMEONE COMES TO YOU AND SAYS THEY WANNA MAKE A CHANGE, IT'S YOUR JOB TO PRESENT THEM ALL THE OPTIONS.
SO FOR ME, THIS WAS A FAILURE OF MANAGEMENT, UM, THAT CREATED THE SITUATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR AUTHORITY OR ABILITY IS TO RESOLVE THAT, I THINK FOR THE CITY, UH, TO MAKE THE CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE ALL OF THESE VACANCIES THAT THEY'RE DESPERATE TO FILL.
UM, BUT TO ALLOW AN EMPLOYEE TO BE DOWNGRADED UNNECESSARILY SEEMS CONTRARY TO WHAT THEIR PUBLIC STATEMENTS ARE.
SO, I I I'M LEANING TO DOING WHAT WE CAN ADMINISTRATIVELY OR OTHERWISE FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL, UM, TO GET THEM BACK TO THE LEVEL THEY DESERVE.
COMMISSIONER GARCA, I ECHO, UH, COMMISSIONER FROST LIN'S, UM, WORDS.
IS THERE SOMEBODY FROM THE DEPARTMENT HERE? HELLO? GOOD MORNING.
COMMISSIONER CHERYL BENDER, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER PARKER, RECREATION AND MARINE.
'CAUSE I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE SOME INPUT.
UM, THERE IS SOME CONTEXT MISSING UNFORTUNATELY FOR MR. YOUNG.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, BECAUSE I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MR. YOUNG AS WELL, AND MY PER MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR CURRENT ASSIGNMENT, IF THEY ARE TRYING TO MOVE, THEN I DO, I DO TRY TO MAKE IT MY PRIORITY TO FURNISH THEM WITH WHATEVER ASSISTANCE WE CAN TO GET THEM INTO SOMETHING THAT WILL SUIT THEM BETTER.
OKAY? ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES
[00:25:01]
THAT IS IN PLACE THAT I REALIZE HAVE NOT BEEN COMMUNICATED WITH MR. YOUNG IS THAT WHILE IT IS TRUE, PARKS HAS MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT THREES IN A SERIES OF DIFFERENT AREAS, UM, THEY, THEY DON'T ALL LOOK THE SAME.THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE OUTLIERS, OKAY? UM, WE HAVE MAINTENANCE THREES IN OUR BEACH, MAINTENANCE, UH, MARINE MAINTENANCE, UH, MARINE, UH, EXCUSE ME, GROUNDS AND FACILITIES AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, ALL OF THOSE AREAS HAVE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT THREES, UM, WORKING IN THEIR RANKS.
TWO OF THOSE SETS HAVE OUTLIERS.
SO OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, THE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANTS, THERE ARE OUTLIERS.
IN FACT, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET THEM RECLASSIFIED SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEIR CLASSIFICATION WILL ACCURATELY REFLECT WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
SO A MAINTENANCE THREE IN ANIMAL CARE SERVICES IS NOT GONNA LOOK LIKE A MAINTENANCE THREE IN THE OTHER AREAS.
SIMILARLY, THE PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE NIGHT SHIFT THAT MR. YOUNG WAS ASSIGNED TO, UM, THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, UH, THE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANTS, THERE ARE ALSO OUTLIERS.
UM, WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THE DIRECTION TO STAND UP THE MAINTENANCE OF THE, EXCUSE ME, THE PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH WAS THE NIGHT LOCKUP PROGRAM.
I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THAT IS.
SO MR. YOUNG WAS ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS SELECTED TO, YOU KNOW, STAND UP THAT PROGRAM AND BE ASSIGNED TO THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO HE WENT FROM A NON-CAREER MAINTENANCE ONE TO A MAINTENANCE THREE IN THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
UM, THE, THE THREES IN THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, THEIR DUTIES ARE SPLIT BETWEEN CUSTODIAL AND THEN KIND OF LIKE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.
UM, BUT WHATEVER THEIR DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, IS REALLY GONNA BE DICTATED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY ENCOUNTER WHEN THEY GO INTO ANY OF THESE FREE STRANDING RESTROOMS TO LOCK THEM UP.
IN CONTRAST, IN OUR BEACH MAINTENANCE, MARINE MAINTENANCE GROUNDS AND FACILITIES SECTIONS, OUR MAINTENANCE THREES ARE TRADE SUPPORT.
SO OUR ONES ARE CUSTODIAL, OUR TWOS ARE LEAD CUSTODIAL, AND OUR THREES ARE TRADE SUPPORT.
SO THE, SO AFTER THE VOLUNTARY DOWNGRADE, THE THREE THAT MR. YOUNG HAD PUT IN CONSIDERATION FOR AND DIDN'T GET AN INTERVIEW WAS IN ONE OF THOSE MARINE MAINTENANCE SECTIONS WHERE THE THREE IS THE TRADE SUPPORT.
AND HE DIDN'T INDICATE ANY, ANY, YOU KNOW, SKILL WITH TRADE SUPPORT ON HIS APPLICATION.
AND THAT'S WHY HE WASN'T GIVEN AN INTERVIEW.
NOW, FOR THE REMAINING THREES THAT DO EXIST IN THE, IN THE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS BUREAU, UM, HE, WE, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE SOME VACANCIES.
HE WILL BE GIVEN A, HE WILL BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
UM, I DID ADVISE MR. THE, THE SUPERINTENDENT, I ADVISED THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT BECAUSE MR. YOUNG ACTUALLY CALLED ME YESTERDAY.
UM, I ADVISED A SUPERINTENDENT TO PLEASE MAKE THAT CLEAR TO HIM, AND THAT IF HE WANTED TO HAVE A REAL SHOT AT BEING A CONTENDER FOR THOSE POSITIONS, THAT HE MAKES SURE TO FURNISH AN APPLICATION AND DISCUSS IN HIS INTERVIEW ANY EXPERIENCE HE HAS IN THE TRADES SO THAT HE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT HE, HE IS IN FACT A FIT FOR THE PROGRAM, I MEAN, FOR THE POSITION.
BECAUSE A THREE ON DAY SHIFT DOES NOT LOOK THE SAME AS A THREE ON NIGHT SHIFT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE PART THAT WAS NOT MADE CLEAR.
YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHEN, AS LIKE EVERYTHING I JUST EXPLAINED TO YOU, I'M OPERATING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW INTRINSICALLY AND I DIDN'T REALIZE OTHER PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS COMMUNICATED TO HIM WHILE WE WERE WORKING THE STEP PROCESS OUT.
UM, I KNOW THAT HIS SUPERINTENDENTS DIDN'T COMMUNICATE THAT TO HIM.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M TE I'M TRYING TO PROACTIVELY TAKE THE STEPS NOW KNOWING THAT WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES THAT HE IS GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE FOR.
THAT'S WHY I'M TAKING THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS COMMUNICATED TO HIM EXPLICITLY SO THAT HE CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HE CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE THE EXPERIENCE HE HAS THAT WILL ALIGN WITH THAT THREE DAY SHIFT.
WHY DOES HE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS WHEN HE'S ALREADY A CITY EMPLOYEE? I CAN SEE GOING THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PART, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
OH, NO, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE, IT'S, UM, THESE ARE INTERNAL POSTINGS, AND SO EVERYBODY IN THE, EVERYBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT'S GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THEIR, PUT THEIR PIECE FORWARD.
UM, IN CONTRAST, THE PREVIOUS ONE WE OPENED UP A TRANSFER BULLETIN, AND SO WE HAD APPLICANTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
I STILL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MM-HMM,
[00:30:01]
I MEAN, IT'S NOT AN APPLICATION PROGRAM.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT AN APPLICATION IN THAT HE HAS TO LIKE, GO ON, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT JOBS.COM AND FILL SOMETHING OUT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA BE CONSIDERED LIKE, HEY, SEND US A LETTER OF INTEREST AND UPDATED, YOU KNOW, RESUME OR APPLICATION OR WHATEVER, YOU CAN FURNISH, YOU KNOW, TO TELL US WHAT YOUR MOST CURRENT EXPERIENCE IS.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE A FORMALIZED APPLICATION PROCESS.
IT'S JUST A, YOU KNOW, WAY OF DOCUMENTING THAT THEY HAVE PUT THEIR HAND, YOU KNOW, PUT THEIR HAT IN THE RING.
WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS SKILL LEVEL IS BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ON HIS APPLICATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? WHAT WAS WE DON'T KNOW THAT IT, IT WAS, WE DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S ABOVE HIS SKILL LEVEL.
UM, WHATEVER HE FURNISHED TO COMPETE FOR THE LAST ONE, HE DID NOT FURNISH THE INFORMATION THAT REFLECTED THE NEEDS OF THE HIRING OF THE HIRING DIVISION IN THAT CASE.
SO BESIDE THOSE TWO POSITIONS MM-HMM.
UM, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, DAY SHIFT MM-HMM.
I, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DO NEED TO GET HIM TO KIND OF DRILL DOWN ON WHAT HIS SKILLSET IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTER APPLICANTS WHO HAVE SKILLS BEYOND WHAT THEY PUT ON THEIR RESUME, OF COURSE, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO INCLUDE IT.
AND IN THIS CASE, I THINK THAT PROBABLY WAS THE CASE WITH MR. YOUNG.
SO, UM, I'M SORRY, MS. BENDER.
UM, I BELIEVE WHAT YOU HAVE JUST EXPLAINED TO US, THERE'S A COUPLE OF CONCERNS THAT I HAVE THERE.
ONE THAT MR. YOUNG IS GOING TO BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE.
HE DOWNGRADED BECAUSE HE WAS NOT GIVEN FULL INFORMATION OR BECAUSE HE'S POSITIONS ARE NOT CLASSIFIED AS THEY SHOULD BE.
SO UNLESS YOU SHARE OTHERWISE, THIS MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT, UM, THERE IS, THERE IS LESS BURDEN ON THE EMPLOYEE TO PROVE OR TO COMPETE FOR SOMETHING THAT HE ALREADY HAD.
WELL, WHEN I USE THE WORD COMPETE, I MEAN, WE'RE OPENING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVERYONE IN THE DEPARTMENT WHO IS A CURRENT MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT.
UH, AND SO THEY'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE, YOU KNOW, THEIR INTEREST AND MATCH FOR THE FIT.
SO IN THAT WE DO NOT ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING DIRECT APPOINTMENTS OF JUST NIGHTING ONE PERSON AND SAYING, OKAY, YOU'RE THE NEW KINGMAKER OR WHATEVER, COMPETE FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE YES.
IN THAT WE'RE AVOIDING A DIRECT APPOINTMENT TYPE SITUATION.
SO HOW WOULD IT HAVE BEEN HANDLED HAD HE BEEN A THREE AND WANTED TO MOVE TO A DIFFERENT SHIFT, EITHER AS THE THREE OR THE TWO OR WHATEVER IT IS? HOW, HOW WOULD THAT HAVE GONE DOWN? WHAT'S THE PROCESS? WELL, AGAIN, WE'RE THE, THE CHALLENGE IN THIS CASE IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING FROM AN APPLE TO AN ORANGE BECAUSE THE THREE IN THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE THREE IN ANY OF THE AREA, OTHER AREA OF, OF MAINTENANCE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE DAY SHIFT DOES NOT DO THE SAME THINGS AS A NIGHT SHIFT.
AND SO WE WOULD'VE HAD TO PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, SAT, SAT DOWN, MAYBE INTERVIEWED HIM AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT DID HE HAVE THE REQUISITE SKILLSET THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE DAY SHIFT.
UM, AND WOULDN'T HIS SUPERVISORS KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING TO IS THAT IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE, YES, THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION MISSING, UM, THAT PERHAPS MR. YOUNG DIDN'T HAVE, BUT IN FAIRNESS TO MI UH, MR. YOUNG, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE HAVE FAILED TO FULLY INFORM HIM OR FULLY, UH, HAVE HIM UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS.
AND SO I JUST SAW SOMETHING BRIEFLY ABOUT PAY, RIGHT? I, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A DOWNGRADE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HIGH QUALITY PAYING JOBS FOR ALL FAMILIES IN LONG BEACH.
LET'S START WITH THE PEOPLE WE ALREADY HAVE.
AND SO, HOWEVER WE CAN RECTIFY THIS, I KNOW FOR A WORKING FAMILY IN LONG BEACH, COST OF LIVING IS HIGH,
[00:35:01]
RIGHT? FOR ALL OF US.AND SO TO LOSE EVEN A DOLLAR AN HOUR CAN MEAN A LOT.
AND SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WHATEVER THE SOLUTION IS, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A, A, MAYBE A LENGTHIER CONVERSATION, UM, OR SOME DUE DILIGENCE BEHIND THE SCENES BY, BY THOSE THAT HAVE THE INFORMATION, UH, OF MR. YOUNG'S QUALIFICATIONS AND THE POSITIONS AVAILABLE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING BE RESOLVED TO MAKE MR. YOUNG WHOLE TO WHERE HE WAS AND JUST BECAUSE OF LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES.
HE MADE THIS INCREDIBLE DECISION WITHOUT ALL THE INFORMATION, WHICH DOESN'T SEEM FAIR TO THE EMPLOYEES OF LONG BEACH, IN PARTICULAR HERE WITH MR. YOUNG.
UM, AND SO AS COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLAND SAYS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, UM, AS FAR AS WHAT THIS COMMISSION CAN DO.
I KNOW THAT WE DO HEAR, UH, EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS, WHICH THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THE DEPARTMENT, HIS SUPERVISORS, AND ANYONE WHO CAN HAVE A HAND IN RECTIFYING THE SITUATION THAT THEY DO.
UM, AS WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT, HIRING IS DIFFICULT IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
LET'S NOT MAKE IT WORSE BY MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
UH, MR. HOLLANDS, UH, JUST ONE THING I I WANTED TO CLARIFY.
SO WE DID MAKE A DIRECT APPOINTMENT.
WE TOOK A MA THREE AND DIRECT APPOINTED THE MA THREE INTO A OPEN MA ONE ROLE.
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN, THE DEPARTMENT COULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENT OPTION.
THEY COULD HAVE GONE MA THREE TO MA TWO, THEY COULD HAVE GONE MA THREE TO MA THREE.
THE DEPARTMENT MADE THE CHOICE TO ONLY GIVE ONE OPTION TO THIS EMPLOYEE, WHICH WAS THE OPTION OF A DOUBLE DEMOTION.
THAT WAS A DIRECT APPOINTMENT.
THAT WAS A DECISION MADE BY MANAGEMENT.
IS THERE ANYTHING IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT WHICH IS INCORRECT? NO, I MEAN IN THAT, THAT, IN THAT, AT THE TIME IN THAT BUREAU, UM, AND I'M SAYING THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF WHEN MR. YOUNG HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS, HE ONLY HAD THEM WITH ONE SMALL SECTION OF THE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS BUREAU.
UM, MY TEAM WAS NOT BROUGHT INTO THE DISCUSSION UNTIL MUCH LATER, WHICH IS WHY THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET INFORMATION ON WHAT, UM, VACANCIES WERE AVAILABLE DEPARTMENT-WIDE.
SO IN THE FACILITIES SECTION OF THE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS BUREAU, YOU KNOW, HE WAS TALKING TO A SUPERINTENDENT WHO WAS OPERATING FROM ONLY THE PERSPECTIVE OF, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE OPEN.
AND SO IN THAT HE WAS ESSENTIALLY REVERTING BACK TO A FULL-TIME VERSION OF A DAY SHIFT POSITION.
HE HAD ALREADY HAD, I WOULDN'T CALL THAT AN UNFAIR CHARACTERIZATION, UM, ALTHOUGH AGAIN, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A RE A RETURN TO SOMETHING HE HAD ALREADY DONE AS OPPOSED TO PLACING HIM IN, YOU KNOW, A ROLE THAT HE HAS NOT FULFILLED.
BUT TO THE POINT OF WE CAN'T MAKE A DIRECT APPOINTMENT, YOU DID.
SO, LIKE YOU DID MAKE A DIRECT APPOINTMENT OF AN MA THREE INTO AN MA ONE VACANCY.
SO MAKING A DIRECT APPOINTMENT OF A CURRENT EMPLOYEE TO A VACANCY WITHIN THEIR CLASSIFICATION, CLASSIFICATION IS SOMETHING WHICH IS WITHIN THE POWER OF THE DEPARTMENT.
I WON'T CONTRADICT YOUR STATEMENT.
IT WAS REFRESHING TO HAVE YOU AT THE PODIUM.
UM, I DO, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT.
I THINK THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT, UM, LET ME EXPLAIN WHY I SAID WHAT I SAID.
YOU WERE VERY CLEAR IN PRESENTING ALL SIDES, AND YOU GAVE US WHAT I BELIEVE WAS A GENUINE STATEMENT.
THERE WAS NOTHING IN YOUR STATEMENT WAS THAT WAS DISINGENUOUS AND EVEN THE WARTS YOU SHOWED US.
AND SO I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THAT WHAT I LOOK FOR IN COMMUNICATION IS TRUTH AND CLARITY.
AND I'VE RECEIVED THAT FROM YOU AND I RESPECT YOU FOR THAT MS. BENDER.
SO, UM, BUT I, I DO WANT TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, AND, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT AS THE, THE LEAD, THE DIRECTOR, YOU CAME FORWARD TO REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND ARE TAKING FOR RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT WAS SAID AND WHAT WASN'T.
SO I, I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, WHEN DID THIS DOWNGRADE COME TO COMMISSION? BECAUSE NORMALLY WHEN I SEE
[00:40:01]
A DOWNGRADE, I ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.SO DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE DOWNGRADE? DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENED? IT'S ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON OUR LAST AGENDA, BUT IT'S ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
SO IN MARCH HE WAS DOWNGRADED, BUT YOU'RE JUST BRINGING IT TO COMMISSION TODAY? MM-HMM MM-HMM.
THE HR ONE PACKET I HAVE IN THERE, IT WAS ACTUALLY SIGNED IN AUGUST.
AND THEN IT CAME TO THE COMMISSION AND IT DID NOT MEET THE NINE 11 AGENDA.
SO IT'S ON TODAY'S AGENDA FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
AND SO, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE CITY ATTORNEY IS OKAY FOR ME TO CONTINUE ASKING QUESTIONS.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE? BECAUSE I SEE YOU LOOKING AT ME.
SO ARE WE GOOD,
SO I'M JUST CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT I'M HEARING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EMPLOYEE THAT IS BEING DOWNGRADED.
THE DOWNGRADE WAS DONE IN MARCH.
WOULDN'T THAT HAVE COME TO COMMISSION IN MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY, SO THAT WE COULD MAKE IT HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.
DON'T WE APPROVE THE DOWNGRADE OR AM I FLOATING SOMEWHERE ON ANOTHER LAND? IT LOOKS LIKE FROM AND CAPRICE, YOU CAN CORRECT ME, BUT IT LOOKS IN YOUR STATEMENTS, YOU SAY ON AUGUST 24TH, MR. YOUNG WAS DOWNGRADED TO MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT ONE.
SO I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, I SPOKE TO THE SUPERVISOR, WHICH I ALSO INVITED HIM TO COME TODAY AS WELL.
UM, THE REASON HE WAS MOVED TO DAY SHIFT, BUT STILL AS A GRADE THREE, BECAUSE THEY WERE WORKING OUT THE, THE STEP, THE, THE PAPERWORK, THE STEP.
AND HE SAID IT TOOK THAT LONG.
I UNDER I, I DO RECALL THAT WE HAD A, THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, UM, THE CORRECT STEP PLACEMENT.
UH, BUT I WAS, I, AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR MY CONFUSION, I'VE BEEN OPERATING THE UNDER, UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE DOWNGRADE HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.
AND THAT TODAY'S PUBLIC COMMENT WAS SIMPLY TO ADDRESS CONCERNS HE HAD ABOUT THE DOWNGRADE.
NOT THAT THE TRANSACTION WAS NOT COMPLETED.
IS IS THE, THE TRANSACTION IS COMPLETE.
BUT, UM, TO CAPRI'S POINT, HE WAS IN THAT, UM, MA ONE POSITION.
HE WAS MOVED, HE WAS ACTUALLY MOVED.
AND YEAH, BUT LEFT AT AN MA THREE IN THE NEW POSITION UNTIL THEY WERE FIGURING OUT THE STEP INCREASE.
I GUESSED WHERE I'M, AND, AND JUST CORRECT ME IN MY PERCEPTION.
I THINK MY PERCEPTION IS WHAT IT'S FLAWED HERE.
OH, I THINK I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
WHENEVER WE EXTEND A PROBATION FOR AN EMPLOYEE, THE PERSON COMES, THE DEPARTMENT COMES TO US, AND WE AUTHORIZE THAT EXTENSION.
WHEN AN EMPLOYEE IS DOWNGRADED, DOES THAT COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION TO AUTHORIZE THE DOWNGRADE? IT DOES NOT.
IT COMES AFTER THE FACT AF AFTER THE FACT.
W WE BECOME AWARE OF IT WITH THE HR ONE THAT COMES, THAT COMES TO OUR OFFICE.
SO YOU'RE BRINGING IT BEFORE US.
AND I'M SORRY, MS. BENDER, I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR.
SO YOU'RE BRINGING IT BEFORE US TODAY TO APPROVE THE DOWNGRADE.
THESE ARE ALL THE, ALL THE HR ONE TRANSACTIONS ARE, ARE ALL OF THE ONES IN THE CONSENT ARE TRANSACTIONS THAT OCCURRED FROM HR ONES, AND WE BRING YOU THAT REPORT OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE AFTER THE FACT.
HOWEVER, AND, AND THAT'S FINE.
YOU'RE STILL LOOKING FOR US TO APPROVE THE DOWNGRADE.
IS IS THAT WHY YOU'RE ASKING FOR OUR VOTE? YES.
SO IF I'M HEARING THIS CORRECTLY, I HAVE A COMMISSIONER TO MY RIGHT AND TWO TO MY LEFT THAT DO NOT AGREE WITH THE DOWNGRADE, BUT YOU'RE ASKING US TO VOTE ON THE DOWNGRADE.
AND SO IF WE, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, IF WE DO NOT APPROVE THE DOWNGRADE, WHERE ARE WE THEN? WELL, I MEAN, THEN THE VOTE WOULD NOT PASS.
AND I THINK THE ITEM WOULD HAVE TO BE REEVALUATED AT A LATER TIME.
BUT THE, BUT THIS ITEM WOULD NOT PASS, THEN THIS ITEM WOULD NOT PASS.
WHAT HAPPENS TO MR. YOUNG? DOES HE FLY AROUND IN THIS NEW GRADE ONE THAT HE DIDN'T AGREE TO? UH, YES.
IT, IT WOULD APPEAR SO BECAUSE THE VOTE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
[00:45:01]
SUCCESSFUL FOR HIM TO MOVE FORWARD.AND WHAT IS THE REMEDY TO THE COMMISSION? BECAUSE I CAN SEE BY LISTENING TO THE COMMUNICATION HERE, THAT WE ARE NOT IN NECESSARILY AGREEMENT WITH THE DOWNGRADE AND NOT BECAUSE OF MS. BENDER.
SHE'S DONE EVERYTHING SHE'S SUPPOSED TO DO.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE MISCOMMUNICATION OF HER STAFF.
UH, IT SOUNDS TO US LIKE THE EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN HARMED, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MS. BENDER, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN HARMED BY BEING DOWNGRADED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE EMPLOYEE'S TRYING TO GET SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT HAVE TO OFFER, BUT IT STILL SOUNDS LIKE TO ME THAT THE EMPLOYEE IS BEING HARMED.
THE EMPLOYEE DOES NOT WANT THE DOWNGRADE.
EVEN THOUGH HE SIGNED, IF HE HAD MISINFORMATION OR WASN'T GIVEN A FULL INFORMATION, HIS SIGNATURE IS MOOT TO ME.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, SIR, IS WHAT IS OUR FIX FOR THIS? WHAT IS THE REMEDY FOR THIS GENTLEMAN? YEAH, COMMISSIONER.
I THINK, I THINK WHAT IN THIS SITUATION, IF THE THE COMMISSION DOES NOT AGREE, THEN THEY WOULD NOT, THE VOTE WOULD NOT GO, GO FORWARD.
AND I THINK, UM, I BELIEVE MOVING FORWARD THEN MR. YOUNG WOULD HAVE, HIS SITUATION WOULD HAVE TO BE REVISITED.
I I'M NOT SURE IF THE, IF THE COMMISSION HAS LIKE A, A, A, ANY TYPE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC REMEDY OTHER THAN ALLOWING STAFF TO, TO BRING THIS ISSUE BEFORE, UM, THE COMMISSION PERHAPS WITH DIFFERENT FACTS AT A LATER TIME.
SO, UM, IF I MAY, MADAM PRESIDENT, GO AHEAD.
IF IT, IF IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, WHICH I DON'T THINK IT IS, UM, SO I'M JUST GOING TO IN THEORY HERE, SAY WE DON'T PASS THIS ITEM.
CAN WE URGE ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED TO, TO GO BACK AND FIGURE IT OUT AND BRING IT OUT, BRING IT BACK TO COMMISSION? ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK, UM, THE COMMISSION HAVE ASKED STAFF TO, TO BRING LIKE A REPORT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF STUDY REPORT AND REPORT BACK PERHAPS AT THE NEXT, UM, COMMISSION MEETING.
MS. SPENDER, I'M LOOKING FOR A REMEDY.
AND, AND TO BE FRANK, I'M LOOKING FOR A REMEDY IN FAVOR OF THE EMPLOYEE, UM, FOR ALL OF THE REASONS STATED AND I, AND I THINK, UM, I AM NOT GONNA SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT I THINK IN, IN WHAT YOU BROUGHT BEFORE US, YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS A, A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM WITH THIS CERTAINLY.
AND, UM, WHEN WE ARE IN THE POSITION, AND WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN US COLLECTIVELY, WHEN WE ARE IN THE POSITION TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT, UM, WE NEED TO DO THAT.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THIS RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE WAS MISINFORMATION NOT FROM YOU, UH, NOT EVEN FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT SIDE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS SOME OTHERS.
ANOTHER PART OF THE, THE DIVISION.
UH, BUT WE, IF WE HAVE A WAY TO MAKE THIS RIGHT, WE BUILD SO MUCH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE BUILD SO MUCH GOODWILL WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYEES BEGIN TO FEEL LIKE THEY REALLY BELONG.
UM, AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE MA THREE, I REALLY GOT A CLEAR PICTURE, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IT DOES SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE APPLES, ORANGES, AND PLUMS. AND ONE IS NOT NECESSARILY INTERCHANGEABLE.
I WOULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH TELLING HIM THAT HE HAS TO COME BACK AND RE-EARN WHAT HE ALREADY HAD, WHICH WAS THE MA THREE.
UM, BUT I WOULD JUST ASK, UH, IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS AND BUILDING GOODWILL WITH THE CITY'S EMPLOYEES, I, I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO BE THE, THE GREAT PEOPLE THAT WE ARE.
UM, I WOULD ASK THAT, UM, THAT THE DEPARTMENT REEVALUATE THIS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, YOU WILL MAKE THAT DECISION.
BUT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT GOODWILL WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND, AND THIS MAN IS STILL WORKING HERE.
HE DIDN'T QUIT AND DISCUSS, UM, AND HE CONTINUES TO SERVE THE CITY.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
I WILL HAPPILY TAKE THIS BACK TO MY DEPARTMENT.
I APPRECIATE YOU, MS. BENDER, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HONESTY AND YOUR TRANSPARENCY.
MAY I, UH, SUGGEST IF WE CAN, UH, A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO, UH, THE, UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER KARICA, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LOVE, UH, THAT, UH, THE ITEM PASSES OR THAT THE ITEM BE, UH, THAT THE ITEM BE, UH, POSTPONED, UH, TO A FUTURE MEETING WHERE A MORE FULL, UH, RES RESOLUTION COULD BE PRESENTED.
[00:50:01]
SORRY, MY BRAIN IS NOT WORKING.AND IF I COULD HAVE, UM, I, I DON'T LIKE THINGS THAT ARE JUST OUT THERE, SO IF WE COULD PUT A DATE ON IT SO THAT I KNOW WHEN TO EXPECT IT TO COME BACK.
AND OF COURSE, IT NEEDS TO BE, YOU'VE GOT A LOT ON YOUR PLATE, SO IT NEEDS TO BE WITHIN YOUR, YOUR TIMELINE.
I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME, BUT IF WE COULD CLOSE THIS OFF, UM, WITH A DATE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME.
CAN I, CAN I, I LOOK AT MY YES, MA'AM.
AND, UH, TO OUR ATTORNEY REPRESENTING US, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLINS, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M, I'M WONDERING, AND IT'S A QUESTION, UM, WOULD IT BE MORE ADVISABLE TO TABLE IF I, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING, RIGHT? UH, COMMISSIONER TO, WOULD IT BE ADVIS MORE ADVISABLE TO TABLE THIS, OR WOULD IT BE MORE ADVISABLE TO, UM, FAIL THIS ITEM AND THEN COME BACK WITH A NEW SOLUTION? THE, IT, IT WOULD BE UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMISSION.
THE COMMISSION CAN PULL THE ITEM AND, AND DIRECT STAFF TO, TO REPORT BACK FIRST.
AND THEN THIS, THIS ITEM, UM, CAN BE PUT ON A, ON ANOTHER AGENDA, UH, PERHAPS AT THE, AT THE NEXT, UH, NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
YEAH, I THINK WE WOULD, WE WOULD SAY WE WOULD PULL THE ITEM, PULL THE ITEM ALTOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
AND THEN IT'D JUST HAVE TO BE RE AGENDIZED FOR THE NEXT, THE NEXT MEETING WITH IF, IF THE COURT, I MEAN, EXCUSE NOT THE COURT, BUT IF THE COMMISSION DIRECT STAFF TO REPORT BACK AT THAT SPECIFIC DATE, WHICH I THINK THE COMMISSION IS, UM, DISCUSSING NOW.
I WOULD JUST, UM, WOULD LIKE, UH, SOMEHOW FOR THE RECORD THAT THIS, THIS CONVERSATION AND THIS DISCUSSION, UH, WITH MS. BENDER AND YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOALS HERE, JUST SOMEHOW NOTED.
AND I AM GONNA, I'M GONNA ASK THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE FOR A CLARIFICATION ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE MOTION, KAREN.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO LAY THE ITEM OVER TO THE NEXT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING UNLESS THEY WANT TO PICK A DIFFERENT DATE, TIME, CERTAIN.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE CAN VOTE TO LAY THE ITEM OVER, MAKE A SPECIFIC DATE SO THAT IT SET AND THE DEPARTMENT'S READY AND EVERYONE CAN BE READY FOR THAT MOMENT.
BUT WE CALL IT LIKE LAYING THE ITEM OVER, LAY THE ITEM OVER.
AND, AND, AND FAIRNESS TO MS. BENDER'S TIMELINE.
SHE SAID SHE WOULD GET BACK TO US.
SO CAN WE HAVE IT, UH, LAY OVER THE ITEM? MS. BENDER WILL COMMUNICATE WITH STAFF TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT MORE THAN, LET'S SAY TWO MEETINGS,
UM, WOULD THAT BE OKAY? AND WE CAN SPECIFY WITHIN 45 DAYS, WITHIN 60 DAYS, LIKE IT'S AT YOUR DISCRETION TO MAKE THAT INTO YOUR MOTION.
UM, SO IF YOU WANTED TO ADD THAT, YOU COULD DO THAT RATHER THAN PICKING A SPECIFIC LIKE DATE.
MS. GUNDER, DO YOU HAVE, UH, ANY THOUGHTS ON 30 45? SO ON DATES, I'M SURE WE CAN WORK WITHIN 45 DAYS.
BECAUSE LET ME, I WILL JUST ADVISE THE COMMISSION.
YOU HAVE A, YOUR NEXT MEETING IS NOVEMBER 6TH, AND THEN YOU HAVE A MEETING ON NOVEMBER 20TH, AND THEN WHAT'S 45 DAYS? THAT WOULD BE PAST NOVEMBER 20TH.
SO, UM, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AMENDED AS SUCH, OR DO WE HAVE TO REPEAT ALL OF THAT?
UH, WE JUST NEED THE MOTION AND SECONDER TO AGREE AND THEN WE CAN TAKE OUR VOTE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, FROST HOLLINS MADE THE AMENDMENT, SO IT WOULD BE A FRIENDLY, SO IF YOU WANNA NO, YOU HAVE TO, YOU AND I VERY GOOD ASK THE, SO I WILL MOVE AS STATED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. BENDER.
RIGHT? BUT WE'RE LAYING OVER THE ENTIRE SUBJECT MATTER INTO THE, UH, SECOND I JUST MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM ITEM SIX.
SO, EXCUSE ME,
YES, I'M GOING TO FOR THE RECORD.
UH, ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE PERMANENT ASSIGNMENT TO FORM A CLASSIFICATION FOR NELSON
[00:55:01]
MARTINEZ, MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT.I, I, I PULLED IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO GO.
UH, TO ME THEY'RE INTEGRAL, BUT SINCE WE'RE GONNA HOLD THIS ONE OVER, I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THIS ONE BEING VOTED ON WITHOUT DISCUSSION, UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE HAS SOMETHING THEY WANNA PUT OUT THERE.
UM, SINCE YOU PULLED IT, THEN I CAN GO AHEAD AND ASK THE QUESTION.
MS. BENDER, YOU SAID SHE RAISED HER HAND.
MS. BENDER, YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME AT THE POINT FIND IN THE ROOM.
UM, THIS ONE IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING.
UH, MR. MARTINEZ IS, WELL, WAS A MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT THREE IN ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
SO ONE OF OUR ORANGES, UM, HE GOT ON THE ELIGIBILITY LIST AND WAS SELECTED AS AN ANIMAL CARE SER UH, ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER.
UM, AND HE HAS BEEN IN, I, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATES, BUT HE'S BEEN IN THAT POSITION, UM, STILL, I BELIEVE IN A PROBATIONARY STATUS, BUT HE HAS COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT FIELD WORK IS NOT FOR HIM.
HE PREFERS THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE SHELTER.
HE PREFERS BEING AROUND THE ANIMALS CONSISTENTLY.
AND HE, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH ENJOYS THE CARE THAT HE'S ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM IN THE SHELTER AS OPPOSED TO OUT IN THE FIELD.
SO THIS ONE IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE KIND OF VOLUNTARY.
THE OTHER ONE WAS, HE VERY MUCH WANTS TO REVERT TO HIS ORIGINAL CLASSIFICATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
I ONLY PULLED THIS MS. BENDER BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THIS MAINTENANCE.
THIS A THREE, BUT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS YOU SAID THAT ANIMAL CONTROL'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.
I DON'T THINK HE'D PICKING ON YOU,
[6. 24-55348 Recommendation to approve permanent assignment to former classification for Nelson Martinez, Maintenance Assistant III. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THANK YOU.OKAY, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION TO
[7. 24-55349 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Civil Service Commission Special Meeting of October 11, 2024. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING OF OCTOBER 11TH.WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO THE VOTE? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONERS? NONE FOR ME.
THIS IS A RECOMMEND RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE BULLETIN FOR THE LAB.
I'M SORRY, LABORATORY ASSISTANT ONE
[8. 24-55350 Recommendation to approve bulletin – Laboratory Assistant I-III. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THROUGH THREE.AND YOU HAVE A MOTION AND CAPRICE WILL PRESENT.
THE BULLETIN STAFF IS IN A TRAINING TODAY.
THANK GOODNESS FOR THOSE BULLETIN PRESENTATIONS.
SO THE EXAMINATION FOR LABORATORY ASSISTANT GRADE ONE THROUGH THREE WAS LAST ADMINISTERED AS AN OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAM FROM SEPTEMBER, 2022, UH, FOR A MONTH, SEPTEMBER 2ND THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2022.
AND AT THAT TIME, 63 CANDIDATES APPLIED AND 52 QUALIFIED.
SO FROM ONE ELIGIBLE LIST, THERE WERE THREE REQUISITIONS FROM THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
TWO SELECTIONS WERE MADE FROM THAT ELIGIBLE LIST.
CURRENTLY THERE IS ONE VACANCY AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES WERE LIMITED TO THE FILING DATES.
UM, UPDATED FOR, UH, UM, INFORMATION TO REFLECT UTILITIES AND ADDITION UPDATED, DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND STAFF ALSO ADDED THE ADDITIONAL STANDARD VETERAN LANGUAGE.
UM, AND THEY REMOVED THE COVID-19 LANGUAGE.
AND SO DURING THE INITIAL EXAM DEVELOPMENT STAFF DISCOVERED THAT THE ELIGIBLE LIST HAD BEEN RETROACTIVELY EXPIRED IN ERROR INSTEAD OF BEING EXTENDED.
SO BEFORE STAFF MOVED FORWARD WITH THE, UM, RECRUITMENT, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE DEPARTMENT HAD DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THE ELIGIBLE LIST.
SO WHEN THIS ERROR WAS DISCOVERED, UM, IT WAS CORRECTED AND THE DEPARTMENT WAS, UM, DIRECTED TO GO BACK AND, UH, LOOK AT THE CAN CONSIDERED CANDIDATES ON THE LIST.
SO AFTER THEY CON DID THAT CONSIDERATION,
[01:00:01]
UM, STAFF MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS RECRUITMENT, UM, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE EXAMINE EXAMINATION WAITS REMAIN THE SAME AND WITH A FILING PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS BEGINNING OCTOBER 25TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 8TH.AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UM, REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEPARTMENT HERE AS WELL.
AND, UM, AS ALL THE, UM, BULLETIN PRESENTATIONS IN YOUR PACKET, THERE'S A BREAKDOWN AT A DISPOSITION AS TO, UM, HOW THE DEPARTMENT WENT THROUGH TO ELIGIBLE LIST.
THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE SELECTIVE CERTIFICATION FOR THE CLERK.
THIS IS AN ANIMAL, UH, CARE CLERK.
[9. 24-55351 Recommendation to approve selective certification – Clerk Typist I (Animal Care Clerk). Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
YES.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OH, WHO'S DOING THE REPORT? YES, CAPRICE WILL BE DOING THAT REPORT FOR YOU.
SO THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A SELECTIVE CERT FOR, UH, CLERK TYPIST ANIMAL CARE.
THIS WOULD BE THE, UM, SECOND TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY, UH, DID THIS FOR PARKS AND REC.
AND LAST MEETING YOU, SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A CITYWIDE CLASSIFICATION, THERE ARE SOME POSITIONS THAT ARE REALLY HARD TO FILL.
UM, SO THIS SELECTIVE CERT WILL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO EASILY GO THROUGH THE LIST AND, UM, UH, BRING IN ONLY THOSE THAT ACTUALLY SAY YES, THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK IN THOSE, UM, WORKING CONDITIONS, UM, AND THAT HAVE SOME, UH, EXPERIENCE OR BACKGROUND WORKING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT AROUND ANIMAL CARE.
SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE TWO CLERK TYPE, ITS ONE VACANCIES THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.
AND IF COMMISSIONER APPROVED THIS, UH, STAFF WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE UPCOMING RECRUITMENT SO THAT WE CAN EASILY IDENTIFY THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL EXPRESS INTEREST AND BE ABLE TO DESCRIBE THEIR BACKGROUND OR HOW THEY CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION.
WHAT MAKES THIS A UNICORN POSITION? YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING AT THE ANIMAL CARE CENTER AND, AND YOU KNOW WHAT CHERYL, WHAT ARE THEY DOING OVER THERE TO THE ANIMALS THAT'S GONNA SCARE SOMEBODY FROM BEING A CLERK? TUS? WELL, I THINK THERE'S THE SMELLY STUFF TOO THAT GOES WITH IT.
BUT CHERYL BENDER IS IN, I'M SORRY.
OH GOD, NO, YOU'RE GONNA WITH THE COMMISSION.
I WENT TO COMMISSION AND THEY TORTURED ME TODAY.
I MEAN, IF THIS IS TORTURE, IT IS A PLEASANT TORTURE, AT LEAST
UM, WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF CHALLENGES, UH, RECRUITING FOR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS IN OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES BUREAU.
UM, THE FACT THAT WHEN WE RUN REGULAR APPLICATIONS, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TEND TO OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT IF YOU'RE WORKING IN ANIMAL CARE, YOU ARE IN THE SHELTER.
SO EVEN IF YOU'RE AT THE FRONT DESK, THERE'S GONNA BE DOGS, CATS, CHINCHILLAS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE COMING THROUGH THAT FRONT DOOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY, I REALLY WANT THE JOB, BUT I'M AFRAID OF DOGS.
IS THAT OKAY? IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M ALLERGIC TO DOGS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES WITH THE FACT THAT IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION, BUT THE HOURS ARE TYPICALLY LIKE TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, PEOPLE ARE TYPICALLY EXPECTING TO COME INTO LIKE A MONDAY, FRIDAY, LIKE STANDARD WORKING HOURS TYPE SITUATION.
AND WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE, WE TEND TO LOSE A LOT OF APPLICANTS.
SO BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, THE EXPOSURE TO ANIMALS, THE AROMAS, I'LL CALL THEM, UH, AND THE WORKING HOURS, UH, WE FIND THAT WHEN WE RUN A REGULAR BULLETIN WHERE WE DON'T SPECIFY AND CALL OUT, HEY, THE THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENT, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE EXPOSED TO, THIS IS THE SCHEDULE, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? WHEN WE DON'T DO THAT, WE TEND TO LOSE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE GO THROUGH THE LIST AND WE TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE THE LEVEL OF SUCCESS THAT WE DO WHEN WE ENACT A A, A SELECTIVE CERT.
WHY WASTE YOUR TIME AND WHY WASTE THE APPLICANT'S TIME? SO I WOULD BE, I WOULD GIVE THEM AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE AND, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WORKING WITH ANIMALS, ANIMALS, UH, NEED SOMEONE WHO THEY, THAT WANTS TO BE THERE TO LOVE ON THEM.
NOT SOMEONE WHO IS AFRAID OF THEM.
UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER, UM, DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? DO YOU HIRE NINE YEAR OLDS?
AND JUST KIND OF AS A SIDE QUESTION, DOES THIS SHELTER, UM, HAVE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS
[01:05:01]
FOR NINE YEAR OLDS? I'M NOT SURE WHAT OUR, OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE AS FAR AS AGE.I KNOW WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS, BUT, UH, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HIM DOWN FOR A VISIT.
THAT WAS ONE OF HIS, UH, CHRISTMAS WISHES TO VOLUNTEER AT THE SHELTER.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL MAKE SURE OUR BUREAU MANAGER KNOWS THAT.
I'M SURE WE CAN ARRANGE A VISIT JUST FOR HIM.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WOULD YOU, UM, CASH YOUR VOTE PLEASE? THANK YOU, MS. SPENDER.
THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE SELECTIVE CERTIFICATION FOR COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST.
[10. 24-55352 Recommendation to approve selective certification – Communication Specialist V (Senior Network Engineer). Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
NETWORK ENGINEER AND SO THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF DOING A TARGETED RECRUITMENT AND SAL'S GONNA MAKE THE PRESENTATION FOR US.SO CORRESPONDENCE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION DEPARTMENT REQUESTING A SELECTED CERTIFICATION FOR COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST FIVE.
UH, SPECIFICALLY TARGETING A SENIOR NETWORK ENGINEER AT A GRADE LEVEL FIVE.
UM, STAFF HAS REVIEWED THESE REQUESTS AND RECOMMENDS COMMISSION'S APPROVAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLES.
UM, UH, FOUR SECTION 28 OF THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND CIVIL SERVICE PROCEDURE 2.26.
UH, SOME FACTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
UH, REQUISITION TI I 24 0 8 WAS SUBMITTED IN SEPTEMBER, UH, 2024.
ALTHOUGH THE REPORT, UH, STATES THAT THE REQUISITION IS STILL EN ROUTE TO CIVIL SERVICE, I CAN CONFIRM THAT IT HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
UM, THIS POSITION IS UNIQUE AND SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST POSITIONS WITHIN THE CLASSIFICATION AS THE SENIOR NETWORK ENGINEER WILL REQUIRE SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE IN CISCO NETWORK AND ARCHITECTURE, ROUTING AND SWITCHING, UH, DNA AND ZERO TRUST.
UM, SO AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE MAINTAINING NETWORK HARDWARE, ASSESSING FOR RISK AND WEAKNESSES, AND STAYING UPDATED WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND BEST PRACTICES.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE 65, UH, CANDIDATES UNDER EXISTING, UM, ELIGIBLE LIST FOR COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION SPECIALISTS ONE THROUGH SIX, BUT WITHOUT THE SPECIALIZED SKILLS NEEDED TO FILL THE GRADE LEVEL FIVE.
UM, IF THE SELECTED CERTIFICATION REQUEST IS APPROVED, UH, STAFF WILL RUN A TARGETED RECRUITMENT WITH THE WORKING TITLE.
UM, AND THEN, AND CANDIDATES THAT MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST ONE THROUGH SIX WILL STILL BE PLACED ON A GENERAL ELIGIBLE LIST, BUT ONLY THOSE THAT ARE CERTIFIED FOR THAT SPECIFIC SKILL WILL BE REFERRED TO THE REQUISITION FOR THIS TARGET RECRUITMENT.
UM, AND A TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE IS HERE IN CASE THE COMMISSION HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO MAKE COMMENT, UM, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT EARLIER IN THE REPORT, BECAUSE TYPICALLY, UM, CIVIL SERVICE STAFF, WE WILL PULL THE LIST.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE PULLED THEM BECAUSE IF WE DID NOT ASK THAT ON APPLICATION, WE WILL DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THE CANDIDATES ON THE LIST DID NOT SAY, HEY, I HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE, BUT YOU DIDN'T ASK ME ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE SUPPLEMENTAL IS PROBABLY LENGTHY ENOUGH AS IT IS.
AND ALSO, UM, BEFORE RUNNING A TARGETED RECRUITMENT, WE WILL, UM, ASK THE, WILL REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO, UH, DO A OUTREACH OR AT LEAST SHOW US THAT YOU DID OUTREACH INTERNALLY.
BECAUSE THIS, AT LEAST TWICE THIS YEAR, UM, WITH TID AND HARBOR, WE'VE HAD, UH, DEPARTMENTS TO PULL BACK AND END UP HIRING FROM THEIR OWN DEPARTMENT.
SO BEFORE WE GO OUT AND DO RESOURCES, PUBLIC FUNDS TO DO A SEPARATE TARGETED RECRUITMENT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TALENT IS NOT CURRENTLY INTERNAL.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? COMMISSIONERS? I JUST HAVE A, A QUESTION.
UM, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DIDN'T WE DO THIS A COUPLE MONTHS BACK, A SELECTIVE CERTIFICATION FOR TID AND THIS PARTICULAR POSITION NAME? IT WAS ACTUALLY FOR BUSINESS SYSTEM SPECIALIST AND THERE WAS, UH, THREE DIFFERENT WORKING TITLES FOR DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CYBERSECURITY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M, I'M PLEASED THAT YOU GUYS WILL GO INTO THE DEPARTMENT AND ASK THE QUESTION, IS ANYBODY QUALIFIED? 'CAUSE I WOULD MUCH PREFER SEE, UH, SOMEBODY ALREADY EMPLOYED IN A STEP UP.
COMMISSIONER, LOVE, CULTIVATE YOUR OWN GARDEN FIRST.
I LIKE THAT AND I'M GLAD THE DEPARTMENT IS, IS, UH, WILLING TO LOOK WITHIN FIRST BEFORE CASTING THEIR NET.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMUNICATION? LOOKS LIKE THE DEPARTMENT
[01:10:01]
IS, IS THERE TO COME ON.I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT LOOKING OVER.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR TID.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, WE HAVE LOOKED INTERNALLY, UM, JUST SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE WITH THIS DIVISION IN PARTICULAR, THIS CLASSIFICATION, IT HAD, UM, EIGHT VACANCIES FOR A STAFF OF 13.
UM, AND SO THIS, WE HAVE FILLED SIX OF THE EIGHT VACANCIES FROM THE CURRENT COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST LIST.
SO, UM, APPRECIATION TO CIVIL SERVICE FOR THAT LIST.
IT HAS REALLY SERVED OUR DEPARTMENT IN FILLING THESE VACANCIES, BUT THIS IS A BRAND NEW DIVISION WITH A LOT OF TRAINING.
SO WE HAVE LOOKED INTERNALLY, UM, AS WELL WITH OUR OWN STAFF.
UM, AND WE WENT TO THE LIST A MINIMUM OF TWICE FOR THIS SPECIFIC POSITION BEFORE WE CAME TO COMMISSION BECAUSE IT IS A BRAND NEW LIST.
UM, AND BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO PULL FROM THIS LIST BEFORE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL THANK YOU, UH, CANDIDATES FOR OUR POSITIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS.
I HEAR IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT BECAUSE LIKE, AGAIN, WE'VE HAD, UM, DEPARTMENT, TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT COME BACK AND SAY, WE WANNA FILL THIS REQUISITION.
IT WAS LIKE, IT'S A SELECTIVE SEARCH.
SO I APPRECIATE THE HERE THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL OUTREACH, AND IF YOU COULD PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, IT IN THE, IN THE MEMO THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO CIVIL SERVICE.
AND, AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN, UM, NEO GOV.
UM, WELL, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING IT.
SO YOU'VE ALREADY LOOKED INTERNALLY, UH, YEAH.
THERE IS NO, UH, UNICORN INSIDE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CAST THE NET OUTWARD.
AND I, I DO UNDERSTAND, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING BEFORE US TODAY.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO, PLEASE.
JUST A REITERATION OF THE POINT YOU MADE.
ALWAYS CULTIVATE YOUR OWN GARDEN.
ITEM NUMBER 11, THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE UPDATE ON THE LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT, EMPLOYEE TALENT
[11. 24-55353 Recommendation to receive and file update on Long Beach Recovery Act (LBRA) Employee Talent Retention Efforts. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
RETENTION EFFORTS.AND SO THIS IS JUST A RECEIVE AND FILE.
WHAT, UM, THEY WANTED LBRA WANTED TO DO WAS ADD 13 NAMES TO, UH, THE LIST THAT THEY PREVIOUSLY BROUGHT TO YOU SO THAT THEY COULD BE FULLY TRANSPARENT OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE INVOLVED.
AND SO THERE WERE 13 THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED.
UM, AND SO THIS IS JUST TO DOCUMENT SO THAT WE HAVE THAT HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WENT THROUGH.
AND, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE UPDATES, SAL IS REPRESENTING THE COMMISSION OR CIVIL SERVICE, UM, WITH THE LBRA COMMITTEE.
THIS, THIS IS PURELY JUST TO ADD THE 13 NAMES.
I, I DID HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE I, AS I RECALL, I WAS AT THAT MEETING AND I ASKED AT THAT TIME IF THE NUMBER THAT WAS GIVEN TO COMMISSION WERE ALL OF THE AFFECTED EMPLOYEES.
WHERE DID YOU FIND 13 MORE? THAT WAS MY QUESTION, MADAM.
OH, SAL, THEY'RE GONNA PUT YOU ON THE HOT SEAT.
IT WAS DURING THEIR COMMUNICATION, UH, WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE LEFT OUT OF THE ORIGINAL REQUEST FOR INFORMATION WHEN THE MEMO WAS INITIALLY SUBMITTED TO COMMISSION.
YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THIS, WHAT HAPPENS? UM, NOW I'M GONNA WONDER IF THE 13 WERE ALL SO, SO, UH, AND I'M SORRY COMMISSIONERS, IF I'M JUMPING ON YOUR TOES HERE, BY NOT ALLOWING YOU TO SPEAK, I, I JUST NOW HAVE A CONCERN.
NOW I'M NOT COMFORTABLE BECAUSE WHEN YOU CAME BEFORE US AND YOU SAID THERE WAS THIS NUMBER I SPECIFICALLY ASKED BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED BY ALL THAT I HAD SEEN AT THE COUNCIL MEETING THAT THAT NUMBER WAS TOO LOW.
WHEN I HEARD THE NUMBER, I'D SAID NO, IN MY HEAD, MY HEAD ON MY SHOULDERS, THAT NUMBER'S TOO LOW.
AND I WAS ASSURED, NO, THAT IS THE NUMBER.
NOW TODAY, WE COME BACK AND ADD 13.
SO NOW MY QUESTION IS, WHO HAS AUDITED THIS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED ALL OF THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE AFFECTED WHO'S DOING THE WORK? BECAUSE THAT'S WHO SHOULD BE STANDING AT THAT PODIUM.
WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT THE NUMBER YOU GAVE ME BEFORE WAS THE NUMBER, AND NOW YOU'RE ADDING 13, HOW DO I KNOW THERE AREN'T FIVE MORE LURKING OUT THERE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN HELPED? AND THAT'S A CONCERN FOR ME.
NOW, NOW THAT LITTLE TRUST THAT BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION, SAL, IT'S
[01:15:01]
NOT SAL, HE'S ONLY GIVING US THE INFORMATION HE'S RECEIVING.WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GENERATING THESE NUMBERS AND HUMAN RESOURCES IS TAKING THE LEAD ON THOSE EFFORTS.
AND I APPRECIATE HR BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT.
THIS IS SAVING LIVES AND HELPING FAMILIES.
BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO TELL ME THAT YOU GAVE ME A GOOD NUMBER AND NOW YOU'RE COMING BACK WITH 13 MORE.
HOW DO WE KNOW AS A COMMISSION THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE AFFECTED PARTIES? AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING CHRISTINA NOW TO GO BACK AND, AND DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE.
LET'S NOT RELY ON ANOTHER DEPARTMENT AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE COMMISSION IS RECEIVING THE FULL NUMBER.
NOW, MY SECOND QUESTION IS, HOW MANY OF THE ORIGINAL NUMBER THAT CAME BEFORE US HAVE BEEN GIVEN POSITIONS? SO, SO FROM THE 33 ORIGINAL AND THE 13 ADDED OUTTA THOSE 46 AS OF LA LAST WEEK, UH, 29 INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN PLACED IN POSITIONS.
UM, AND THAT THOSE 29, IT INCLUDES TWO, UH, LIMITED TERM THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVED.
UH, ONE INDIVIDUAL RETIRED, UM, AND THERE'S TWO PEOPLE ON LEAVE AND FOURTH THAT WERE RELEASED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT, UM, RESPONSIVE TO MULTIPLE INTERVIEW INVITATIONS.
AND THERE WAS THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD NOT WORKED FOR OVER 30 DAYS, BUT THEY'RE CURRENTLY OUT OF THOSE TOTAL 46 NOW THERE ARE ARE 10 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE STILL PENDING PLACEMENT.
UM, AND THREE OF THOSE, UH, 10 HAVE EXTENSION DEADLINES PASSED THIS, UH, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25TH.
AND THAT'S, THIS IS THE LAST OUTFIT THAT WE GOT FROM MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW THAT I'M GONNA HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT CIVIL SERVICE, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT UNDER OUR PURVIEW, THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE DO BEST.
AND THAT IS TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF OUR ENTIRE POPULATION OF DISPLACED WORKERS.
AND THAT'S WHY SAL HAS THE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL OF THIS, BECAUSE HE'S AT EVERY MEETING AND WORKING WITH EMPLOYEES AND SETTING UP TIMES TO SPEAK WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT HE WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM.
UM, SO YES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP AND, AND FOLLOW UP WITH THE ACTUAL, SEE WHERE THE EMPLOYEES ARE IN THE SYSTEM.
I, I WANNA KNOW THAT WE MADE THIS AVAILABLE AND THAT WE TOOK ADVAN THAT ALL EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE ARE GIVEN THAT I DON'T WANNA HEAR, UM, ANOTHER MONTH FROM NOW.
OH, WE, WE'VE, WE, THEY DIDN'T REACH OUT TO FIVE PEOPLE.
UM, THIS HAS TO BE FOR EVERYONE THAT WAS AFFECTED.
THAT'S WHAT THIS COMMISSION AGREED TO.
WE WILL PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE.
ALRIGHT, I'LL GO ONE QUESTION, ONE COMMENT.
UM, SO I HEARD, I HEARD, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S RELEVANT, UM, BUT I HEARD SOME, SOMEONE, OR A COUPLE OF PEOPLE MAYBE, I'M NOT SURE, HAVEN'T WORKED FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS, THEREFORE DON'T QUALIFY.
NO, I THINK IT'S THEREFORE RELEASED.
YEAH, THEY WERE RELEASED FOR NOT HAVING WORK 30 DAYS.
I'M NOT TOO SURE WHAT THE SPECIFICS ARE.
THAT'S JUST GENERAL UPDATE THAT I RECEIVED FROM MY COLLEAGUES AT HR.
SO I'LL NEED TO FOLLOW UP TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS.
'CAUSE I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY WEREN'T IN THE LAST BATCH AND, AND GOT DISQUALIFIED FOR REASONS OTHER THAN THEIR OWN DOING.
UM, AND THE, THE, THE SECOND ONE IS A COMMENT, UM, AS, UH, PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON MENTIONED THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THE MEETING AT THAT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I REMEMBER SOMETHING IN THE SEVENTIES, THE NUMBER BEING SOMETHING IN THE SEVENTIES OF PEOPLE THAT WERE BEING AFFECTED.
AND SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW ACCURATE THAT IS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WAS WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT CITY COUNCIL, UM, THAT DAY.
SO, UH, MAYBE IF YOU COULD DIG INTO THAT NUMBER AS WELL.
SO COMMISSIONERS, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 12, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE PRESENTATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
[12. 24-55354 Recommendation to receive and file presentation of the Civil Service Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO, UM, PRESENT TO YOU THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 ADOPTED BUDGET.
AND ROBERT IS GOING TO START OFF THE, UH, YOU'RE GONNA GET A, IT'S A TAG TEAM.
YOU'RE GONNA GET ROBERT AND MARIA, BUT ROBERT'S GONNA START OFF PRESENTING THE BUDGET TO YOU.
[01:20:01]
GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE.I JUST QUICKLY WANNA REMIND THIS IS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
UH, THE FISCAL YEAR BEGAN OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.
SO IT'S ALREADY STARTED AND IT WAS APPROVED EARLY IN SEPTEMBER.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS ROBERT AND MYSELF, WE'VE, UH, PUT A PRESENTATION TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN, UM, SHOW YOU WAS OUR, WHAT IS OUR ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR 2025.
WE ARE GONNA SHOW YOU HOW IS, UH, COMPROMISED IN THE DIFFERENT, UH, CATEGORIES.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA SHOW YOU, UM, THE POSITIONS WE REQUESTED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU WHAT WAS APPROVED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025.
AND BE MINDFUL, THIS IS AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, UH, PRESENTATION.
UH, YOU ARE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LINE BY LINE WHEN WE PRESENT ON CLOSING FISCAL YEAR 2024, WHICH WILL BE IN EARLY DECEMBER.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WANNA TURN IT OVER TO ROBERT AND I ALSO WANNA THANK HIM 'CAUSE HE'S BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD, UM, PUTTING THE PRESENTATION AND EVEN RESEARCHING FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AT THE END.
MADAM PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONERS, GOOD MORNING.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AS WE ARE EXCITED TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET.
I THINK, UH, THIS YEAR WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE HIRING, MORE RECRUITING, MORE ELIGIBLE LIST, WHICH ULTIMATELY LEADS TO JUST MORE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY COMMISSIONERS AS YOU PROBABLY WEAR THE BADGE IN THE HONOR OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSION.
EVERY DECISION, EVERY LINE ITEM, AND EVERY POSITION WAS MADE WITH CONSIDERATION AND UNDER THE PREMISE THAT THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRISTINA, AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER MARIA ALAMO, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU.
AND LASTLY, WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT THE HELP WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE BUDGET OFFICE.
AS WE MOVE INTO THE PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU KEEP QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
BUDGET OVERVIEW FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
THE TOTAL ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FY 2025 WAS $4,352,225.
AS MOVED TO THE RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO FUNDS FOR A BREAKDOWN.
98% OF THE BUDGET IS FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS $4,256,660, WHICH IS EARMARKED AND BUDGETED FOR THE GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE SMALL SLIVER, UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH IS 2% OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS $95,565.
THIS LITTLE PORTION IS SET ASIDE FOR THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND AND THE EBF FUND IS SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DISABILITY HEARINGS.
HERE WE HAVE THE FY 2025 TOTAL BUDGET FOR PERSONNEL MATERIALS, SERVICES, SUPPLIES, AND INTERNAL SUPPORT.
SO REFERENCE A GRAPH FOR A VISUAL OF HOW THE BUDGET SPREAD ACROSS OUR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
IN THE BLUE, YOU'LL SEE 50% OF THE BUDGET, $2,194,943 IS BUDGET TO EMPLOYEE SALARY COSTS IN THE GRAY TO THE LEFT.
30 33% OF OUR BUDGET IS $1,421,766, WHICH IS DEDICATED TO EMPLOYEE FRENCH BENEFITS.
WE MOVE UP TO THE GREEN, WHICH IS 9% OF OUR BUDGET, UM, WHICH IS $387,873, WHICH IS EARMARKED FOR OPERATIONAL COSTS IN THE YELLOW.
8% OF OUR BUDGET AT $347,641 IS SET ASIDE TO COVER INTERNAL SUPPORT COSTS.
AND THESE INTERNAL SUPPORT COSTS INCLUDE OUR STAFF PARKING AT THE CIVIC CENTER TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, UM, CONSIDERATIONS.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT THREE SLIDES, UM, WE'LL PRESENT A DEEPER LOOK INTO EACH OF THE CATEGORIES.
HERE WE HAVE THE FY 2025 PERSONNEL COST BREAKDOWN.
SO HERE WE'LL REFERENCE A GRAPH FOR A SPLIT BETWEEN THE PERSONNEL COSTS.
SO 2,000,190 400,000 900 4300 IS DEDICATED TO THE PERSONNEL SALARIES, WHICH IS INCLUDED FOR STAFFING COMMISSIONERS.
THE OTHER PORTION, $1,421,766 IS DEDICATED TO EMPLOYEE BENCH FRINGE BENEFITS.
SO THIS WILL INCLUDE OUR PERS AND PAYROLL WITHHOLDINGS.
[01:25:02]
SO, FY 2025 MATERIALS, SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.SO THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A VISUAL OF HOW OUR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES AND HOW THEY ARE ALLOCATED UNDER MATERIAL SERVICES AND SUPPLIES, WHICH AMOUNTS TO $387,873.
SO INSTEAD OF LISTING ALL 22 LINE ITEMS, UH, WE THOUGHT WE'D HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE CATEGORIES AND WE CAN CERTAINLY COME BACK TO THIS IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THE END.
NUMBER ONE, OUR BIGGEST EXPENSE FOR OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES FOR FFY 2025 IS BUDGETED AT $198,122 FOR OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THESE INCLUDE ANNUAL RENEWALS AND LICENSE.
WE HAVE FOR EXAMINATION EXPENSES SUCH AS TESTING HRMS, UM, OUR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR CITYWIDE TESTING AND RECRUITING, WHICH INCLUDES NEO GOV AND OUR MODERN HIRE PLATFORMS. ONE NOTE UNDER THAT FOR OUR OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES IS A BREAKDOWN FROM THAT SPLIT.
79% OF THAT, UM, FOR A DOLLAR AMOUNT OF 157,000 $134 IS USED FOR EXAMINATION EXPENSES.
THE REMAINING 21%, THE $40,988 IS BUDGETED FOR DISABILITY RETIREMENT HEARINGS, WHICH AGAIN, IS INCLUDED IN IN THAT SMALLER SUM OF OUR FUND AND THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND.
THE SECOND ITEM, YOU'LL SEE, UM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR $32,000.
WE SET ASIDE FOR, UM, OUR FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR, OUR LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, SPRING, AND JOB FAIR, UH, FALL AND SPRING JOB FAIRS.
ALSO THE LONG BEACH PRIDE PARADE, AND LASTLY, THE GRAND PRIX, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS.
THE THIRD LINE ITEM IN TRAINING FOR FLIGHT 2025 IS BUDGET AT $31,450.
THE TRAINING BUDGET SET ASIDE FOR STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE LIKE TO USE THIS FOR CONFERENCES SUCH AS THE PUBLIC SECTOR HR ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE, ALSO KNOWN AS P-S-H-R-A.
AND THESE FUNDS ARE BUDGETED FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF TO KEEP STAFF CURRENT AND UP TO DATE WITH HR BEST PRACTICES AND INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
NUMBER FOUR, ADVERTISING FOR FY 25 ADVERTISING'S BUDGET AT $30,840.
SO OUR ADVERTISING BUDGET IS SET ASIDE TO ADVERTISE FOR CRITICAL UPCOMING POSITIONS, UM, MAINLY AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND TID.
NEXT, WE'LL SKIP DOWN TO S MILLS FOR FY 2025.
UH, S MILLS IS BUDGET AT $15,107.
THESE FUNDS ARE USED IN EARMARK FOR IN-PERSON EXAMINATIONS, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND HEARINGS.
THE LAST THING WE'LL TOUCH ON IS MEMBERSHIPS FOR FY 2025 MEMBERSHIPS.
THE MEMBERSHIP BUDGET IS BUDGET $6,650.
THIS IS A BUDGET FOR MEMBERSHIPS, UM, AND INCLUDING ASSOCIATIONS WITH P-S-H-R-A, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC SECTOR HR ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS SHRM, THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
AGAIN, MEMBERSHIPS FOR THE FOLLOWING.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS KEEP STAFF CURRENT WITH HR BEST PRACTICES AND INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
SLIDE SIX IS A BREAKDOWN OF OUR INTERDEPARTMENT SUPPORT CHARGES, WHICH IS DERIVED FROM OUR DEPARTMENT AGREEMENTS TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT.
INTERNAL SUPPORT IS 8% OF OUR TOTAL CIVIL SERVICE BUDGET AT $347,641.
THESE EXPENSES INCLUDE OUR CIVIC CENTER, PARKING FOR STAFF TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT, WEB, EMAIL NETWORK, AND DESKTOP PHONES.
OTHER INTER FUND SERVICES INCLUDE OUR FINANCIAL SERVICES CONTROLS AND OUR GENERAL LIABILITY ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, HERE IS THE FY 2025 POSITIONS WE REQUESTED, UM, EARLIER IN THE YEAR,
FIRST, WE'D LIKE TO START IN THE MIDDLE, UM, IN EMPLOYMENT SERVICES.
SO FOR FFY 2025 TO MEET THE NEEDS AND CLASSIFICATIONS, UM, FOR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE CITY.
CIVIL SERVICE REQUESTED POSITION ENHANCEMENTS AFTER ASSESSING ALL THE NEEDS, 10 NEW POSITIONS ALONG WITH THREE UPGRADES ACROSS DIVISIONS WERE DEEMED NECESSARY TO MEET THE INCREASE IN CITYWIDE STAFFING.
SO IN EMPLOYMENT SERVICES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ORG CHART, WE REQUESTED TO HAVE THREE UPGRADES TO PERSONAL ANALYSTS TO SERVE AS LEAD PERSONAL ANALYSTS.
SECONDLY, WE REQUESTED THREE NEW PERSONAL ANALYSTS, WHICH WERE REQUESTED TO MANAGE COMPLEX EXAMS. IN THE SAME LINE, WE ASKED FOR ONE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST, WHICH WAS REQUESTED TO TRACK TIME TO HIRE DATA.
AND LASTLY, IN EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, WE REQUESTED ONE NEW CLERK TYPIST, WHICH WAS REQUESTED TO PROVIDE DIRECT CLERICAL SUPPORT TO THE EMPLOYEE SERVICE DIVISION MANAGER.
NEXT, WE MOVE TO THE RIGHT, TO THE RECRUITMENT OUTREACH SERVICES
[01:30:01]
DIVISION.HERE WE REQUESTED ONE NEW RECRUITMENT OFFICER, WHICH WAS REQUESTED TO FOCUS ON THE RECRUITMENT OF CANDIDATES WITHIN THE CITY, AND PARTICULARLY IN EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
SECONDLY, WE REQUESTED ONE NEW PERSONAL ANALYST, WHICH WAS REQUESTED TO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL RECRUITMENTS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.
AND LASTLY, WE'LL MOVE OVER TO THE LEFT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION.
HERE WE REQUESTED A TOTAL OF THREE NEW FTES, INCLUDING TWO NEW PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH WAS REQUESTED TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS.
AND SECONDLY, WE REQUESTED ONE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT NEW PROCEDURES FOR CITYWIDE ELIGIBLE LIST AND REPORTING DATA.
AS WE MOVE ON FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THIS SLIDE HERE FOR THE FFY 2025 POSITIONS, POSITIONS WHERE THE POSITIONS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE BUDGET OFFICE AND CITY MANAGER.
HERE IN THE ORG CHART, IT DISPLAYS THE APPROVED POSITIONS REQUESTED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE FOR FFY 2025.
CIVIL SERVICE WAS APPROVED FOR THE FOLLOWING THREE ENHANCEMENTS IN THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES DIVISION.
THREE PERSONAL ANALYSTS WERE UPGRADED TO PERSONAL ANALYSTS, THREE TO FOUR, YOU'LL SEE IN THE GREEN.
SECONDLY, INDICATED IN THE BLUE UNDER RECRUITMENT AND THE OUTREACH DIVISION DIVISION, THE RECRUITMENT OFFICER IS BEING OFFSET BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR VACANCY AS OUR DIRECTOR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR DUTIES ARE BEING PERFORMED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
HERE IN THE FFY 2024 AND 2025 COMPARISON FOR PERSONNEL BENEFITS, MATERIALS INTERNAL SUPPORT, YOU'LL SEE A BREAKDOWN OF THE BUDGET FOR FY 2024 VERSUS THE BUDGET FOR FFY 2025.
IN THE FIRST TWO COLUMNS, YOU'LL SEE THE PERSONAL SALARY AND WAGES AND THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.
WE WILL TIE THOSE TWO TOGETHER AND THOSE ARE BOTH TIED TO THE EMPLOYEE SALARY AND WAGES FOR PERSONNEL SALARIES.
THE FIRST COLUMN, THE BUDGET FOR FY 2024 WAS $1,000,939 $746.
AND FOR FFY 2025, WE ARE BUDGET AT 2 MILLION 100 9400 AND $943.
ON THE SECOND COLUMN, THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, WE ARE BUDGETED IN FY 2024 FOR $1,240,088.
AND FOR FY 2025, WE ARE BUDGETED AT $1,421,766.
AS YOU'LL SEE THE INCREASE FOR FY 2025, AND THESE TWO COLUMNS ARE IN THESE SUBSETS, YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, THESE SALARY RELATED BUDGETS ARE GENERATED FROM FY 2025 ENHANCEMENTS AS THE THREE UPGRADES OR CAME FROM OR AS PROJECTED FROM EMPLOYEE STEP INCREASES.
AND THE THIRD COLUMN WILL MOVE TO MAINTENANCE MATERIALS OF OPERATIONS WHERE THERE IS NO CHANGE FROM FFY 2024 TO FY 2025, YOU'LL SEE THAT LAST YEAR WE WERE BUDGETED AT $387,873.
AND AGAIN, FOR THIS YEAR, WE WERE BUDGETED AT $387,873.
IN THE FOURTH SUBSET OF COLUMNS, THE INTERFUND AND SERVICE EXPENSES, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A SLIGHT BUDGET INCREASE FOR OUR INTERNAL SUPPORT COSTS.
FOR INTERFUND SERVICES EXPENSES, WE ARE BUDGETING FFY 20 24, 320 $7,762.
AND FOR FY 20 20 25, WE ARE BUDGET AT $347,641.
THIS INCLUDES COST FOR EMPLOYEE PARKING TECHNOLOGY, FINANCIAL CONTROLS, WHICH HAVE GONE UP.
BUT, UM, ULTIMATELY BASED ON BUDGET, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, AND FOR AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEW CITYWIDE EMPLOYEES IN 2025, I'LL TURN THE PRESENTATION BACK OVER TO MARIE ALMO.
I WANNA PICK IT UP FROM THIS SLIDE 'CAUSE I WANNA POINT YOUR ATTENTION TO, UM, THIS GRAPH HERE.
SO IF YOU NOTICE, YOU SEE THE DIFFERENT, UM, BAR GRAPHS THAT ARE DIVIDED INTO PERSONNEL, SALARY, WAGES, AND THEN YOU SEE BENEFITS, AND THEN YOU SEE THE MAINTENANCE MATERIAL AND OPERATIONS BUDGET.
AND THEN YOU SEE THE INTER FUND SERVICES.
BUT WAY AT THE FAR RIGHT, YOU SEE BOTH FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND COMPARING TO FISCAL YEAR 2025.
SO YOU SEE THE TOTAL AMOUNT AND YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN MORE MONEY, A BIGGER BUDGET WHEN YOU SEE IT THIS WAY.
BUT WHEN YOU COMPARE ACROSS THE DIFFERENT BARS, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE PERSONNEL SALARY, WAGES, AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, THAT INCREASED IN FISCAL YEAR 2025.
SO THAT WOULD BE IN CONSISTENT WITH SALARIES GO UP, UH,
[01:35:01]
STAFF, THEY ARE ON A HIGHER STAFF.AND SO THEREFORE THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THE DIFFERENT INCREASES.
IT ALSO, YOU WILL SEE THE UPGRADES THAT WE GOT FOR PERSONNEL ANALYST THREE THAT THEY GOT UPGRADED TO FOURS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD SEE THE SLIDE INCREASE.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GO TOWARDS, UM, FURTHER TO THE RIGHT, WHEN YOU SEE THE INTRA FUND SERVICES, YOU COULD ALSO SEE THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE AND EXPENSIVE.
AND THAT IS IN LINE SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY, UH, SOME OF THE, THE, UH, EXPENSES THAT WE BE IN CHARGE IT ACTUALLY INCREASE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE GIVEN TO OPERATE OR MATERIALS OR, UH, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT REMAINED THE SAME.
AND THAT COULD ALSO BE, UH, AN ISSUE IF WE DON'T MONITOR AND KEEP ON TOP OF IT.
AS YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PLATFORMS GO UP IN PRICES AS THE YEARS, SO THAT BUDGET REMAINED THE SAME.
WE DIDN'T GET A BIGGER BUDGET IN THAT AREA.
SO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE DO HAVE TO CONSTANTLY MONITOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY WITHIN OUR, UM, BUDGETED AMOUNT FOR, UM, MA MAINTENANCE MATERIALS AND OPERATIONS.
SO THE LAST, UH, CIVIL SERVICE, UH, MEETING YOU REQUESTED, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, COMMISSIONER ASUNA WHO REQUESTED, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WASN'T HIM.
UM, YOU REQUESTED, UM, INFORMATION OF WHAT POSITION CITYWIDE DEPARTMENTS REQUESTED.
UM, SO WHAT I DID IS I ACTUALLY WENT TO FIND A SOURCE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO ANYONE CAN GO TO THAT LINK AND, AND FIND THOSE NUMBERS THAT I PUT TOGETHER FOR YOU.
UM, WHAT I'M GONNA PRESENT TO YOU TODAY IS ADOPT IT'S PROPOSED, UH, POSITION NUMBERS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOT THE ADOPTED POSITION NUMBERS AVAILABLE YET.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON THE, THOSE CHAPTER BOOKS.
UM, SO I BELIEVE THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR, FOR NOW, ALL I HAVE IS THE PROPOSED NUMBERS.
SO THE SOURCE THAT I FOUND, IT IS A PUBLIC WEBSITE AND IT IS, UH, THE CHAPTER BOOKS, UH, FOR EACH DEPARTMENT.
SO WHAT I DID IS I ACTUALLY WENT TO ALL OF 'EM, AND I PUT A GRAPH TOGETHER FOR YOU TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE POSITION NUMBERS THAT WERE ADOPTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2024.
AND THEN I PUT THE NUMBERS OF THE POSITIONS THAT WERE PROPOSED, UH, FOR EACH DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN TO THE FAR, UH, RIGHT IN BLUE, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE, UM, FOR EACH DEPARTMENT.
SO SOME OF THEM THAT HAVE THE NEGATIVES, UH, IT WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT THEY ACTUALLY WENT DOWN IN POSITIONS.
LIKE FOR INSTANCE, THE VERY FIRST NEGATIVE THAT I SEE IS THE CITY ATTORNEY.
IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, THEY HAD 55 POSITIONS.
AND UNDER THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR, 2025, IT, THE PROPOSED WAS 53.
UM, SO YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
THERE'S 1, 2, 3, 4, 4 DEPARTMENTS THAT ACTUALLY HAD DECREASES.
AND THEN THE, THE OTHER CITYWIDE DEPARTMENTS, UM, THEY, THEY HAD INCREASES IN NUMBERS.
I ALSO WANNA MAKE A NOTE THAT THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT MAY BE, UH, NON-CAREER UNCLASSIFIED, UNCLASSIFIED.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, THE CHAPTER BOOKS DIDN'T HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MANY ARE NON-CAREER, HOW MANY ARE UNCLASSIFIED, OR HOW MANY WERE CLASSIFIED.
SO UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE YOU THAT, THAT BREAKDOWN.
UM, THESE, THESE TO TOTAL, UM, NUMBERS ARE BASED ON NON-CAREER UNCLASSIFIED IN CLASSIFIED POSITIONS.
I DID TRY TO HIGHLIGHT CIVIL SERVICE.
IT DIDN'T, UH, CAME OUT AS GOOD AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT IN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 21.
UM, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE, DOES NOT INCLUDE OUR COMMISSION.
UH, AND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE, WE STILL HAVE THE SAME 21 POSITIONS.
WE ONLY RECEIVE, UH, THREE UPGRADES.
UM, AND SO NOW IT COMES TO THE FUN PART WHERE YOU CAN, UH, WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND, AND ANSWERS, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK TO ANY SLIDE, UH, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THE QUESTION, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A QUESTION, BUT I'M JUST GOING
[01:40:01]
TO POINT THIS OUT.UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO INCREASE HIS OFFICE BY 15%, UM, WHILE DENYING ANY INCREASES IN POSITIONS TO CIVIL SERVICE, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE NOTED BY EVERYONE, UH, AS PAR FOR THE COURSE, ALONG WITH THE INCREASES TO HR WITHOUT INCREASES TO CIVIL JUSTICE.
LET'S NOT FORGET THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, AND I, AND I'D LIKE FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES, UM, FOR THE PROCESS TO BE EXPLAINED.
AND, UM, SO AS A COMMISSIONER, I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND, UH, AT SOME POINT I WILL HAVE SOME FEEDBACK AS A RESIDENT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, DORIAN BONNER FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SAID, AND I'LL QUOTE AGAIN FOR FULL, FULL TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED NEARLY EVERY NEW STAFF POSITION THAT DEPARTMENT HAS ASKED FOR, YET THE BACKLOG HAS NOT IMPROVED, AND WE STILL HAVE A SEVERE VACANCY RATE WITH RESPECT TO CITY JOBS.
SO BEING THAT WE REQUESTED 10 NEW BODIES AND WE GOT ZERO, CAN YOU LET US KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS? SO PEOPLE ARE INFORMED? I THINK, UM, UH, MR. BONNER, UH, TRIED TO, UM, PROVIDE THAT COMMENT AS IF HE DIDN'T WORK FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, BUT I KNOW THAT HE DOES, AND SO HE SHOULD KNOW BETTER.
AND PUTTING THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE TO THE PUBLIC IS MISINFORMATION.
SO FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU TELL US HOW THAT WORKS? PLEASE? ARE, ARE YOU ASKING HOW THE POSITIONS ARE ARE APPROVED? OKAY.
SO WE'RE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY, ANY CITY DEPARTMENT'S GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT THE REQUEST.
UH, AND WE SUBMIT 'EM THROUGH A SYSTEM.
WE SUBMIT EVERY POSITION THAT WE REQUESTED.
UH, WE ARE ASKED TO OUTLINE WHAT THE DUTIES OF THAT POSITION, UH, WHAT'S THE IMPACT.
UH, WE WERE EVEN ASKED TO HOW IT WAS GONNA TOUCH, UM, THE MAYOR'S VISION AS TO THOSE POSITIONS, HOW WE WERE GONNA SUBMIT 'EM.
SO WE SUBMIT 'EM AND THEN, UM, WE, THEY GO THROUGH A REVIEW THROUGH THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, I'M SORRY, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND THEN THEY WILL, UH, LET US KNOW WHAT WAS APPROVED, UM, AND NOT APPROVED.
THEY MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS IN THE MIDDLE THERE IF MAYBE THAT OUR POSITION DUTIES ARE NOT CLEAR.
UM, THEY ALSO REQUESTED, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR YOU, WHERE WERE THOSE POSITIONS GONNA LIE? UH, SIMILAR TO THE SLIDE THAT WE PLACED HERE, UM, FOR YOU.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT THEY REQUESTED US TO SUBMIT SO THAT THEY CAN SEE A VISUAL WHERE THESE POSITIONS ARE GONNA LAND.
UH, AND THAT'S IN ALL IN AN EFFORTS TO, UM, FOR THEM TO MAKE THE DECISIONS WHETHER IT CAN BE, UM, APPROVED OR NOT.
SO I'M GONNA REPEAT WHAT I THINK I HEARD
SO EACH DEPARTMENT, CIVIL SERVICE AND ALL OTHERS, UH, REQUEST POSITIONS.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, CIVIL SERVERS REQUESTED 10 NEW POSITIONS, MEANING 10 NEW BODIES AND THREE UPGRADES.
SO EXISTING EMPLOYEES, JUST THE UPGRADED POSITION, THOSE REQUESTS BY THE DEPARTMENT GO TO FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE CITY MANAGER'S DEPARTMENT.
AND THEY'RE VETTED AND FIGURED OUT HOW ONE OF THE RE ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS HOW THEY FIT THE MAYOR'S AGENDA.
EXPEDITED HIRING 90 BUSINESS DAYS, WE WERE APPROVED FOR THREE BUMPS OF EXISTING BODIES IN THEIR POSITION.
SO THAT WILL GO TO CITY COUNCIL AND THAT WILL GET VOTED ON.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY, I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, TO EVERYBODY HERE.
WE REQUESTED 10 BODIES CIVIL SERVICE BECAUSE THAT ALIGNS WITH THE MAYOR'S AGENDA FOR EXPEDITED HIRING.
YET THE CITY MANAGER AND FINANCIAL SERVICES DETERMINE THAT THAT DIDN'T FIT.
AND IN ALL FAIRNESS, AS MS. ALAMO HAS STATED, UM, THEY MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
[01:45:01]
MANY QUESTIONS WILL SATISFY THE, UM, APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL BODIES WITHIN CIVIL SERVICE.BUT ANYHOW, AS OF NOW, ZERO HAVE BEEN APPROVED, ZERO WILL GO TO CITY COUNCIL AND IT LOOKS LIKE CIVIL SERVICE GOT WHAT IT REQUESTED, BUT IT DIDN'T.
AND EITHER THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER ARE VERY CONFIDENT THIS MEASURE WILL PASS, OR HE'S STILL TRYING TO TRIP UP CIVIL SERVICE TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE CIVIL SURFACES INEFFECTIVE, WHATEVER THIS IS.
SHAME ON EVERYBODY WHO DOES NOT SPEAK ACCURATE INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH.
SO FOR THE RECORD, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS OUT.
HOW OUR, HOW OUR BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED.
WE DON'T GET 10 PEOPLE THAT WE REQUESTED.
WE GET ZERO BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WAS APPROVED.
AND THAT'S, IF THAT CONTINUES AND WE, WE DON'T GET ANY NEW FROM HERE TO THE TIME IT'S PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL WILL APPROVE ZERO.
NOT BECAUSE WE REQUESTED ZERO BECAUSE THE FILTERING SYSTEM, THE VETTING SYSTEM GAVE US THAT EVEN THOUGH EXPEDITED HIRING IS ON THE MAYOR'S AGENDA.
WELL, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I'M CERTAIN THAT THE REASON WHY CIVIL SERVICE DID NOT, UM, RECEIVE THE 10 NEW POSITIONS IS THIS GOES ALONG WITH SLIDE 18 AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY FACTOR
UM, BUT AS YOU KNOW, EVERYONE KNOWS, AND IF YOU DON'T, I'M GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN.
THE GROWTH IN CIVIL SERVICE HAS BEEN RETARDED SINCE 2008.
SO NOT GIVING ANYONE ADDITIONAL BODIES TO DO THE VOLUMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HAS INCREASED FROM 2008 DOES NOT SURPRISE ME.
IT GOES BACK TO WHAT I HAVE SAID ALL ALONG.
THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT TO UNDERMINE THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
AND PLEASE DON'T LOOK SO FAVORABLY AT THESE UPGRADES.
THE REASON WHY THEY'RE HERE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE THREE PEOPLE YOU UPGRADED WERE DOING THE WORK.
AND SO YOU REALLY DIDN'T WANT WAS TO BE SUED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR GIVING THEM WORK THAT YOU WEREN'T PAYING THEM FOR.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY MORE OF AN ACCURATE VIEW.
THESE THREE PEOPLE WERE ALREADY DOING LEVEL FOUR WORK.
YOU DIDN'T GIVE THEM ANYTHING EXCEPT THE A PAYMENT THAT THEY HAD DUE.
YOU'RE ONLY PAYING THEM WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING THEM ALL ALONG.
SO THIS DOESN'T MEAN I, I APPRECIATE THE REPORT, I APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY AND YOUR TRANSPARENCY, BUT TELLING ME THAT THE CITY MANAGER UPGRADED THREE OF OUR POSITIONS MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
THESE PEOPLE WERE DOING THAT WORK ALL ALONG.
SO YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN 'EM A THING.
I KNOW THIS IS A HIGHER LEVEL OVERVIEW, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHY THE, UH, THESE POSITIONS WEREN'T APPROVED OR AT LEAST SOME OF THEM.
IS THERE SOME DISCUSSION THAT WE CAN LOOK AT OR EMAILS OR SOMETHING? 'CAUSE I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I WANNA SEE THE JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT APPROVING ANY OF THESE POSITIONS.
OR IS IT JUST THEY'RE ASSUMING THAT THE BALLOT MEASURES GONNA GO THROUGH SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE BOTHERED WITH IT.
WELL, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A BALLOT MEASURE LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT OH YEAH.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GIVING CIVIL SERVICE THE QUI POSITIONS THAT THEY NEED.
AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
IT'S JUST THAT NO ONE KNOWS THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRET.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING, TRYING TO, I WANT TO KNOW WHY THEY DENIED IT.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE.
THEY DID NOT TELL US WHY THEY WERE DENYING IT.
THEY TOLD US IT WOULD BE REVISITED IN JANUARY.
SAL, WHAT'S YOUR JOB TITLE? RECRUITMENT OFFICER.
[01:50:02]
OKAY.IS THAT A, A VACANT POSITION HERE? SO WHAT, WHAT THAT IS, WE DON'T HAVE A RECRUITMENT OFFICER.
UM, BUT WHEN I CAME, UM, TO THIS POSITION IN 2019, I SAID I WAS GONNA RESURRECT THE RECRUITMENT OFFICER BECAUSE THAT IT WAS CRITICAL TO THE FUNCTION OF CIVIL SERVICE AND RECRUITING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, SO WHEN OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR LEFT, THAT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE UNDERFILLED THAT POSITION IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE COULD GET THAT POSITION GOING RIGHT AWAY AND THEN ASKED FOR THE, THE BUDGETED POSITION.
BUT WE'RE USING, WE'RE USING A VACANT POSITION TO UNDERFILL, UM, THE RECRUITMENT OFFICER.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE REQUESTED THE ADDITIONAL POSITION.
BUT WE WANTED TO FILL IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO WHEN THAT VACANCY BECAME AVAILABLE, WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY.
IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE, WE GET THE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS GOING ON.
OH YEAH, I AGREE ON THE COMMUNITY.
I HAVE NO WORDS TO SAY 'CAUSE I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING I CAN SAY IN PUBLIC.
UM, AND THE THIRD THING IS, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE SLIDES AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTUAL PAYMENTS, ET CETERA.
GOT ME THINKING ABOUT THE NEO GOV.
EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS HOLLERING ABOUT NEO GOV AND IS THAT, UH, A SYSTEM TO CIVIL SERVICE OR IS IT TO HR AND WE'RE BORROWING IT? NO, NO.
UM, AND DEPARTMENTS USE IT AS WELL.
THEN MY QUESTION IS, DO THEY PAY RENT? NO, I'M SORRY.
DO WE WHAT? DO THEY PAY RENT? NO.
DO THEY PAY A PORTION OF WHATEVER YOU CIVIL SERVICE PAYS NEIL GOV TO USE THEIR SERVICE? DO THEY PAY A PORTION OF THAT? NO.
WHY NOT CO COMMISSIONERS? I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT NEO GOV IS NOT JUST USED BY CIVIL SERVICE AND HR.
ALL THE DEPARTMENTS USE IT IN A, IN THEIR EFFORTS TO INTERVIEW AND SELECT THEIR CANDIDATES.
UH, WHEN WE CERTIFY THE ELIGIBLE LIST, THEY HAVE TO USE THAT SYSTEM TO GO, UH, SEND NOTIF, YOU KNOW, NOTICES TO THE CANDIDATES.
THEY, UM, INVITE 'EM FOR INTERVIEWS.
SO IT IS A SYSTEM THAT IS USED CITYWIDE, BUT WE PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE BILL IS WHAT MS. I, THEY, NO, NO PORTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO, WHY IS THAT? I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, UM, IN 2000, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2017 OR 16, UM, I WAS APPROACHED LIKE, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN ALLOW HR TO USE THE SYSTEM FOR THEIR UNCLASSIFIED? BECAUSE PRIOR YEARS BACK WE HAD SAID NO.
SO I THEN WENT AND CREATED A, BASICALLY A WHOLE SEPARATE ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TO USE.
SO, BUT THE PLAN WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO START CONTRIBUTING TO, THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
SO THE SYSTEM IS BEING USED LIKE IT'S TWO SEPARATE, UH, INTERFACES FOR THE CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED.
SO THAT ACTUALLY DOUBLED AT THAT TIME.
OUR USERS THAT WE OVERSEE WENT FROM LIKE 30 TO LIKE 200.
UM, BUT HR OR THE CITY DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE, CONTRIBUTE TO THE INSIGHT OR THE OHC AND CORRECT.
THE OHC PORTION IS WHAT WE USE FOR CLASSIFIED.
AND NOW HR IS STARTING TO USE THAT AS WELL FOR THE UNCLASSIFIED 'CAUSE THEY ARE NOW MIMICKING OUR PROCESSES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE OUTDATED, BUT THEY'RE MIMICKING THOSE PROCESSES AS WELL.
AND WE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO USE IT.
UM, BUT THEY ARE USING, THEY DID PURCHASE OTHER PRODUCTS IN NEO GOV, WHICH WE WERE NOT OVERSEEING.
UM, AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I THINK JOINTLY WE DID PAY FOR AND OFFERED, WE USED MONEY FOR THE A TRACK AND THAT'S A SHARED, UH, ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
THEN IT SHOULD BE A SHARED PAYMENT TOO.
MAYBE THEY COULD USE THAT MONEY TO HIRE SOMEBODY FOR THE INSIGHT.
YEAH, I MEAN, I'M JUST FAIR IS FAIR.
SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION, AND THIS IS ON THE TRAINING BUDGET, THE $31,450.
UM, I JUST, AND MY QUESTION IS, UH, TO, TO YOU, UH, UH, CHRISTINA, UM, THAT TRAINING IS FOR THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY FIND THAT TO BE LOW WHEN I CONSIDER YES,
[01:55:01]
UH, 20 EMPLOYEES.AND WITH THE CHANGING LAWS, EVERYTHING THAT CHANGES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING.
UM, SO I AM CONCERNED THAT WE, UH, ARE NOT PUTTING ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR TRAINING.
AND SO I WOULD, UH, JUST SUGGEST THAT YOU LOOK AT THAT, UH, BECAUSE TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND $31,000, UM, UHUH, IT'S NOT WORKING FOR ME.
I WOULD EXPECT US TO, UH, SPEND MORE TO, UM, TO SHOW OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE ARE CONCERNED, UH, AND THAT WE CARE ABOUT THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT, UH, ON THAT, THAT NUMBER.
I FIND IT TO BE WOEFULLY INADEQUATE.
UH, ALSO THE MEMBERSHIPS, UM, THAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR AT $6,650.
I ALSO FIND THAT TO BE INADEQUATE AS WELL.
THERE ARE MANY, UH, AGENCIES THAT SUPPORT HIRING BESIDES SHRM AND PYRA.
AND I'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE, UH, MEMBERSHIPS THAT PERHAPS SOME OF YOUR EMPLOYEES COULD USE TO FURTHER, FURTHER DEVELOP THEMSELVES.
UM, I, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
UH, YOUR'RE RUNNING THE DEPARTMENT.
WE DON'T RUN YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT, UM, REALLY ENHANCING THE STATURE OF OUR OVERWORKED EMPLOYEES.
I, I WANNA GIVE BACK, UH, TO THEM.
UH, AND THEN I'M, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT $200 FOR INCENTIVE AWARDS.
UM, IS THAT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT? IS THAT INTERNAL OR IS THAT EXTERNAL? THIS IS INTERNAL.
SO YOUR INCENTIVE AWARDS COULD BE, OR YOUR SERVICE AWARDS COULD BE ANYTHING LIKE THE SERVICE FUNDS THAT'S STAFF GETS A 10 YEAR, 15 YEAR, 30 YEAR 35.
IT COULD ALSO BE, UM, LIKE SAY FOR INSTANCE, AN EMPLOYEES RETIRE AND, AND WE WANNA GIVE THEM A, A PLAQUE TO SHOW THE YEARS OF SERVICE.
UM, BUT IF YOU NOTICE IT'S A SMALL BUDGET.
AND THEN YOU ALSO SEE THE SECURITY SERVICES, UH, RIGHT BELOW THAT ONE.
THAT ONE IS USUALLY FOR LIKE, UH, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH HIRING, UH, A NEW EMPLOYEE AND WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LIFE SCAN, THAT IS THE BUDGET THAT WE, WE HAVE IN, THAT'S WHERE THE, THOSE EXPENSES COME FROM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
UM, THE INCENTIVE AWARDS FOLLOW SUIT WITH THE OTHER TWO CATEGORIES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, WITH OUR MOST RECENT HIRE, WE ARE COMPLETELY STAFFED.
AND WE HAVE A STAFF THAT IS DEDICATED TO THIS WORK.
AND WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HIRE IN THIS PAST YEAR.
AND WITH EVERY EMPLOYEE THAT WE'VE HIRED, WE HAVE SAID, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, AND EVERYBODY HAS CON HAS SAID, YES, I CONTINUE.
I, I WANT TO CONTINUE TO COME ON BOARD.
AND SO I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM OF THIS TEAM BECAUSE THEY HAVE, THEY ARE NOSE TO THE GRIND CONTINUING TO WORK.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, CAPRICE WAS DOING ALL THE REPORTS.
'CAUSE STAFF IS AT TRAINING TODAY.
HER, HER EMPLOYMENT SERVICES DIVISION ANALYSTS ARE AT TRAINING TODAY.
UM, BUT IN LIGHT OF THIS BUDGET, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
YES, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK HARD.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT THIS TEAM DOES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO MARIA AND ROBERT FOR PRESENTING A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION AS ALWAYS.
YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS.
YES, EXCEPT LET ME GO BACK TO, OH MY GOODNESS, I WENT TO THE PLACE BY MYSELF WITHOUT BOTHERING STAFF.
YES, I THINK WE'LL MAKE IT BRIEF, BUT I DON'T, I'LL JUST GO DOWN THE ROAD.
[13. 24-55355 Recommendation to receive and file reports from the Civil Service Managers. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENTING FISCAL YEAR 2024, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO PRESENTING HOW WE CLOSE FISCAL[02:00:01]
YEAR 20, UH, 24.UM, I BELIEVE THAT ONE IS THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU ENJOY THE MOST BECAUSE WE REALLY GO THROUGH LINE BY LINE ITEM AND WE TELL YOU WHERE, WHAT VENDORS, WHAT, WHERE WE SPENT THE MONEY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY TEAM.
UH, ROBERT, THANK YOU FOR, UH, PUTTING THE PRESENTATION TOGETHER AND BEING WELL PREPARED FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, STAFF, UM, SUPER BUSY RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY, THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSING A FISCAL YEAR.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS, AS SOON AS YOU ASSIGN 'EM AN INVOICE, THEY'RE ON IT.
THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE QUICKLY PROCESSING IT SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHERE IS OUR BOTTOM LINE AND ARE WE GONNA NEED TO REQUEST FOR MORE MONEY.
UM, EVEN ON THEIR BUSY, BUSY TIME, UH, THEY CLEARLY UNDERSTAND, UM, UH, WHAT IT IS TO CLOSE THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO OUR TEAM CONTINUES TO ATTEND, UM, RECRUITMENT AND COMMUNITY EVENTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
UH, LAST WEEK WE PARTICIPATED IN A VETERAN STANDOUT EVENT.
WE ATTENDED AN EVENT AT THE SENIOR CENTER, UM, SENIOR CENTER HERE IN LONG BEACH.
WE, UM, ATTENDED THE FESTIVAL OF FLIGHTS OVER THE WEEKEND THAT WAS ATTENDED BY THOUSANDS OF, UM, OF INDIVIDUALS.
AND ALSO FACILITATED A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP AT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WORKFORCE CENTER TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS AND EDUCATE INDIVIDUALS ABOUT POSSIBLE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND DEMYSTIFY THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
SOME UPCOMING EVENTS INCLUDE THE 2024 ART FESTIVAL, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS DE LOS MUTOS PARADE AND FESTIVAL HERE IN LONG BEACH ON NOVEMBER 2ND.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE FACILITATING 9 1 1 DISPATCHER INFORMATION SESSIONS AND, AND FACILITATING ADDITIONAL CITY JOBS WORKSHOPS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND OF COURSE, UM, OUR COLLEAGUE LA LARA BAA IS SPEARHEADING THAT, UH, CITY OF, OF LONG BEACH JOBS, YOU KNOW, CAREER FAIR AT THE LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE CAMPUS, RIGHT THERE ON PCH.
AND, UM, UM, ORANGE, WHERE THERE'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE GONNA INVITE MEMBERS FROM THE PUBLIC JOB SEEKERS, STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, TO ATTEND.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, UH, PROMOTING CURRENT AND UPCOMING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
BUT DEFINITELY, UM, WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO CLASSIFIED OPPORTUNITIES, WE ARE TRANSPARENT.
WE MAINTAIN THAT OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS GONNA HEAR FROM US.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE GHOSTED, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
UH, THAT WOULD BE OUR NEW, UH, NEWLY NAMED CAMPUS.
UH, THE, I BELIEVE IT'S TRADE AND TECHNOLOGY, TTC.
UH, THEY HAD AN EVENT THIS WEEK AND IT WAS GREAT.
SO I WAS GLAD THAT YOU GUYS WERE THERE.
I JUST WANNA SAY GREAT JOB TO ADMIN SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
AND AS CHRISTINA MENTIONED, STAFF IS AT A TRAINING, IT WAS ACTUALLY A TWO DAY TRAINING STARTED ON MONDAY, TWO HALF DAYS THROUGH, UM, PAC, WHICH, UM, THE CITY, WE ARE, UH, MEMBERS OF THAT ORGANIZATION.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE CONSIDERED ON PAPER FULLY STAFFED, IT'S, IT'S STILL A STRUGGLE.
WE WE'RE NOT MEETING, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT BAKER TILLY REPORT BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ARMS AND LEGS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE, UM, MANY OF THE REQUESTS.
AND FOR MY DIVISION ITSELF, UM, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE SAID, HEY, WE'RE FULLY STAFFED BECAUSE, UM, MY MOST SENIOR ANALYSTS, WHICH THEY HAVE REALLY, UH, STEPPED UP IN, UH, PERFORMING AS LEAD, THEY'VE BEEN WITH ME MAYBE AT MOST THREE YEARS.
SO EVERYONE UNDER ME HAS BEEN, ARE, ARE NEW.
I HAVE SO MANY NEW, SO IT'S CONSTANTLY TRAINING AND, UM, AND A LOT OF THE GUIDANCE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING THE LEADS.
BUT, UM, HAVING SEASONED EMPLOYEES, STAFF VERSUS, UH, FULLY STAFFED WITH NEW IT, IT DOES LOOK DIFFERENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF JUNIOR STAFF ON THAT ARE STILL, UH, LEARNING HOW LONG BEACH, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE COMING IN WITH EXPERIENCE AND A SKILLSET IS HAVING TO LEARN THE LONG BEACH WAY.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE STAFF IS, WE'RE, WE ARE DEALING WITH, UH, SOME UNCERTAINTIES RIGHT NOW.
UM, I SUSPECT THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE, I WAS DEALING WITH DEPARTMENTS, UM, THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, CON UH, CONTROVERSIAL.
[02:05:01]
PROBABLY PUT TO THE SIDE.SO PROBABLY WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT THERE ARE SOME, UM, REQUESTS AND THINGS THAT ARE, WE'RE HAVING A RESOLVE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, WITH CLASS BECKS, AND I'M NOT SEEING THEM COME FORWARD.
AND I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE YOU GO ON CLOSED SESSION OR AFTER CLOSED SESSION.
BECAUSE, UM, I DO WANT TO SPEAK, UH, OFF THE DIOCESE.
AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TEAM IS WORKING VERY HARD.
YOU CAN SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RECRUITMENT OUTREACH DIVISION.
UM, PRIOR TO THAT, THE ANALYSTS WERE HAVING TO DO THEIR OWN RECRUITMENTS, UM, AND REACHING OUT AS WELL AS DOING THE TESTING AND SCREENING AND EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN AN, AN ENORMOUS HELP.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, CONFIRMING THAT WE DO HAVE MEETINGS IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE BUSINESS AS USUAL, UM, UNTIL I HEAR OTHERWISE.
AND SO DEPARTMENTS THAT, THAT MAY ASK, UM, TODAY, TOMORROW IS A DEADLINE FOR THE NOVEMBER 6TH MEETING.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE NOVEMBER 20TH MEETING.
AND THEN WHAT WE DID IN DECEMBER, WHICH WE TYPICALLY DO, IS WE, UM, WORKED AROUND THE HOLIDAYS.
AND SO WE HAVE TWO BACK TO BACK MEETINGS SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T WORKING DURING THE THANKS HAVE GIVING HOLIDAY TO GET READY FOR THE FIRST DECEMBER MEETING.
SO, UM, I'M SENDING THAT OUT TO THE ORGANIZATION.
I'LL, I'LL SEND IT OUT TO YOU ALL AGAIN.
BUT THE, LET ME JUST TAKE A LOOK REAL QUICK.
THE MEETINGS IN DECEMBER ARE THE 11TH AND THE 18TH.
SO THAT WE, THAT GIVES US TIME, UM, FROM THANKSGIVING, WE GO TO THE 11TH, AND THEN WE TURN AROUND AND WE HAVE ONE ON THE 18TH SO THAT WE AVOID THE, UM, THE FOLLOWING HOLIDAY WEEK.
SO JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE MOVING ON BUSINESS AS USUAL.
UH, CHRISTINA, I DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH CLARITY REGARDING THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO, UH, SEEK OUT INFORMATION FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE TIMELINE IS AND, UM, MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US.
WHERE OUR JURISDICTION LIES, HOW LONG THAT JURISDICTION WILL TAKE PLACE.
MM-HMM,
I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO MAKE THAT INFORMATION PUBLIC TO THEIR DEPARTMENT HEADS, SO THAT DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO MAY BE BYPASSING CIVIL SERVICE WITH THE HOPES THAT SOMETHING ELSE MAY OCCUR, UM, UH, SHOULD STILL COME TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION UNTIL THEY'RE TOLD OTHERWISE.
UH, BUT WE HAVE NOTHING IN WRITING.
UM, UH, WELL, WHICH GOES PAR FOR THE COURSE WITH ALL THE MAILERS I'VE RECEIVED.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE NOTHING IN WRITING, BUT I AM ASKING THAT YOU GO FORTH AND, UH, GET THIS INFORMATION AND PRESENT IT TO US.
AND I WOULD PREFER A WRITTEN DOCUMENT.
I DON'T LIKE THE VERBAL, I LIKE TO KNOW WHERE WE STAND AND WHAT THE CITY IS PLANNING TO DO.
AND THAT SHOULD COME FROM COUNCIL.
SO BRING ANYTHING FROM THE CITY MANAGER IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
I WANT TO, COME ON, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S.
IF, IF I CAN ADD TO THAT REQUEST.
WE MAKE A LOT OF DECISIONS ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS.
NO REAL DOLLARS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
ONCE THE VOTE IS CERTIFIED, I HAVE NO CLARITY THAT THIS BOARD HAS ANY LEGAL PROTECTION.
IF WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE ANY SORT OF PROCESS THAT INVOLVES PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD, I WANT IT IN WRITING FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT WE ARE FULLY AUTHORIZED TO ENGAGE IN THIS WORK AND WILL BE FULLY PROTECTED BY THE CITY WITH THE EXACT SAME, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT'S, I HAVE THE WORD OF ART THERE, BUT, UH, THE EXACT SAME, UH, COVERAGE FOR ANY DECISIONS WE MAKE WILL BE LIABILITIES OF THE CITY, WILL BE DEFENDED BY THE CITY AND WILL BE, UM, UNDERSTOOD AS CITY OFFICERS TAKING THESE WORK, THIS WORK.
I WILL, I'LL GET THAT CLARIFICATION.
[02:10:01]
THIS INITIAL, UM, INFORMATION I'M SHARING WITH YOU IS A DISCUSSION WITH THE, WITH THE HR DIRECTOR.AND SO I DO HAVE A MEETING, UM, WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND, UM, I THOUGHT GARY WAS GONNA BE HERE TODAY TO HAVE SOME CLARITY ON THAT TOO.
BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH GARY, UM, AS WELL.
AND I'M SURE A TOY WILL TAKE THAT BACK TOO TO GARY SO THAT WE CAN GET IT IN WRITING.
I'LL ACCEPT THE WORDS IN WRITING FROM THIS GENTLEMAN AND OR GARY, I TRUST THEM.
DON'T BRING ME ANYTHING FROM ANYONE ELSE, PLEASE.
AND I JUST HAVE A FOLLOW UP AS, UM, WE REQUEST INFORMATION AS WHAT HAPPENS IN ONE SCENARIO.
I WANT TO REMIND ALL OF US THAT UNLIKE PERHAPS OTHER PARTIES WHO ARE SEEING THIS AS A DONE DEAL, UM, THAT IS NOT WHAT I'M HEARING ON THE STREET.
AND BECAUSE IT LIES IN THE VOTERS, RIGHT.
THE VOTERS OF, OF, OF THIS WONDERFUL CITY.
SO IT BEHOOVES ALL OF US, AND I KNOW WE ALREADY KNOW THAT HERE TO CONTINUE BUSINESS AS USUAL, BECAUSE YOU'RE ONLY TRIPPING UP YOURSELF IF YOU'RE A DEPARTMENT.
AND IF YOU'RE IN LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY, QUIT SCREWING UP PEOPLE'S JOBS AND PLACEMENTS AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE, IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL UNTIL THE VOTERS SPEAK.
AND THAT'S ALL FOR US, FOR THE MANAGERS.
YOU CAN CAST YOUR VOTE PLEASE FOR ITEM 13.
UM, SO I SEE THAT WE'RE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION, UH, BUT I PREFER NOT TO HOLD EVERYONE UP.
UM, DO WE WANT, YOU CAN TAKE IT OUT OF ORDER.
CAN I, I WAS GOING TO ASK IF I COULD TAKE IT OUT OF ORDER AND GO TO, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.
THAT'S UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE, THE CHAIR.
SO, UM, THE COMMISSION HAS DECIDED TO TAKE
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Civil Service Commission on non-agenda items. ]
THAT OUT OF ORDER AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION, UH, PLEASE DO SO.
UH, CAN I ASK THE CITY CLERKS, OR DID WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING MOTION WISE OR ANYTHING TO MOVE THE ITEMS? NOPE.
IF THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU CAN TAKE IT AS IS.
I WILL, I'M OFFICIALLY ON BREAK.
AND IF YOU ARE, UH, I DO WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING AS A CITIZEN YES.
AND NOT AS A MEMBER OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
AS I REMIND THE CITY COUNCIL, BAZ CAPRIC MCDONALD, BORN AND RAISED LONG BEACH.
SO I INVITED MR. HERMAN LONG WITH ME.
HERMAN HAS BEEN REALLY KEY TO THE RESIDENTS AGAINST CORRUPTION COMMITTEE, UM, IN THE EFFORTS TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND THE SIDE EFFECTS SHOULD MEASURE JB PASS.
SO HE IS, UM, ONE OF THE KEY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, UM, OF THE COMMITTEE ALONG WITH, AND ALSO AN ARGUMENT WRITER.
AND AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND WE'RE ALSO ARGUMENT WRITERS ALONG WITH IAN PAT AND MR. JAMES.
AND THEN I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONERS FOR STEPPING UP AND OUTTA YOUR ROLES AND STEPPING DOWN FROM THE DIOCESE AND, AND HELPING OUT WITH THE EFFORTS AND GETTING THE WORD OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND AS, UM, I AM HEARING THERE ARE, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, OPPOSITION TO IT.
SO DESPITE THE MAILERS, IN FACT, SOME OF THE MAILERS THAT ARE COMING OUT NOW ON THE CITY'S DIME, YOU KNOW, I HAVE QUESTIONED THE CITY ATTORNEY AS IF YOU CAN PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW THOSE MAILERS THAT ARE PRESENTING OUT ONLY ONE SIDE OF, UH, THE BENEFITS AND THE GOALS OF THE MEASURE, JB NOT THE SIDE EFFECTS.
SO STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM THAT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT IS ACTUALLY COMING, UM, FROM THE CITY, NOT FROM ANY INTEREST GROUPS.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF HERMAN, IF YOU WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DO NOT KNOW ME, UM, I SPENT 33 YEARS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
[02:15:02]
I STARTED OUT AS AN ENTRY LEVEL ANALYST, WORKED MY WAY UP THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYSTS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.AND, UM, I FULLY RECOGNIZED THE GAMES THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S PLAY.
UH, AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR, I SUPERVISE THE CERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBLE LIST FOR, I DON'T KNOW, 12, 13 YEARS.
UM, AND I'M VERY KEENLY AWARE OF THE GAMES THEY PLAY AND I TRY TO EXPRESS THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE MAYOR OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, I COULD BE OUT PLAYING GOLF, BUT, UH, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME.
UM, IN ADDITION, I, I'VE GONE THROUGH SOME INTERVIEWS WHEN I WAS WORKING IN, I, BY THE WAY, I RETIRED IN 2008.
AND, UH, FIRST TIME I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO STEP INTO THESE CHAMBERS IS WHEN ALL THIS MADNESS STARTED HAPPENING.
'CAUSE WHEN THEY TOURED DOWN MY OLD CITY HALL, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE, OKAY, MY LIFE'S OVER AS FAR AS CITY EMPLOYEE, BUT, UM, MY HEART IS WITH YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE DEDICATION OF THE STAFF.
I APPRECIATE THE DEDICATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
IT HAS NOT BEEN SAID, BUT YOU ARE ALL UN UNSUNG HEROES IN MY MIND AND IN THE MIND OF MANY EMPLOYEES.
NUMBER ONE, THE MANAGER'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE STRUCTURE.
UM, THE BUDGET THAT I JUST SAW, I USED TO DO BUDGETS.
UH, WHEN I RETIRED IN 2008, I THINK THERE WERE 26 EMPLOYEES.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT PUSHED ME OUT THE DOOR I WANTED TO GO AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS WAS THAT I GOT FED UP, I HIT THE WALL WITH THE MAYOR SAYING, DO MORE WITH LESS.
AS A BUDGET ANALYST AT THE TIME, OR DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF THE BUDGET.
I JUST THOUGHT, I CANNOT KEEP CUTTING AND DO A, AN EFFECTIVE JOB.
AND I HAVE FELT THAT THERE'S BEEN A CONSPIRACY SINCE THEN, AND IT STARTED BEFORE THEN, AND I STILL HOLD THAT VALUE.
UM, LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET, WHEN I LOOK UP THERE AND I SEE 21 EMPLOYEES, MM-HMM.
UM, IF THERE'S A PROBLEM IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH, UH, STORE BREAK-INS SEVEN 11 BREAK-INS, WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY INCREASE THE STAFFING.
I LOOKED AT THE HUMAN RESOURCES BUDGET AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME REORGANIZATION THAT'S TAKEN PLACE THERE, BUT I LOOK AT THE SIZE THAT, OF THEIR STAFFING.
IF YOU REMOVE THOSE, UH, ENTITIES THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN HR STUFF.
SO WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, I, I HAVE TO PRAY THAT, UH, MEASURE JB WILL FAIL, THAT THE CITIZENS ARE WISE ENOUGH TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, IF YOU WERE HERE AT THE COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT, YOU HEARD ME SPEAK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN, WHEN A POLICE CHIEF WAS HIRED FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY AFTER A PROMISE WAS MADE BY THE CITY MANAGER, THAT IT WOULD BE AN INTERNAL RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS.
AND HOW THE PRES TELEGRAM REPORTED THAT THERE WAS SOME HANKY PANKY CONVERSATIONS GOING ON AT A CHRISTMAS PARTY.
AND THAT'S HOW THIS OUTSIDER GOT INTO THIS THING.
HE'S NOW THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES POLICE CHIEF.
RIGHT? WELL, RESPECTING THE WORLD, BUT AS THE, IT'S THE PROCESS.
IT'S, IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU DON'T LIE TO PEOPLE IN THIS BUSINESS AND HAVE AN EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT PROCESS TO BRING IN NEW PEOPLE.
YOU JUST DON'T, YOU HAVE TO BE ABOVE BOARD.
AND, UM, IN MANY RESPECTS, THE CITY MANAGERS AND THE MAYORS HAVE NOT DONE THAT.
AND I'M SORRY FOR THE CITIZENS OF LONG BEACH.
I'LL PROBABLY DIE IN LONG BEACH.
I WENT TO SCHOOL IN LONG BEACH.
I WENT TO COLLEGE IN LONG BEACH.
PRIOR TO THAT I WORKED IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY OUT IN CORONA, CALIFORNIA FOR, UH, 18 MONTHS OR SO.
THEY RUN THEIR BUSINESS JUST LIKE ELON MUSK DOES.
UH, IT'S TERRIBLE, YOU KNOW, HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW.
ANYWAY, TAKING UP ENOUGH OF YOUR TIME.
UH, WE'RE GONNA KEEP FIGHTING AND KEEP PUSHING UNTIL NOVEMBER THE FIFTH.
AND, UM, I'M PRAYING THAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN MY MIND.
[02:20:01]
OTHER THING, I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT I HAVE IN THE EXISTING CITY EMPLOYEES.I KNOW THEY'RE SCARED AND, AND AS AN EMPLOYEE, WHEN I WAS DRINKING A VIAL EMPLOYEE, I WAS CONCERNED.
BUT TO SHOW OUT AT THESE MEETINGS AND TO SHOW THE SUPPORT FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION IS NON-EXISTENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE UNIONS HAVE OVER THESE EMPLOYEES, BUT IT, THE EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE SHAMEFUL NOT BEING AT THESE MEETINGS AND AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, MR. LONG COMMISSIONERS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO YOU AS LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THIS CITY THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE.
AND IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'D LIKE TO TURN AND FACE THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE.
AND ALL OF YOU HAVE SEED ME ON THE DAAS AND, UH, BE HERE AS COMMISSIONER.
AND I'LL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT MADE ME GO FROM COMMISSIONER TO RESIDENT IN TERMS OF SPEAKING OF THIS AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT I ATTENDED, WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING AT THIS MEASURE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD VOTE FOR IT TO GO ON THE BALLOT.
THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO SPOKE IN SPANISH AND A HIT HOME.
THIS WAS A WOMAN WHO CAME WITH A TRANSLATOR, I BELIEVE, FROM THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I GREW UP.
AND THAT WAS TOO CLOSE TO HOME.
THE MAYOR OR WHOMEVER INVITED THEM TO SPEAK.
UM, I FELT USED MY PEOPLE, UM, BRINGING THEM HERE WITH FALSE INFORMATION, FALSE PROMISES OF GOOD PAYING JOBS FOR ALL FAMILIES IN LONG BEACH.
AND I JUST HAPPENED TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE I'VE SPENT SIX YEARS ON THE COMMISSION.
SO IT REALLY STRUCK A NERVE BECAUSE DON'T MESS WITH MY PEOPLE, OKAY? AS, AND THE MAYOR SHOULD KNOW THAT BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USED YEAR AFTER YEAR FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
SO THIS IS THE LITTLE GIRL WHO GREW UP IN THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD HERE BEFORE YOU.
AND I POSTED AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN ON THE MAYOR, ON THE MAYOR'S POST ABOUT HOW IT TAKES TOO LONG TO HIRE.
AND AFTER I POSTED SOME FACTS, WHICH I'LL READ TO YOU TODAY, IT APPEARS THAT HE MADE HIS PAGE PRIVATE, WHICH MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE CITY OF ATTORNEY.
SO IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THAT AND BECAUSE YOU DON'T MESS WITH MY PEOPLE AND YOU DON'T MESS WITH A WOMAN WHO DOESN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE AND WAS BROUGHT HERE UNDER FALSE PRETENSES, I TOLD THE BEAR, AND THIS IS VERBATIM, IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE A FRIEND OF HIS ON FACEBOOK, THEN YOU CAN SEE IT.
I'VE MADE MY POST PUBLIC, I'M USUALLY A PRIVATE PERSON, BUT IT'S PUBLIC BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE TRUTH.
AND AGAIN, VERBATIM, I SAID, LET'S PLAY FUN FACTS.
I'LL SEPARATE INTO TWO CATEGORIES, FACTS OF INTEREST TO THE VOTERS AND FACTS OF HOW THE VOTERS ARE BEING MANIPULATED.
IT'S A BIT LENGTHY, BUT IMPORTANT FACTS FOR THE VOTERS.
CIVIL SERVICE IS ALREADY INDEPENDENT.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THIS AMENDMENT CHANGE TO MAKE IT INDEPENDENT.
THIS CHANGE WILL PUT CIVIL SERVICE UNDER HR CITY MANAGER.
MOST OF THE HIRING TIMELINE WITHIN THE CITY RESTS WITH EACH HIRING DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S NO HIRING SOLUTIONS IN THE AMENDMENT.
IT SIMPLY STATES IT WILL MERGE CIVIL SERVICE WITH HR UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S THUMB.
AND THAT'S PREFERENTIAL LANGUAGE FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE FOR HIRING.
THE PREFERENTIAL POINTS MUST BE ADDED ON TOP TO ALREADY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
PREFERENCES DO NOT MEAN THOSE PREFERENTIAL POINTS GO TO THE TOP OF THE LIST.
THEY MUST BE QUALIFIED AND PLACED EQUAL TO OR HIGHER THAN THOSE WITH QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE THAT DO NOT HAVE THOSE ADDED POINTS.
POLICE GET TO CIRCUMVENT THE ONLY TRULY INDEPENDENT CITIZEN LED BODY FOR DISCIPLINARY APPEALS AND GO TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE REMOVING THE CITIZENS FROM OVERSIGHT OF EMPLOYEE OR DEPARTMENT WRONGDOING.
CURRENTLY ANY DISCIPLINARY, ANY DISCIPLINARY APPEAL
[02:25:01]
IS CITY MANAGER VERSUS EMPLOYEE WITH AN INDEPENDENT BODY.THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, THE INDEPENDENT CIVIL SERVICE THEN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATING AND RULE RULING WHETHER TO SUSTAIN, OVERTURN OR REDUCE DISCIPLINE.
A CHANGE IN THE AMENDMENT MEANS AN EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINARY APPEALS HEARD BY THE NEW COMMISSION WILL BE CITY MANAGER VERSUS CITY MANAGER OR EMPLOYEE.
AS A NEW COMMISSION FALLS UNDER HR CITY MANAGER.
FACTS ABOUT HOW FACTS ABOUT VOTER MANIPULATION.
THE MAILER THAT WAS SENT RESELLING SAYS QUOTE, MEASURE JB CREATES AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY MEMBER DRIVEN CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION EMPOWER TO ADDRESS EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS AND DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS.
CIVIL SERVICE IS ALREADY INDEPENDENT.
THE ONLY TRUTH ABOUT THE STATEMENT IS THE NEW NAME.
CITY COUNCIL SELECTED ALL ARGUMENT WRITERS.
NONE OF THE CURRENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONERS WERE CHOSEN TO BE ARGUMENT WRITERS OF THE OPPOSITION TO THIS MEASURE.
DESPITE COMMISSIONERS STRONGLY OPPOSING THE MEASURE AND MANY FORMS TO BE WRITERS, ALL FIVE CURRENT COMMISSIONERS AND MANY FORMER COMMISSIONERS, AND MOST IF NOT ALL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES, EMPLOY, OPPOSE THIS MEASURE.
THE ONLY PERSON CHOSEN TO BE AN ARGUMENT WRITER THAT HAS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF CIVIL SERVICE IS A FORMER COMMISSIONER WHO HAPPENS TO BE LEADER OF A LARGE LABOR GROUP.
AND THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO WRITE IN FAVOR OF THIS MEASURE, MAKING IT SEEM TO VOTERS AS THOUGH SOMEONE WITH KNOWLEDGE IS IN FAVOR OF THE CHANGE.
WHILE NO ONE CURRENT OR FORMAL WAS CHOSEN TO WRITE IN OPPOSITION, EVEN THOUGH THEY SUBMITTED THE LARGEST EMPLOYER, UNION HAS NOT PUBLICLY SUPPORTED THIS MEASURE.
DESPITE YOUR POST WITH AN OLD VIDEO OF OLD LEADERSHIP SAYING IT SUPPORTS CITY COUNCIL DID NOT ASK ANY QUESTIONS OF MERIT AS TO WHY THIS WAS NEEDED OR ANY QUESTIONS AT THE AT ATTEND AT THE MEETING I ATTENDED FOR WHAT AMOUNTS TO A CHANGE IN THE CITY'S CONSTITUTION.
THE ONLY COUNCIL PERSON WHO HAS FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF CI CIVIL SERVICE TALKED ABOUT HOW SOMETHING SMELLS ABOUT THIS CHANGE.
THEY STATED DEPARTMENTS WITHHOLDING HIRING AS A TACTIC LONG USED TO SAFEGUARD THEIR BUDGETS AS A REASON HIRING DOESN'T TAKE PLACE.
THEY SAID THEY WOULD HOLD THEIR NOSE AND VOTED FOR IT TO BE ON THE BALLOT.
ANYWAY, I COULD GO ON WITH PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION DISTRICT VOTERS ENOUGH.
IF NOT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY WATCHING ONLINE, THIS IS WHO I'M TALKING TO.
AND PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE OF COURSE.
AND SO I WANTED TO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE MAYOR MADE HIS POST PRIVATE, THAT THE FACTS ARE STILL OUT THERE.
HE DID NOT REFUTE ANY OF THE FACTS.
HE SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO BACK AND FORTH WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SAID I WAS BIASED BECAUSE I WAS A COMMISSIONER.
SO AGAIN, I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
I'VE BEEN HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I DON'T PLAN ON GOING ANYWHERE.
I HAVE RAISED MY BOYS HERE FOR NINE YEARS AND THE PLAN HAS CONTINUED TO DO SO.
SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.
THE LITTLE GIRL IN THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD DID NOT HAVE A VOICE TODAY.
I STAND HERE AS AN ADULT VOS THAT IS NOW BEING HEARD.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO, UH, CAME BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UH, TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
UM, BEFORE I JOINED THE COMMISSION, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS, UH, WAS THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSION.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSION.
UM, WE NEED TO ADJOURN TO CLOSE SESSION.
SHOULD WE MOVE TO ANNOUNCEMENTS FIRST? UM, I'M SORRY.
UH, LET'S MOVE TO ANNOUNCEMENTS FIRST.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
UH, JUST BECAUSE WE'VE TRADITIONALLY DONE THIS AND I WANNA HOLD THESE TRADITIONS UNTIL WE CAN'T ANYMORE.UM, AND JOANNE, USUALLY YOU'RE THE ONES TO MAKE THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH.
UH, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CELEBRATE LGBTQ PLUS HISTORY MONTH.
I ALSO WANTED TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE
[02:30:01]
AND CELEBRATE NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARE AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH HAS ACTUALLY BEEN REFRAMED, UH, AS A DISABILITY ACCEPTANCE MONTH.UM, AND THEN NOT A CELEBRATION, BUT AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, UH, TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
I WILL ADD TO THAT AS, UM, ERIC STOKED MY BRAIN.
UM, LET'S ALL BE AWARE OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS AS WELL.
AND, UH, I'M GOING TO ADD THAT, UH, FOR THE WOMEN IN THE AUDIENCE AND MEN, MEN DO SUFFER FROM BREAST CANCER, I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.
SO PLEASE GET YOURSELVES CHECKED.
I KNOW YOU'RE MANLY, BUT MEN DO SUFFER FROM BREAST CANCER.
UH, BUT ANY, UH, WOMEN IN THE AUDIENCE THAT ARE NOT AWARE, UH, AND, AND TELL YOUR, YOUR, UH, SISTERS AND UH, FELLOW WOMEN FRIENDS THAT DENSE BREAST REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SCREENING.
AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, YOUR DOCTOR WILL NOT TELL YOU YOU HAVE DENSE BREAST.
BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR OWN HEALTH.
IF YOUR DOCTOR DOES TELL YOU THAT YOU HAVE DENSE BREAST REQUEST AND, UH, REQUEST AN ULTRASOUND IMMEDIATELY.
THE ULTRASOUND, I KNOW IT SOUNDS ODD, BUT IT PICKS UP SOUNDS.
THAT'S HOW THEY CAN TELL THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
THE ULTRASOUND WILL GIVE YOU A MORE THOROUGH EXAMINATION TO HELP TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.
SO LADIES, REMEMBER WE ARE RUN BY BIG PHARMA.
THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS.
I BELIEVE WHEN I HAD MINE, IT COST ME 40 ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.
PLEASE SPEND THE $40 TO SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE UNTIL WE CAN GET THIS CHANGE TO WHERE IT'S COVERED BY OUR HEALTH INSURANCE.
BUT DENSE BREAST REQUIRE AN ULTRASOUND AND DEMAND IT.
BUT REMEMBER THIS, SOME PHYSICIANS ARE NOT, I'M SORRY, SOME BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS A PHYSICIAN THAT DOES YOUR MAMMOGRAM.
SOME WILL NOT EXPLAIN TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE DENSE BREASTS AND THEN THEY WILL NOT EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT A DENSE BREAST IS.
I'M NOT GONNA TAKE UP ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME, BUT LADIES, PLEASE ASK FOR NO, DON'T ASK.
I'M AT THE AGE NOW WHERE I DEMAND IT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY, HEARING AND SEEING NONE.
ARE THERE ANY HEARING REMINDERS? NO HEARINGS.
WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN TO CLOSE SESSION AND I'LL TELL YOU NOW THAT THERE PROBABLY WILL NOT BE A REPORT OUT.
UM, SO I DON'T WANNA KEEP YOU ANY LONGER.
AND AS ALWAYS, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE YOU.
WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL GIVE US WITH THIS, WITH THE CONSTANT TRAINING ON HOW TO USE THE SYSTEM.
AND THEN ALL OF YOU THAT TAKE TIME OUT OF YOUR DAILY SCHEDULE TO COME AND LISTEN.
PLEASE ACCEPT MY APPRECIATION AND MY GRATITUDE.
[03:28:29]
MORNING,[03:28:30]
THIS[03:28:30]
IS,[03:28:31]
UH,[03:28:31]
WHAT[03:28:31]
TIME[03:28:31]
IS[03:28:31]
IT?[03:28:32]
IT[03:28:32]
IS[03:28:33]
1230.CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION HAS RETURNED FROM CLOSED SESSION.
AS I INDICATED BEFORE, WE HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT OUT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR COMING.