[00:06:45]
[00:06:45]
AM SORRY TO DELAY THE MEETING.IF YOU'LL GIVE US A FEW MORE MINUTES.
WE'RE TRYING TO WAIT ON ANOTHER COMMISSIONER.
WHAT TIME DO WE HAVE? LET'S GET THIS MEETING ROLLING.
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TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH.[CALL TO ORDER]
IT'S NINE 10, AND WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER.UH, CHRISTINA, CAN I GET A ROLL
[ROLL CALL]
CALL PLEASE? YES.WE'RE GOING TO START THE MEETING WITH, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
CHRISTINA, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE? WE WOULD SO APPRECIATE IT.
READY? BEGIN MY PLEDGE OF REGENTS TO THE FLAG
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ON AGENDA ITEMS. SEEING AND HEARING NONE WILL PROCEED.
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Civil Service Commission on agenda items. ]
WE HAVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PULLED? WE GOOD TO GO? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD AND CASH YOUR VOTE PLEASE.
[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 7.)]
MOTION CARRIES.OUR REGULAR AGENDA BEGINS WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING OF OCTOBER 23RD.
GO AHEAD AND CAST YOUR VOTE PLEASE.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING.
[8. 24-55490 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Civil Service Commission Meeting of October 23, 2024. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
I'M NOT GONNA READ THE NUMBERS ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 30TH.GO AHEAD AND CAST YOUR VOTE PLEASE.
ITEM 10, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING
[9. 24-55377 Recommendation to approve the minutes of Administrative Hearing 07-D-2122/08-D-2122 on Friday, August 30, 2024. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH.CAN CAST YOUR VOTE PLEASE? THANK YOU.
ITEM 11, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE DOWNGRADE.
UH, IN PARENT SAYS VOLUNTARY FOR GERALD YOUNG,
[10. 24-55378 Recommendation to approve the minutes of Administrative Hearing 12-D-2122 on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT THREE TO MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT ONE.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? UM, YES, I THINK STAFF YOU HAD ASKED STAFF FOR A FOLLOW UP.
SO CAPRICE, MCDONALD'S GOING TO PROVIDE
[11. 24-55346 Recommendation to approve downgrade (voluntary) for Gerald Young, Maintenance Assistant III to Maintenance Assistant I. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THAT TO YOU? YEAH.AND JUST FOR NOTE, YES, I PUT IT ON A REGULAR AGENDA, SO NEXT TIME IT'LL GO BACK TO THE CONSENT.
NO, THE, IT WAS PULLED ON A REGULAR AGENDA BECAUSE I KNEW I WANTED TO HAVE DISCUSSION, BUT I GUESS FOR THE RECORD, IT WILL GO BACK TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO I, AT THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING AT THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING ON OCTOBER 23RD, THE COMMISSION RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM STAFF REGARDING A PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED BY MR. GERALD YOUNG, A MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT, ONE OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND MARINE.
AND ALSO ON THAT DATE, UM, MS. CHERYL BENDER, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE ADDRESSED QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION ON, ON THAT DATE, THAT THERE WAS DISCUSSION AND THAT, UM, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD COME BACK TO YOU WITHIN 30 DAYS WITH, IN A MONTH TO GIVE AN UPDATE AS TO A STATUS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE REMEDY TO MR. YOUNG.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, TO RECAP, ON OCTOBER 3RD, MR. GERALD YOUNG, HE EMAILED ME DIRECTLY HIS CONCERNS TO BE HEARD BY THE COMMISSION.
AND IN HIS OWN WORDS, HE EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS AND THE TREATMENT REGARDING HIS RECENT DOWNGRADE FOR MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT THREE TO MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT ONE, WHICH BECAME EFFECTIVE AUGUST 24TH.
AND SO AS DIRECTED STAFF INVESTIGATED, WHICH INVOLVED CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. YOUNG AND DISCUSSING, UM, THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS WITH PARKS, REC AND MARINE WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND RELEVANT SUPERVISORS.
AND AS OF TODAY, AFTER FOLLOWING UP WITH THE DEPARTMENT, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY UPDATE AS FAR AS ANY EFFORTS, UH, TO RESTORE MR. YOUNG TO A GRADE THREE
[00:15:01]
MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT POSITION.AND THIS BECAME A CONCERN TO STAFF.
AS I WAS TALKING TO HIM AND RESEARCH RESEARCHING THIS, HE MADE THE VOLUNTARY, UM, DECISION.
HE AGREED TO GO TO A MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT, ONE SPECIFICALLY SO HE CAN GO TO DAY SHIFT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT GRADE, UM, POSITIONS AVAILABLE.
AND ALSO AFTER LOOKING AT THE CURRENT, UH, STATUS TODAY, THAT WILL HELP YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION.
UM, AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 23 GRADE THREE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT VACANCIES IN THE CITY, WHICH 21 ARE ACTIVE AND WHICH 10 ARE ACTUALLY OPEN, WHICH PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AND MR. UH, YOUNG IS ALSO HERE TODAY.
AND, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE PARKS AND REC.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY HERE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND THE SUPERVISOR MIKE TIERNEY, AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I, UM, BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENT, UH, WHICH I DEFINITELY WANNA HEAR FROM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STILL ON THE SAME PAGE FROM THE LAST MEETING.
I BELIEVE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THAT THIS, UH, VOLUNTARY DOWNGRADE, UM, BECAME INVOLUNTARY.
IS THAT CORRECT? I WOULD INTERPRET THAT IT, IT'S VOLUNTARY AND, AND I SEE SHAKING HER, BUT IT'S, IT'S VOLUNTARY, BUT BASED ON INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO HIM COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT?
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE SOME, SOME WORDS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE.
UH, BUT BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, HEAR FROM PARKS AND REC AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM YOU IF THAT'S OKAY.
UH, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONFIRM, IS THIS STILL FOR YOU A VOLUNTARY DOWNGRADE? UH, IT'S ACTUALLY INVOLUNTARY I, WITH THE, UH, INFORMATION THAT I, I RECEIVED, UH, AFTERWARDS.
UH, MAY I, UH, SEEK A CLARIFICATION FROM SOMEONE OVER THERE?
SO HE REMAINS A MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE THREE.
IS THAT MY APPROPRIATE READING OF THAT? SO I APOLOGIZE.
I WAS NOT HERE FOR THE LAST MEETING WHEN THIS WAS HEARD.
I THINK ON THE 23RD OF OCTOBER, I HAVE LOOKED AT THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS.
I DON'T SEE WHERE THE COMMISSION HAS AUTHORITY TO REDO, TO UNDO WHAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE.
I UNDERSTAND MR. YOUNG NOW DOES NOT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE POSITION HE FINDS HIMSELF IN, BUT NO ONE FORCED HIM TO MOVE FROM NIGHTS TODAY.
AND WHILE WE CAN DEBATE WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, HE HAD FULL KNOWLEDGE OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON IN TERMS OF OPENINGS, HE, I BELIEVE INITIATED THE MOVEMENT FROM THE DAY SHIFT TO THE NIGHT SHIFT.
BUT I DON'T THINK THE COMMISSION HAS AUTHORITY TO UNDO WHAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THIS WAS ALREADY PROCESSED BACK IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, AUGUST 24TH, I BELIEVE.
SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN PROCESSED.
SO YOU, YOU CAN'T UNDO WHAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE.
I THINK IF, IF, IF THE DEPARTMENT WERE TO DO ANYTHING, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE TO PLACE MR. YON BACK ON THE NIGHT SHIFT AND HE'D HAVE TO, I GUESS, APPLY TO BECOME ON THE, ON THE DAY SHIFT FOR A MA THREE POSITION.
I THINK THAT'S THE UNDERSTANDING THAT I, I TOOK FROM, UM, THE AO WHO SPOKE LAST WEEK OR AT THE LAST MEETING ON THE 23RD, MS. BENDER.
WELL, WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE SOME EMPLOYEES THAT WERE MOVED FROM NIGHT TO DAY SHIFT WITHOUT HAVING TO APPLY.
THERE ARE OFTEN MOVEMENTS FROM ONE GRADE LEVEL POSITION TO ANOTHER WITHOUT HAVING TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
AND, AND THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WHERE, AND I KNOW IT'S ALL ABOUT THE, THE SYSTEM WHERE ACTIONS ARE HAPPENED AND THEN THEY COME TO COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL AFTER THE FACT.
AND SO, GARY, UM, I THINK WHAT, UM, A A, A BIG, UH, PART OF WHAT PERHAPS WAS MISSED FROM THE LAST MEETING, AND IF, IF ANYONE WILL CORRECT ANYTHING, IF I MISS REMEMBER, UH, IS THAT,
[00:20:01]
THAT I BELIEVE THE HIRING PERSON CAME IN AND, AND ALSO ADMITTED THAT THE INFORMATION THAT MR. YOUNG RECEIVED WAS INACCURATE OR INCORRECT OR MISSING SOME INFORMATION, UH, FOR WHICH HE MADE HIS DECISION.AND SO BASED ON THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, SO PERHAPS THE DEPARTMENT COULD, I MEAN, YOU CAN'T DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT TO TAKE SOME ACTION.
YOU CAN RECOMMEND THAT THEY TAKE ACTION AND MAYBE THE ACTION WOULD BE TO MAYBE GO BACK TO THE STATUS QUO WHERE YOU PUT HIM BACK ON THE NIGHT SHIFT AS A MA THREE, AND THEN HE CAN TRY TO APPLY FOR MA THREE POSITION ON THE DAY SHIFT.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT, THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT YOU CAN'T FORCE THE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE HIM AN MA THREE ON THE DAY SHIFT.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO DECIDE.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK COMMISSIONER FROST, HOLLINS, I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE ASKING.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO FORCE ANYONE TO DO ANYTHING.
I THINK WE WANT, UH, A CON A CONTINUATION, A CONTINUING CONVERSATION FROM THE LAST MEETING WITH WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD FROM THE LAST MEETING TO SEE HOW THIS CAN COME TO A RESOLUTION KNOWING THAT MR. YOUNG MADE A DECISION BASED ON PARTIAL INFORMATION OR NOT ACCURATE INFORMATION.
I DON'T WANNA QUOTE BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT SOMETHING ABOUT THE INFORMATION HE RECEIVED AS TO HOW OR WHY HE DECIDED TO DO A VOLUNTARY DOWNGRADE WAS NOT COMPLETELY ACCURATE OR COMPLETE.
UM, AND SO I I JUST WANNA MAKE CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO FORCE THE DEPARTMENT TO DO ANYTHING.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION AND UNDERSTAND FOR MR. YOUNG, IF THIS CONTINUES TO BE VOLUNTARY FOR HIM, WHAT ARE HIS, I GUESS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IS WHAT ARE HIS OPTIONS BASED ON KNOWING HE MADE A DECISION, UH, FROM ADMITTEDLY THE DEPARTMENT THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE ALL THE INFORMATION, UM, HE, HE WOULD'VE NEEDED TO MAKE A PROPER DECISION.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT THE DEPARTMENT CAN DO, BUT I THINK ONE SUGGESTION WOULD BE IF HE'S UNHAPPY IN HIS CURRENT POSITION AS A MA, ONE THAT PERHAPS THEY COULD TALK ABOUT, MAYBE REVERTING HIM BACK TO AN MA THREE, BUT IT'D BE ON THE NIGHT SHIFT.
SO I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION THAT I THINK COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLINS ASKED IS, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS, UH, DOWNGRADE? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S ALREADY BEEN PROCESSED, SO I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE AUTHORITY TO TAKE ANY ACTION IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T APPROVE OF, OF WHAT'S BEFORE YOU NOW, WHICH IS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A DOWNGRADE.
I THINK IT'S ALREADY BEEN PROCESSED.
SO WAS A CART PUT BEFORE THE HORSE? YES, I THINK SO.
I THINK AT MOST IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECEIVING FILE.
MR. YOUNG IS LIKE ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE HAS A RIGHT TO COME IN AND MAKE A COMPLAINT TO YOU, WHICH YOU CAN HAVE STAFF INVESTIGATE.
THEY COME BACK WITH A FINDING, BUT THAT'S IT.
IT'S A RECEIVING FILE BASED ON THAT INVESTIGATION.
BUT DID THE DEPARTMENT PULL THE TRIGGER BEFORE COMMISSION APPROVAL? OR WAS THAT PROCESS FOLLOWED AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROCESS HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE WHEN IT WAS, WHEN IT WAS PROCESSED ON AUGUST 24TH, IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SYSTEM REFLECTS HIM AS AN M MA ONE.
HE'S NOT AN MA THREE ANYMORE, SO THAT'S ALREADY DONE.
OH, WE HAVE 23 ITEMS IN FRONT OF US.
UH, I I'M GONNA BE, JUST SPEAK FOR ME, UH, BECAUSE I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MY ONE VOTE.
UH, I AM GOING TO VOTE NO ON THIS DOWNGRADE, EVEN IF IT DOES NOTHING FINE.
BUT I'M NOT PUTTING THE COMMISSION'S IMP TURE OF ACCEPTANCE ON THIS.
UH, AND, UH, MR. YOUNG, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU GO TO YOUR UNION BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY ONE LEFT TO PROTECT YOU NOW.
UM, SO UNLESS THERE IS ANY DISCUSSION, I AM READY TO VOTE ON THIS.
UH, LET'S, UH, UH, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLINS, COMMISSIONER SUNA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SAY, SIR? I'M READY TO VOTE.
THERE'S A QUESTION THAT COMMISSIONER GARA HAS ASKED THAT I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO ABOUT IF THE DEPARTMENT TOOK ACTION BEFORE EXACTLY.
SO WHEN YOU GET THESE COMMISSION REPORTS, UM, IT USED TO ALL BE IN ONE REPORT, AND THEY ARE THE TRANSACTIONS THAT OCCUR.
UM, THEY'RE THE CUSTOMARY MOVEMENT OF CLASSIFIED STAFF THAT OCCUR BETWEEN MEETINGS.
UM, THEY, UM, WHEN THE CITY CLERK WENT TO THIS NEW SYSTEM, THEY STARTED BEING PULLED OUT AS EACH ITEM, BUT THEY HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN, IT'S BEEN A RECEIVE AND FILE THAT THESE ACTIONS HAVE BEEN, UM, HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE THE TRANSACTIONS.
SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL SOMETHING FROM THE, UM, CONSENT CALENDAR JUST TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
BUT, UM, THAT IS HOW THEY'RE PROCESSED.
WE, WE PROCESS 'EM BASED ON THE, UH, THE TRANS, UH, THE
[00:25:01]
HR OR WE CALL 'EM HR ONES.THE HR ONES THAT COME THROUGH TO OUR ADMIN TEAM IS HOW THEY GET ON THIS LIST.
UM, UH, AND, AND I DO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A HEALTHY, UH, CALENDAR PLUS WE HAVE A CLOSE CLOSED SESSION, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR THE DEPARTMENT, IF THEY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THEY'D LIKE TO ADD, I'D LIKE THE DEPARTMENT TO BE HEARD AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
AND ALSO, IS RY WEEK GO BRUINS?
IS THAT A-U-C-L-A SHARED I SEAT.
MY HOUSE IS DIVIDED IN AND OF ITSELF.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR HEARING US.
UM, AFTER OUR MEETING LAST, UH, THE LAST MEETING IN OCTOBER, I DID GO BACK AND DO SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.
UM, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MICHAEL TIERNEY, WHO IS A SUPERINTENDENT OVER THIS FUNCTION, AS WELL AS RETIRED BUREAU MANAGER, HURLEY OWENS.
UM, THEY WERE THE OTHER TWO INDIVIDUALS PRESENT WHEN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT MR. YOUNG GOING BACK TO DAYS, UH, WAS INITIATED.
UH, BOTH OF THEM HAVE REPORTED THAT MR. YOUNG APPROACHED US.
UH, AND THE, THE FACT THAT HE, IT WASN'T SO MUCH THAT HE AGREED TO GO BACK TO A A ONE, HE ACTUALLY SUPPLIED THE IDEA HIMSELF.
SO, UM, THE, I, THE, THE CHARACTERIZATION OF IT AS IN INVOLUNTARY IS A BIT CURIOUS.
UM, HE WANTED TO, AT THE TIME THAT HE APPROACHED US, HE ALSO WAS INTERESTED IN SIMPLY GOING BACK TO THE DAY SHIFT IN HIS OWN BUREAU, WHICH IS WHO HE APPRO WHO, WHO HE APPROACHED.
HE DID NOT ASK ABOUT DEPARTMENT OPENINGS AROUND THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, ENTIRETY OF PARKS, RECREATION, AND MARINE.
UM, AND SO IN, IN THIS TRANSACTION IS US A, A ACCOMMODATING THE REQUEST THAT HE MADE.
UM, THAT SAID, WE ARE AWARE OF HIS DESIRE TO BE A, YOU KNOW, TO BE A A THREE.
AND WE DO HAVE VACANCIES AT THE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT THREE LEVEL.
UM, WE WILL BE CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS FOR THOSE, AND WE WILL BE INVITING, UH, MR. YOUNG TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, OUR OUR INTERVIEWS ARE SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 5TH, AND HE WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO DEMONSTRATE HIS, YOU KNOW, CAPACITY AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, BUT AGAIN, HE, HE APPROACHED US WITH THE REQUEST AND HE SUPPLIED THE SOLUTION.
UH, SO WE DID IN FACT ACCOMMODATE THAT.
COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I MEAN, I, I HAVE A COMMENT.
IT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE AT THIS POINT, IT SEEMS, UM, IT WOULD, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT, UH, ONE I APPLAUD MR. YOUNG FOR COMING, UH, TO HIS SUPERVISORS WITH, WITH AN ISSUE AND A SOLUTION.
NOT MANY VER NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE DO THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT, ANOTHER SOLUTION THAT MAY HAVE MADE MORE SENSE, UH, FOR MR. YOUNG TO KEEP HIS POSITION, UM, YOU KNOW, IN MY OPINION, IT WOULD BE UP TO THOSE SUPERVISORS TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR COMING WITH A SOLUTION.
HOWEVER, HERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL IF YOU HAVEN'T CONSIDERED THEM.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF HE DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE THAT DOWNGRADE, THEN YOU KNOW, THAT I THINK THAT WOULD'VE BEEN GOOD FOR, FOR ALL INVOLVED.
BUT AGAIN, AT THIS POINT, IT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
IT'S JUST A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, MORE PEOPLE LIKE MR. YOUNG COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AS WELL, BUT ALSO ARE, UH, GUIDED, UH, BY THEIR SUPERVISORS IN A WAY THAT'S BENEFICIAL TO ALL.
CAN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, SIR? YES, GO AHEAD, SIR.
UH, THIS ALL STARTED WITH, UH, THE BUREAU MANAGER CALLING A MEETING INTO THE, UH, SMALL OFFICE WITH TWO SUPERVISORS AND AN ACTING SUPERINTENDENT, AND TELLING ME THAT IF I GO BACK TO DAY SHIFT, IT WOULD BE NON-CAREER, WHICH WOULD MEAN I WOULD LOSE MY, UH, MEDICAL AND LIFE INSURANCE.
I WAS PUT BACK ON DAY SHIFT BY MY SUPERVISOR NIGHT SHIFT SAYING I WOULD BE GONNA, I WAS GONNA BE PROBABLY AT ONE OR TWO.
I SAID, OKAY, I'LL TAKE THAT IF THAT'S WHAT THE BEST YOU'RE GONNA GET ME.
BUT, UH, WHEN, UH, THE BUREAU MANAGER SAID, UH, NO, NO, NO, NO, YOU'RE GONNA BE NON-CAREER.
I SAID, WELL, IF I'M GONNA BE NON-CAREER, I'LL JUST GO BACK TO NIGHTS.
AND, UH, THEN THEY CAME UP A COUPLE MONTHS LATER SAYING,
[00:30:01]
OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'LL MAKE YOU A A ONE.SO I NEEDED TO GO BACK TO DAYS.
SO I FELT THAT I WAS THREATENED TO, UH, EXCUSE ME, GO BACK TO NIGHTS BECAUSE OF MY MEDICAL AND LIFE INSURANCE.
WHAT THEY'VE DONE, UH, PRIOR TO MY REQUEST, THEY TOOK A NIGHT SHIFT PERSON TRANSFERRED HIM M MA THREE TO M MA THREE DAY SHIFT, APPOINTED HIM TO THAT PRIOR TO ME, AFTER ME IN THE LAST MONTH, THEY DID THE SAME THING TO A MA THREE, TRANSFERRED HIM TO DAY SHIFT MA THREE TO A SKILLED POSITION.
'CAUSE THAT APPLE'S AN ORANGES THING.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT SEEMED LIKE SHE MADE UP, BECAUSE NO ONE HEARD OF THAT BEFORE.
BUT TO GIVE HER CREDIT OF SAYING THAT THE MA THREE NIGHT SHIFT, THAT'S THE SAME AS ME.
HE WENT TO MA THREE SKILLED DAY SHIFT.
THERE'S AN M MA TWO THAT DID THE SAME THING, NIGHT SHIFT.
HE'S NOW INMATE TWO DAY SHIFT.
SO I FEEL LIKE ONCE AGAIN, WHEN YOU TOLD HER I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO, UH, DO AN APPLICATION, SHE BACKTRACKED AND SAID, OH, NO, HE DOES.
BUT GUESS WHAT? I COULDN'T GET AN INTERVIEW IF I DON'T UPDATE MY RESUME AND MY RESUME, IF YOU LOOK INTO IT, WHICH I, I WILL TAKE THIS, UH, MEETING TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND USE THIS AS FOR MY EVIDENCE, BECAUSE MY SKILLSET IS FAR MORE, OR AT LEAST EQUIVALENT TO BE A SKILLSET.
THREE, FROM BEING IN POTHOLES DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS FROM POTHOLES TO DRIVING, UH, THE CITY STREETS AND PAVING THE, OUR STREETS DRIVING A HEAVY EQUIPMENT VEHICLE FORKLIFT.
SO MS. BENDER HAS, SHE KNOWS ALL THAT.
THESE OTHER PEOPLE THAT GOT PROMOTED, GUESS WHAT? THEY ONLY WORKED IN CUSTODIAN AND CAME UP.
THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
WE'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AND, UH, IT JUST WON'T BE AT THIS MEETING.
AND I, AND I DON'T APPRECIATE, UH, GOING BACK TO NIGHT SHIFT BASED ON, LOOK AT MY COWORKERS.
THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT HERE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO TO GO THROUGH THAT.
WHY? AND I FEEL LIKE, BECAUSE I'M HERE NOW, MY APPLICATION TO ME IS MUTE AS THE WORD PRESENTED LAST TIME, BECAUSE I'M GONNA BE LOOKED AT A CERTAIN WAY.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA WANNA PROMOTE ME FOR THE, FOR MY EFFORTS OF HERE TODAY.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE THIS, OH, HERE'S A PERSON.
MY SKILLSET IS FAR BEYOND WORKING HERE AT THE CITY.
I'VE DONE, I'VE DONE THREE OR FOUR, UM, SIX MONTHS OF PROBATION, PASSED THEM ALL.
I'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH THAT DURING COVID.
THERE'S NOTHING, NOTHING ON MY RECORD THAT WOULD SAY I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO BE A INMATE THREE IN ANY DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THAT I'VE, UH, USED ENOUGH OF YOUR TIME, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I BELIEVE EVERY WORD YOU'VE SAID, I BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE GIVEN AND SUPPLIED WITH MISINFORMATION.
HOWEVER, THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS NO DOG IN THIS RACE, IF YOU WILL.
DID YOU HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUE TO THE RIGHT OF ME SAID, MR. FROST HOLLANDS.
I, I APPRECIATE THAT HE SAID TO CONTACT YOUR UNION, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE YOU A STEP FURTHER.
IF YOUR UNION FAILS TO MEET YOUR NEEDS, THEN GO TO THE NEXT STEP.
AND IF THAT STEP DOESN'T SERVE YOU, GO TO THE NEXT ONE AND THEN CONSULT WITH THE LABOR BOARD.
IF YOU CAN SHOW THAT OTHER PEOPLE NOW BE, BE CAREFUL.
OKAY? BUT IF YOU CAN SHOW THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE GIVEN IN CONSIDERATION WHERE YOU WERE NOT, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PROVE YOUR CASE.
YOU MAKE CERTAIN YOU HAVE ALL YOUR FACTS.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? THANK YOU.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU TODAY IS GO FORWARD.
IF I HAD THE POWER, I WOULD REVERSE IT.
IT'S BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT I DO NOT, I UNDERSTAND, AND I BELIEVE WHAT MS. BENDER IS TELLING ME, BUT SHE'S RECEIVING INFORMATION SYNTHESIZED THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE.
RIGHT? SO I TAKE HER AT HER WORD, TOO, AND I WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE INFORMATION SHE PROVIDED WAS INACCURATE.
I'M SAYING THE INFORMATION SHE PROVIDED WAS BASED ON WHAT SHE RECEIVED.
SHE ALSO TOLD US THAT SHE WENT BACK TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT GOING FORWARD, CLEAR INFORMATION WAS GIVEN.
SO THAT TELLS ME THERE WAS A LACK.
ALL RIGHT? UM, SO YOU SEEK ALL REMEDIES, INCLUDING IF YOU HAVE TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF.
[00:35:01]
AND IF YOU WILL STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, YOU MAY HELP SOMEONE COMING BEHIND YOU.CERTAINLY, THIS MAY NOT BE FOR YOU.
THE BLESSING MAY NOT BE FOR YOU, BUT IT MAY BE FOR THE NEXT PERSON.
SO IT WILL GET EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO TREAT EVERYONE FAIRLY.
AND IN THIS CASE, I'M GONNA SAY YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, THAT THEY DID GIVE OTHER PEOPLE THOSE POSITIONS.
AND I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, I BELIEVE IF MS. BENDER IS INVOLVED WITH THIS NEXT SELECTION PROCESS, I DO NOT BELIEVE SHE'S GOING TO ALLOW ANYONE, ANYONE, TO SELL YOUR REPUTATION AND TO DENY YOU DUE PROCESS.
I BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE SHE'S GOING TO DO THAT.
I'M GONNA TAKE HER AS AT HER WORD THAT SHE WILL BE FAIR, BUT KEEP FIGHTING.
COMMISSION BEFORE YOU VOTE, CAN I GO AHEAD, MAKE A CLARIFICATION ON A STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE? GO AHEAD.
ONE, MR. YOUNG, CAN YOU STAY PLEASE, MR. YOUNG? MR. YOUNG, CAN YOU STAY FOR A MOMENT PLEASE? COMMISSIONER GARNICKA WOULD LIKE YOU TO STAY FOR A MOMENT, SIR, PLEASE.
ALL THE, TO GO TO GRADE THREE.
ALL THE GRADE THREES ARE NOT ALL NIGHT SHIFTS, SO I WANT THAT TO BE CLEARED.
AND WHEN I DID SPEAK TO MS. BENDER A FEW WEEKS AGO, THEY HAD POSITIONS IN BEACH MAINTENANCE, BUT THEY WERE WAITING TO HIRE A SUPERVISOR BEFORE THOSE, THOSE POSITIONS WERE FILLED.
AND IN JULY, PRIOR TO THAT PERSONNEL ACTION BEING MADE, MR. YOUNG HAD APPLIED FOR A THREE POSITION THAT WAS, THEY WERE RECRUITING FOR, OTHERS WERE INTERVIEWED, AND HE WAS NOT CONTACTED, AND HE WAS NOT INTERVIEWED, AND YET HE WAS STILL TRANSACTIONED AS A THREE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER IKA, MR. YOUNG, THIS IS, UH, WORDS DIRECTED FOR YOU, BUT ALSO FOR EVERYONE ELSE THAT MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN A POSITION SIMILAR TO YOURS.
THIS, THIS ITEM, UM, BRINGS ME GREAT SADNESS, DISAPPOINTMENT, UM, AND JUST THE THINGS THAT WE STILL FACE TO THIS DAY, UH, WITH THIS COMMISSION GOING AWAY BASED ON THE VOTER'S, UM, CHOICE, I AM DEEPLY SADDENED THAT THIS PROCESS WILL NOT BE PUBLIC ANYMORE.
UM, ONCE THIS COMMISSION CEASES, I URGE YOU, MR. YOUNG, I ECHO THE WORDS THAT, UH, MADAM PRESIDENT SAID.
SO I WON'T REPEAT ANY OF THAT.
BUT I URGE ANYONE AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN A PLACE OF QUESTION, YOU MAY HAVE A QUESTION OF SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, RESOLVED OR ANSWERED.
UM, ANY DOUBTS OR DOWNRIGHT INJUSTICES TO PLEASE FIGHT AS HARD AS YOU CAN.
UH, WE WILL NOT BE HERE ANYMORE TO HELP SUPPORT FAIRNESS, WHICHEVER DIRECTION THAT MAY BE.
UM, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR YOUR RIGHTS AS AN INDIVIDUAL, AS AN EMPLOYEE, UM, AND YOUR BASIC HUMAN CIVIL RIGHTS.
UM, I MEAN, I CAN GO ON AND ON AND I, I'M DEEPLY TOUCHED.
I DO BELIEVE EVERY WORD THAT YOU SAID, UH, AND I'LL, I'LL JUST STOP AT THAT BECAUSE IT'S, UH, THIS FEELS LIKE A BIG BLOW TO ME FOR THIS, THESE EXACT REASONS.
UM, SO, MR. YOUNG, THE BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.
WE HOPE THAT THIS IS RESOLVED IN A, IN A WAY THAT, UH, SHOWS INTEGRITY, HONESTY, RESPECT, UM, THAT YOU DESERVE AS A HUMAN BEING AND AS A LONGTIME EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE EXTENSION OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD.
THIS IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP THREE.
AND, UM, BRYSON HAS HIS FIRST STAFF BOARD.
AND JUST, UH, BEFORE WE START FOR THE RECORD, UH, CITY CLERK, UM,
[12. 24-55492 Recommendation to approve extension of probationary period for Brittney Lee, Customer Service Representative III. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
I, I[00:40:01]
HIT THE WRONG BUTTON.I THINK I WAS STILL IN MY FEELINGS FOR A LITTLE BIT, SO I JUST WANT TO REFLECT.
I KNOW IT STILL DOESN'T PASS, AND FINE.
I JUST WANT TO REFLECT THAT I, UH, UH, VOTE IN THE SAME WAY AS MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
OKAY? I CAN CHECK IN AND SEE ABOUT CORRECTING IT.
UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE HERE TODAY.
UM, CORRESPONDENCE HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM DIANA TANG, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, REQUESTING CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVAL TO EXTEND THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD OF BRITTANY LEE, CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, THREE FOR THREE MONTHS.
STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE REQUEST AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION 41 2 OF THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND CIVIL SERVICE POLICY 1.01.
SECTION B ONE, UH, SOME FACTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
ON MAY 11TH, 2024, MS. LEE WAS HIRED AS A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE.
THREE, WITH THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, THREE POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO THE CALL CENTER DIVISION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT REQUIRE THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AN IN-HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAM, CONSISTING OF A SIX TO EIGHT WEEK STRUCTURED CLASSROOM TRAINING, AS WELL AS PRACTICAL CALL CENTER SHADOWING.
AND ON THE JOB TRAINING, PRIOR TO PASSING PROBATION BASIN, UTILITIES CONDUCTS AN IN-HOUSE, SIX TO EIGHT WEEK TRAINING IN COHORTS.
AND, UH, MS. LEE WAS UNABLE TO BEGIN THE PRESCRIBED TRAINING WITH THE COHORT.
UH, SHE WAS ORIGINALLY, UM, TO BE ORIGINALLY ONBOARDED WITH RESULTING IN HER INABILITY TO COMPLETE THE TRAINING.
UM, AS SUCH, SHE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE NEXT AVAILABLE TRAINING COHORT THAT BEGAN IN AUGUST 12TH, 2024.
MS. LEE HAS COMPLETED THE TRAINING MATERIAL REVIEW PHASE AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE OBSERVATION PHASE OF HER TRAINING, WHICH BEGINS AT WEEK NINE AND LASTS THROUGH WEEK 12.
MS. LEE IS SCHEDULED TO PASS PROBATION ON OR AROUND NOVEMBER 25TH, TWO, UH, 2024.
UH, SHE NOW REQUIRES ADDITIONAL TIME FOR ONE-ON-ONE REFRESHERS OF PROCESSES AND AREAS THAT SHE'S CHALLENGED BY.
UM, AS OF THE LAST PAY PERIOD ENDING NOVEMBER 9TH, 2024, MS. LEE HAD 124.9 HOURS REMAINING OF HER PROBATIONARY PERIOD, HAVING ALREADY COMPLETED 919.1 PROBATIONARY HOURS.
UM, GRANTING THE EXTENSION OF PROBATION WOULD ALLOW MS. LEE TIME TO IMPROVE IN THE AREAS NOTED IN HER EVALUATION THAT REQUIRE IMPROVEMENT AND WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
UM, SO THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE REQUEST AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST TO EXTEND PROBATION FOR THREE MONTHS OR 522 SCHEDULED WORK HOURS.
UH, THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AND MS. LEE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE REQUEST IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
UM, A DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE IS ALSO PRESENT TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
ANY QUESTIONS? IS MS. LEE HERE? NO.
UH, WHO SPOKE WITH HER ABOUT THE EXTENSION? I, UM, I SPOKE WITH MS. LEE.
UM, THIS ITEM WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO GO LAST COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, I SPOKE WITH HER PRIOR TO THAT, AND THEN I FOLLOWED UP WITH HER TO LET HER KNOW THAT IT IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
UM, I INFORMED HER ABOUT THE PROCESS, UM, SO SHE'S AWARE, AND I DO BELIEVE SHE MAY BE, UM, VIEWING VIRTUALLY, UM, THIS MEETING.
UM, MY CONCERN IS THAT, IS SHE IN AGREEMENT THAT HER PROBATIONARY PERIOD NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED? YES.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTS, SO SHE CAN FULFILL THE CORRECT, UH, ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE CHILD? YES, MA'AM.
I, I WANT THIS TO BE VOLUNTARY.
ITEM 13, RECOMMENDATION TO THE EX TO EXTEND NON-CAREER HOURS FOR PAUL LAG.
GRETA, HE'S AT AMBULANCE OPERATOR NON-CAREER.
I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER WAY BACK THERE.
[13. 24-55664 Recommendation to extend non-career hours for Paul Legarreta, Ambulance Operator-NC. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
UH, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.CORRESPONDENCE HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM BRENDA ELLA, ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, OFFICER FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUESTING CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVAL TO EXTEND NON-CAREER HOURS PER PAUL LEGRETA CURRENTLY
[00:45:01]
EMPLOYED AS AN AMBULANCE OPERATOR.NON-CAREER WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE REQUEST AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION 49 OF THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND CIVIL SERVICE POLICY SECTION 2.32.
UM, IN HIS ROLE OF AMBULANCE OPERATOR NON, UH, NON-CAREER IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, MR. LEGRETA PROVIDES BASIC MEDICAL CARE AND TRANSPORT TO THE ILL AND INJURED WITHIN THE SCOPE OF AN, UH, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN.
HE ALSO TRANSPORTS PATIENTS TO HOSPITALS AND OTHER EMERGENCY CARE FACILITIES IN THE CHART.
BEFORE YOU, YOU'LL SEE THAT HE HAS WORKED, UH, 1483.3 HOURS AS OF NOVEMBER 1ST, 2024, AND HE HAS 116.7 HOURS LEFT BEFORE REACHING THE 16 A HUNDRED HOUR THRESHOLD.
THE DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING 600 HOURS AND GRANTING THE ADDITIONAL HOURS TO AMBULANCE OPERATOR LEG.
LARA LEGRETA WILL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE CRITICAL WORK IN MAINTAINING THE CITY STAFFING LEVELS FOR THE AMBULANCE SERVICES.
MR. LEGRETA HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS REQUEST IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA, AND OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEPARTMENT IS AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, SO YOU SAID HE ALREADY WORKED 1600 HOURS? NO, HE'S WORKED 1,414 3.3.
AND YOU WANNA EXTEND IT BY SIX? 600.
600 MM-HMM,
WHY DON'T YOU GUYS JUST HIRE HIM? WHY, WHY DO YOU KEEP HIM AT NINE? I I THIS IS JUST, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
UH, YOU, SO ACTUALLY, IF YOU'LL SEE IN THE REPORT, UHHUH
AND THEN WENT BACK TO NON-CAREER.
I HAVE THE DEPARTMENT HERE, THEY CAN ANSWER TO WHY, UH, SOMETIMES I KNOW THAT THESE, UM, AMBULANCES OPERATORS ARE, ARE WORKING ON BECOMING FIRE, UH, FIREFIGHTERS.
AH, SO IT'S EASIER TO BE PART-TIME.
THAT WOULD BE MY ASSUMPTION, BUT I HAVE THE DEPARTMENT HERE TO ANSWER.
UH, I'LL JUST START THE, I'VE GOT THE BRAINS, THEY'RE THE BRAINS OF THE OPERATION, BUT I'M, I AM THE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE.
SO, UM, PAUL WAS FULL-TIME AS AN AMBULANCE OPERATOR, BUT HE'S ALSO IN THE MILITARY.
AND SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THEIR REQUESTS.
AND SO HE REQUESTED TO GO PART-TIME IN ORDER TO FULFILL HIS MILITARY COMMITMENT.
HE FINISHED HIS COMMITMENT, CAME BACK, WE HAVE HIM DOING A PART-TIME PLATOON, UH, BECAUSE WE WANT HIM TO STILL WORK THE SAME 24 HOUR SCHEDULE, BUT THERE IS SOME RED TAPE INVOLVED WITH GETTING HIM BACK FULL TIME.
AND SO WE ALSO HAVE HIM IN THE PROCESS TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE ULTIMATE GOAL, IS THIS IS A TRAINING GROUND FOR FOLKS TO KIND OF LEARN THE ROUTINE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEN APPLY AND THEN BECOME A RECRUIT FIREFIGHTER.
SO HE'S IN THE PROCESS, HE GOTTA CONDITIONER LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT THAT WILL START MID-JANUARY.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE THINK IT'S VALUABLE FOR HIM TO MAINTAIN A FULL-TIME PLATOON TYPE SCHEDULE.
UM, BUT THE WHEELS OF PROGRESS TURNED SLOW.
SO MAKING HIM FULL-TIME IS KIND OF COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
AND SO, UH, WE DON'T WANT TO, HE WILL BE EXCEEDING THE PART-TIME HOURS.
AND THEN WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S ABOVE BOARD.
BUT I BOUGHT THE PROPER NO, YOU, YOU WERE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT.
WHAT IS YOUR NAME, SIR? OH, I'M ANTHONY DESILVA.
AND, UH, YOU JUST MADE MY DAY.
UM, WHAT WAS YOUR, THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, IT JUST, FROM JUST THE OUTSIDE, WHEN YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT WITHOUT GETTING YOUR EXPLANATION, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING SOMEONE THEIR FULL BENEFIT.
WE'RE GONNA WORK 'EM 2080 HOURS, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL HOUR, YOU KNOW, FOR A FULL-TIME PERSON, BUT NOT GIVE THEM ALL THOSE BENEFITS.
AND YOU'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR YOU ARE ACCOMMODATING HIS SCHEDULE SO HE COULD FULFILL HIS DUTY TO THE, TO OUR COUNTRY.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, NOW THAT HE'S BACK, YOU WANNA MIGRATE HIM BACK IN? I'M GOOD.
I, I JUST ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE BEST BY THE PERSON.
AND YOU HAVE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU, SIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA SAY I'M SO IMPRESSED BY, UH, MR. RETA, UM, ALL THAT HE'S DOING, AND, UH, SIR, THANK YOU.
AND RE YOUR BRAIN'S WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE BRAVE BEHIND THE OPERATIONS.
UM, JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER FOR THE AMBULANCE OPERATORS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE WORKING IN A FULL-TIME POSITION.
SO A TYPICAL NON-CAREER MAY WORK THAT IN A WEEK WHILE THEY WORK THAT IN A DAY.
SO THEY ACHIEVE THOSE HOURS WAY FASTER THAN A TYPICAL NON-CAREER.
WE APPRECIATE IT AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.
COMMISSIONERS ITEM 14, MOTION CARRIES.
UH, THIS IS A ITEM 14 RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE A BULLETIN.
[00:50:01]
THIS IS, EXCUSE ME, ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNICIAN.UH, ANDIS IS A REGISTERED VETERINARY TECH.
AND STEVEN ROBLES IS HERE THIS MORNING TO PRESENT THE BULLETIN.
UH, THE ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNICIAN EXAMINATION WAS LAST ADMINISTERED AS
[14. 24-55658 Recommendation to approve bulletin – Animal Health Technician (Registered Veterinary Technician). Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
A CONTINUOUS OPEN QUALIFYING OPPORTUNITY IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, UH, FROM AUGUST 5TH, 2022 TO 3 10 20 23.UM, AT THAT TIME, 14 CANDIDATES SUPPLIED AND 10 QUALIFIED.
FIVE ELIGIBLE LISTS WERE ESTABLISHED FROM 9 14 22 THROUGH 3 15 23.
UH, THE LISTS WERE REFERRED TO TWO REQUISITIONS FROM THE SINGLE USER DEPARTMENT, PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE, ALSO KNOWN AS PRM AND ONE SELECTION WAS MADE FROM THAT, FROM THOSE ELIGIBLE LIST.
UM, THERE'S CURRENTLY ONE VACANCY IN PRM AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE BULLETINS INCLUDE FILING DATES AND SALARY INFORMATION.
REMOVAL OF COVID-19 VACCINATION LANGUAGE ADDITION OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION LANGUAGE.
AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE EXAMINATION WAITS REMAIN THE SAME WITH THE APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION WEIGHTED AS QUALIFYING AND TO HAVE AN INITIAL FILING PERIOD OF FOUR WEEKS FROM 1122 TO 12 20 20 24.
UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PRM DEPARTMENT ARE PRESENT TODAY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 15, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE BULLETIN FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS ONE THROUGH FOUR.
STEVEN'S READY FOR A REPEAT ON DEMAND PERFORMANCE
UM, AND, UH, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW BULLETINS.
WE'RE GONNA GO ALL THE WAY TO 21 SO YOU CAN CONDENSE THEM.
[15. 24-55659 Recommendation to approve bulletin – Environmental Health Specialist I-IV. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
GO AHEAD.UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST EXAMINATION WAS LAST ADMINISTERED AS A CONTINUOUS OPEN QUALIFYING OPPORTUNITY IN FISCAL YEAR 2023.
UM, AT THAT TIME, 153 CANDIDATES APPLIED IN 61 QUALIFIED.
A ELIGIBLE LIST WERE ESTABLISHED AND THE LISTS WERE REFERRED TO SIX REQUI REQUISITIONS FROM THE SINGLE USER DEPARTMENT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND FOUR SELECTIONS WERE MADE.
THERE'S CURRENTLY FIVE VACANCIES IN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND PROPOSED, PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE BULLETIN INCLUDE FILING DATES AND SALARY INFORMATION REMOVAL OF COVID-19 VACCINATION LANGUAGE, UPDATED VACANCY INFORMATION IN ADDITION OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION LANGUAGE.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE EXAMINATION WEIGHTS REMAIN THE SAME WITH THE, UM, RECRUITMENT RUN AS QUALIFYING AND TO HAVE AN INITIAL FILING PERIOD OF FOUR WEEKS.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEPARTMENT ARE PRESENT TODAY FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 16, A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE BULLETIN FOR THE GENERAL LIBRARIAN
AND TIFFANY IS HERE FOR YOU TO PRESENT.
THE EXAMINATION FOR GENERAL LIBRARIAN WAS LAST ADMINISTERED AS A CONTINUOUS NON-COMPETITIVE EXAM IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
[16. 24-55491 Recommendation to approve bulletin – General Librarian. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
APPLIED AND 68 QUALIFIED.THE ELIGIBLE LIST WAS ESTABLISHED ON MAY 24TH, 2023, AND EXPIRED ON AUGUST 23RD, 2024.
DURING THE LIFE OF THE ELIGIBLE LIST, CANDIDATES NAMES WERE REFERRED TO 15 REQUISITIONS AND 10 SELECTIONS WERE MADE FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST.
AT THAT TIME OF EXPIRATION, 58 CANDIDATES WERE, WERE REMAINING ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST DUE TO THE NUMBER OF VIABLE CANDIDATES REMAINING ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST, IT WILL CIVIL SERVICE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO EXTEND THE LIST, AFFORDING CANDIDATES ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH CIVIL SERVICE RULE ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 23.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE STRONG OPPOSITION FROM THE HIRING DEPARTMENT TO EXTEND THE LIST, CITING CIVIL SERVICE RECRUITMENT TEAM DID NOT CONDUCT OUTREACH AT THE COLLEGES RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT STAFF CAN PRO CAN PROMISE BY ALLOWING THE ELIGIBLE LIST AND CONDUCTING NEW RECRUITMENT.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO FISCAL YEAR 25 REQUISITIONS RECEIVED IN CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON SEPTEMBER 5TH AND OCTOBER 9TH TO FILL TWO VACANCIES IN THE LIBRARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF THESE VACANCIES IS A BUDGETED POSITION TO REPLACE AN EMPLOYEE NO LONGER IN THE POSITION.
AND THE OTHER VACANCY IS A NEWLY BUDGETED POSITION ADDED IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
THE STATUS OF THE UNFILLED VACANCIES REFERRED TO THE EXPIRED ELIGIBLE LIST OF THE CANDIDATES IS UNKNOWN.
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE GENERAL LIBRARY BULLETIN ARE
[00:55:01]
SALARIES AND FILING DATE INFORMATION WERE UPDATED AND ADDED.EQUITY AND INCLUSION LANGUAGE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE EXAMINATION WEIGHTS REMAIN THE SAME WITH A QUALIFYING APPLICATION.
AND SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDS AN APPLICATION FILING PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS.
A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT IS PRESENT TODAY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, ALSO THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT CAPRICE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
ACTUALLY, I, WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE COMMENT WAS THIS PARTICULAR RECRUITMENT, THE LACK OF, UH, THE UNDERUSE OF THE ELIGIBLE IS REALLY GAVE ME HEARTBURN.
BUT AS TIFFANY MENTIONED, BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH STRONG OPPOSITION, BECAUSE OUR RECRUITMENT OUTREACH DID NOT ADVERTISE AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL AREA THAT THEY WANTED TO DO AWAY WITH THE LIST.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I HOPE MOVING FORWARD THE CITY TAKES A LOOK AT THEIR APPROACH AND, AND THE DEPARTMENTS WILL DO OTHERWISE.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM? UH, THEY, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
ONCE, WELL, THE LIST HAS ALREADY BEEN EXHAUSTED, SO RIGHT.
THEY WILL HAVE TO REAPPLY AGAIN IF THEY WANNA BE CONSIDERED FOR A NEW RECRUITMENT.
SO WHEN THE LIST IS CLOSED, I, I GUESS WE DON'T CONTACT THEM TO TELL CORRECT.
THEY WOULD JUST NEED TO KNOW THROUGH OSMOSIS THAT THE POSITION'S COMING UP AND THEY GOTTA APPLY AGAIN.
HOW, HOW DO, HOW WOULD THEY KNOW THEY'RE NO LONGER IN CONSIDERATION ON, ON AN ACTIVE LIST? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW CAP? I'M JUST CURIOUS ON THEIR NOTICES.
THEY WERE TOLD WHEN THE LIST WAS GOING TO EXPIRE.
AND THAT THEY CAN ALSO JUST FOLLOW CIVIL SERVICE AND SEE WHEN THE LIST EXPIRED.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND IF THE DEPARTMENT WAS LOOKING FOR US TO ADVERTISE IN CERTAIN AREAS, AND IF THAT, UM, IF WE DIDN'T DO THAT, I COULD UNDERSTAND WHY THEY SAY, WELL, WE WANNA CAST A, A WIDER NET.
I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH 58 PEOPLE THINKING THAT THEY'RE IN LINE FOR A JOB THEY'RE NEVER GONNA SEE.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES, SIR.
I'M GONNA VOTE NO AGAINST THIS ONE AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
AND CITY CAN CHOOSE TO DO WHAT THIS, WHAT THEY WILL.
UM, BUT IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT WE HAVE LIMITED OUR, UM, DEGREE REQUIREMENT TO A DEGREE THAT ONLY A COUPLE OF UNIVERSITIES OFFER THAT IS JUST NONSENSICAL.
UM, AND IF THIS IS A AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION REQUIREMENT THAT YOU SOMEHOW THINK YOU'RE MEETING, UH, WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE HELD AGAINST US IN ACCREDITATION.
AND IF IT IS, WHETHER THE CITY WANTS TO AFFILIATE WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS THAT LIMITED IN ITS THINKING ABOUT WHAT A QUALIFYING MASTER'S COULD BE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO, UH, I JUST SHOULD KNOW WHILE I'M, WHY I'M VOTING NOW.
COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLANDS, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMUNICATION? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, WOULD YOU PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE? HMM.
UH, PRESIDENT, DID YOU NEED ASSISTANCE OR ARE YOU THINKING? NO, I'M THINKING.
I, GARY, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? ALWAYS.
UM, WE'VE NOW CALLED FOR THE VOTE, BUT THERE I DO HAVE A, ANOTHER QUESTION.
AM I ALLOWED TO ASK OR I JUST HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE AND THE VOTE HASN'T BEEN POSTED YET.
UH, THE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS, AND CHRISTINA, THIS IS FOR YOU.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS CLOSED THE LAST BULLETIN, IT'S CLOSED.
THOSE, UH, PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO, UM, GAIN, GET GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.
SO AT THIS TIME, WITHOUT A NEW BULLETIN, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO OUT FOR THIS POSITION.
[01:00:21]
I VOTED MOTION FAILS.UM, I THINK THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO DIDN'T VOTE.
NO, I VOTED WHEN IT DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN, I THINK IT HAD DIDN'T HAVE A VOTE FOR YOU FOR WALDEN.
UH, ACTUALLY, UH, YOU VOTED ABSENT.
DID YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR VOTE TO NO, NO, I DIDN'T VOTE ABSTAIN? NO.
ALRIGHT, THIS HAS BEEN CORRECTED, SO YES.
SO CAN I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? GO FOR IT.
SO COMMISSIONER, YOU ARE NOT APPROVING THIS BULLETIN TO MOVE FORWARD.
[17. 24-55660 Recommendation to approve bulletin – Plan Checker - Fire Prevention I-II. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE BULLETIN FOR PLAN CHECKER FIRE PREVENTION ONE THROUGH TWO.UM, SO THE EXAMINATION FOR PLAN CHECKER FIRE PREVENTION GRADES ONE THROUGH TWO WAS LAST ADMINISTERED AS A CONTINUOUS NON-COMPETITIVE EXAM IN FISCAL YEAR 2023.
AND AT THAT TIME, 31 CANDIDATES APPLIED AND 15 QUALIFIED TWO ELIGIBLE LISTS WERE ESTABLISHED.
CANDIDATES WERE REFERRED TO SIX REQUISITIONS AND TWO HIRES WERE MADE.
UM, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE EXAMINATION WAITS REMAIN THE SAME WITH AN APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION, UH, AND A CONTINUOUS NON-COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
AND, UM, YEAH, THIS CONCLUDES, UH, MY PRESENTATION FOR THIS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE ALSO HERE.
UM, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS ANY DIALOGUE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM NUMBER 18, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE BULLETIN FOR WATER QUALITY ORGANIC CHEMIST.
UH, THE EXAMINATION FOR WATER QUALITY ORGANIC CHEMISTS WAS LAST ADMINISTERED AS A CONTINUOUS NON-COMPETITIVE EXAM IN FISCAL YEAR 2007.
AT THAT TIME, 32 CANDIDATES APPLIED DUE TO THE AGE OF THIS RECRUITMENT.
NO INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED VACANCIES
[18. 24-55661 Recommendation to approve bulletin – Water Quality Organic Chemist. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
OR SELECTED CANDIDATES AS AVAILABLE IN CIVIL SERVICES APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM NEO GOV.UM, BUT THERE IS CURRENTLY ONE REQUISITION RECEIVED IN CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, UH, 2024, UH, TO FILL ONE VACANCY IN THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
UH, SOME CHANGES TO THE BULLETIN.
OUR SALARY AND FILING DATE INFORMATION WERE UPDATED.
UH, REFERENCE TO WATER PART WATER DEPARTMENT, UPDATED TO LONG BEACH UTILITIES.
AND THE ADDITION OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION LANGUAGE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE EXAMINATION WAITS REMAIN THE SAME WITH A QUALIFYING APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION.
UH, STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDS AN APPLICATION FILING PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 19, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO REP TO APPROVE THE REDUCTION OF ELIGIBLE LIST.
THIS IS FOR SENIOR TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
AND STEPHANIE ATA WILL PRESENT TO YOU.
SO IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 26
[19. 24-55493 Recommendation to approve reduction of eligible list – Senior Traffic Engineer. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
OF CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS, STAFF IS REQUESTING CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION'S APPROVAL TO REDUCE THE SENIOR TRAFFIC ENGINEER LIST.UM, SO STAFF CONDUCTED AN OPEN CONTINUOUS NON-COMPETITIVE RECRUITMENT FOR THE SENIOR TRAFFIC ENGINEER ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2022.
CULMINATING IN THE CREATION OF THREE ELIGIBLE LIST, THE VARIOUS ELIGIBLE LISTS WERE COMPRISED OF NINE CANDIDATES.
OF THE NINE CANDIDATES, FOUR SELECTIONS WERE MADE BY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, ALSO NOTABLE THAT THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT ALSO UTILIZES OR IS A USER OF THIS CLASSIFICATION.
SO ON JUNE 20TH, 2024, SENIOR TRAFFIC ENGINEER TEST ONE, UM, WAS EXTENDED IN ERROR FOR SIX MONTHS TO EXPIRE ON JANUARY 17TH, 2025.
THE LIST SHOULD HAVE EXPIRED AS SCHEDULED TO ALIGN WITH TEST TWO AND TEST THREE, WHICH EXPIRED ON APRIL 17TH, 2024 AND MAY 29TH, 2024 IN JULY.
[01:05:01]
UM, IN JULY, 2024, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, HARBOR DEPARTMENT IN FORUM CIVIL SERVICE AT THE ELIGIBLE LIST.UM, TEST NUMBER ONE HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED AND REQUESTED A NEW RECRUITMENT.
PUBLIC WORKS AND HARBOR DEPARTMENT HAVE PROVIDED DISPOSITIONS FOR THE REMAINING CANDIDATES AS REQUESTED BY CIVIL SERVICE.
AND, UM, THEY AND CIVIL SERVICE HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS EXHAUSTED THE LIST.
A REDUCTION OF THE ELIGIBLE LIST.
TEST NUMBER ONE IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY AS THE NEW SENIOR TRAFFIC ENGINEER RECRUITMENT IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE UTILITY OF THE LIST AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND RECOMMENDS THE REDUCTION OF THE LIFE OF THE CURRENT ELIGIBLE LIST AND ALLOW IT TO EXPIRE IMMEDIATELY.
UH, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND HARBOR DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THIS REQUEST IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA AND THEY ARE PRESENT HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, DID THE DEPARTMENT REQUEST THE REDUCTION OF THE ELIGIBLE LIST? HOW DID WE COME ALONG TO THE REDUCTION OF IT? NO, THAT WAS INITIATED BY, BY CIVIL, BY US, UM, BY ASHA, WHO IS, UM, OVERSEEING THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
SO ONCE THEY REQUESTED, WE GO BACK AND SEE, HEY, THERE'S A CURRENT ELIGIBLE LIST.
HAVE YOU DONE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE WITH THE LIST? UH, WE CONFIRM THAT THEY HAVE.
SO NOW WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO BRING FORWARD A NEW RECRUITMENT, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPIRE THIS LIST.
ITEM 20, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE AND ADOPT REVISED CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION FOR SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN ONE THROUGH FOUR.
CIVIL SERVICE STAFF IS REQUESTING CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVAL TO ADOPT THE REVISED CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION OF SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN
[20. 24-55495 Recommendation to approve and adopt revised classification specification – Systems Technician I-IV. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ONE THROUGH FOUR AND ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 11, SECTION 1 1 10 1D OF THE CITY CHARTER.UH, SUB FACTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
THE CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION FOR SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN ONE THROUGH FOUR CAN BE FOUND EXCLUSIVELY IN THE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS ESTABLISHED ON OCTOBER 1ST, 1999, AND HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE JULY 12TH, 2000.
UH, THE PROPOSED REV, UH, REVISIONS TO THE CLASSIFICATION INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES, UH, THE DEFINITIONS, DISTINGUISHING, UH, CHARACTERISTICS, EXAMPLES OF DUTIES, MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, AND THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES.
THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAS DISCUSSED THE PROPOSED CHANGES WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS AND AEROSPACE WORKERS.
ALL PARTIES AGREE WITH THE PROPOSED ACTIONS AND HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THIS ITEM IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
AND CIVIL SERVICE STAFF AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT ARE PRESENT TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? I HEARING NONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE REPORT TO DEACTIVATE CLASSIFICATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, CHRISTINA, THIS IS, I'M
[21. 24-55502 Recommendation to receive and file report to deactivate classification – Technical Assistant. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
SORRY, I 21.THIS IS A CLASSIFICATION THAT, UM, BASICALLY IT'S FOLLOWING AS A AGREEMENT MADE WHEN WE CHANGED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SYSTEM TECH.
SO, AND TO AVOID HAVING DUPLICATE CLASSIFICATION.
SO ESSENTIALLY TECHNICAL ASSISTANT, THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD TYPICALLY APPLY FOR THAT CAN NOW APPLY FOR SYSTEMS TECH.
SO, UM, THE CITY IS RETIRING TECHNICAL ASSISTANT AND HAS NOT BEEN USED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TAKE AN ITEM OUT OF ORDER.
ACTUALLY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS PLACE OUR, UH, I WANNA DO TWO THINGS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA DO IS PLACE OUR CLOSED SESSION AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
IS THAT OKAY? SO THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT HOLDING THIS ENTIRE ROOM HOSTAGE? YES, THAT'S FINE.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANNA STAGE? AND WE KNOW YOU DON'T
UM, BUT THE, UH, THE OTHER THING COMMISSIONERS IS, UM, THERE HAS, UH, BEEN A REQUEST THAT WE RECONSIDER THE GENERAL LIBRARIAN,
[01:10:01]
UM, ISSUE, UH, WITH A CAVEAT THAT THE, THAT WE LOOK TO MODIFY THE CLASS SPEC IN THE FUTURE.GARY, SO IF THERE'S A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THIS ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER, UH, 16.
THERE HAS TO BE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO RECONSIDER IT.
THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION A SECOND.
SO THAT MEANS WE, UH, NEED THAT FOR DISCUSSION OR, CORRECT.
I'LL SECOND FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION.
RI COMMISSIONERS, UH, APPARENTLY, UM, OUR LIBRARIAN DEPARTMENT CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT A BULLETIN TO, UH, SOLICIT EMPLOYEES.
UH, ARE WE WILLING TO PROCEED BY MODIFYING OUR REQUEST, OR THEY DID THIS TO THEM? I'M NOT LEADING THE DISCUSSION, SO THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M OPENING IT UP FOR YOU ALL TO SPEAK.
UH, SO THEY DID THIS TO THEMSELVES.
I WAS CLEAR LAST TIME THIS BULLETIN CAME UP THAT WE EITHER NEEDED A DESCRIPTION OF WHY WE HAD SO NARROW NARROWLY TAILORED IN EDUCATION REQUIREMENT, UM, THAT WAS BEING SO STRICTLY INTERPRETED AND ENFORCED, OR I WASN'T GONNA VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT.
I, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, THIS WON'T BE OUR DECISION AND CITY CAN DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
BUT I HAVE NO INCLINATION TO RECONSIDER MY, MY DECISION AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO I KNOW IT'S NOT MEANT THIS WAY, BUT I THINK THAT THE REQUEST TO, UH, HOW DID YOU WORD IT? OR HOW IS IT WORDED TO RECONSIDER, RECONSIDER WITH A LANGUAGE CHANGE IN THE FUTURE? IN THE FUTURE, RIGHT.
TO MODIFY THE CLASS SPEC IN THE FUTURE.
UM, IT SEEMS A LITTLE, UH, PATRONIZING SINCE WE WON'T BE HERE.
SO, AND THAT WON'T BE OUR DECISION TO MAKE OR, UH, TO GUIDE.
SO THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE REQUEST IS FOR US TO CHANGE OUR VOTE WITHOUT ANY IMPACT, WITHOUT ANY TRUE IMPACT TO THE FUTURE.
SO, UH, I'M ALSO NOT INCLINED TO CHANGE MY VOTE.
UH, DO WE NOW RE-VOTE ON THE NEGATIVE VOTE? OR WE'RE GOOD? WELL, THE OUTCOME'S THE SAME, BUT WE CAN GO AHEAD FOR THE RECORD TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHEN I'M, UH, UH, FOR THE RECORD, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE, UH, DECIDED NOT TO, UH, RECONSIDER THEIR VOTE.
IT WILL GO ON THE RECORD AS IT WAS VOTED FOR.
UH, JUST A, UH, POINT OF CLARIFICATION FOR THE CLERK.
UM, DO WE WANT TO OPEN UP THE VOTE, GARY, OR JUST GO AHEAD AND, UH, TRASH THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION? WE CAN OPEN THE, OPEN THE VOTE.
'CAUSE IT, IT WAS, IT WAS DISCUSSED.
SO WE OPEN THE VOTE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
COMMISSIONERS CAST A VOTE ON THIS, UM, ITEM AGAIN.
UM, I WOULD, UH, REQUEST TO, UH, RECOMMENDATION WE'RE ITEM 23 TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE REPORTS FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE MANAGERS.
GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE.
WE ARE CLOSING FISCAL YEAR 2024.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO PROCESS ANY LAST INVOICES.
[23. 24-55504 Recommendation to receive and file reports from the Civil Service Managers. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
SO AS, UM, WE WENT THROUGH ALL OUR LIST OF INVOICES, ALL OUR VENDORS TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR INVOICES ARE PAID.THERE IS A LIST OF INVOICES THAT WE'RE DOING A DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE PROCESSED.
THERE'S A CHECK ISSUED AND, UH, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE ALL OF IT IS DONE AND COMPLETE BY THE END OF THE DAY.
UM, STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING SUPER, SUPER HARD.
I'VE MENTIONED, I THINK THIS IS, HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HARDEST YEARS, UH, FOR US CLOSING THE FISCAL YEAR.
I MEAN, WE'RE DOWN TO THE DAY OF, UH, SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN TREMENDOUSLY A LOT OF WORK, UH, AMONG ALL THE OTHER DUTIES THAT STAFF IS DOING.
THEY'RE NOT JUST PROCESSING INVOICES, THEY'RE ALSO DOING CERTIFICATION E EVERYTHING PILES UP WITHIN THIS LAST COUPLE MONTHS.
[01:15:01]
SO I DO WANNA, UH, GO ON RECORD TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY STAFF.THEY ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO CERTIFY IT.
UM, WHEN DEPARTMENTS CALL US AND SAY, HEY, THIS REQUISITION IS SITTING ON YOUR DASHBOARD, IT IS ONE OF MANY.
SO WE ARE DO, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO COMPLETELY QUICKLY CERTIFY AND MEET EVERYBODY'S NEEDS.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE.
UM, AS FAR AS MONITORING THE BUDGET, UH, WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO OUR BUDGETED AMOUNT.
I TOUCH BASES WITH ROBERT WILLIAMS AND WE ARE VERY CLOSELY MONITORING.
WE ARE GONNA CLOSE THE FISCAL YEAR WITHIN THE BUDGET AMOUNT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT WAS VERY TIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND, UH, WHEN YOU PUT YOUR REPORTS UP, I KNOW I CAN TAKE IT TO THE BANK.
I KNOW WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS ACCURATE, IT'S DECENT AND IT'S IN ORDER.
SO I WANT TO TELL YOU, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE DURING THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE ON THE COMMISSION, AND IT, IT FEELS GREAT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
AND EVEN THOUGH SINCE 2020 I HAD A HUNDRED PERCENT TURNOVER, THE STAFF I HAVE HAS REALLY, UM, SET THE BAR.
IN FACT, THEY SURPASSED A BAR.
I WANNA THANK DANELLE MICHELLE.
I MEAN MARIAH, I MEAN MARIA, CONNELL,
THAT IS A TEAM THAT IS UNSTOPPABLE AND THAT HAVE CONTINUED ON.
AND EVEN DESPITE, UH, ALL THE ADVERSITY AND EVERYTHING THAT THE PUSHBACKS FROM THE DEPARTMENT, THE PRESSURE, THEY CONTINUE ON.
AND, AND EVEN RIGHT NOW, IT'S, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE DEPARTMENTS NOT JUST SEE WHAT STAFF WENT THROUGH, YOU KNOW? AND YET THE BUTTONS CONTINUE TO BE PUSHED AND THEY CONTINUE TO WORK.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK THEM FOR THAT.
AND NOW I'M JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT ME FOR A MINUTE.
SO, I KNOW WE HAD PEOPLE THINK, SOME PEOPLE PROBABLY THINK THAT, UM, MAYBE, UH, KAMALA HARRIS WAS THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.
I MEAN, FIRST BLACK FEMALE TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN SHIRLEY CHISHOLM CAME AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK CONNELL, SHE'S ALWAYS SO GOOD AT QUOTES THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T GIVE YOU A SEAT TO THE TABLE, YOU BRING IT.
AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE STRONGLY, UM, KEEP IN MIND, I CAME WORKING TO THE CITY 33 YEARS AGO, AND I CAME IN ENTRY LEVEL, EVEN THOUGH I HAD A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, IT DIDN'T MATTER.
'CAUSE I KNEW WHAT I WAS, I LOOKED LIKE, AND I KNEW WHAT I WAS UP AGAINST.
I STARTED AS A CLERK TYPIST, TOO, PERMANENT PART-TIME, AND PROMOTED TO CLERK.
THEN WENT TO, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUREAU, SECRETARY, NO CLERK TYPE IS THREE UNCLASSIFIED AND HUMAN RESOURCES BUREAU, SECRETARY AND CLASSIFIED.
THEN I CAME TO CIVIL SERVICE, AND I WAS A ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST, ONE A TWO.
THEY BECAME A PERSONNEL ANALYST, ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
SO I LITERALLY HAD TO WORK MY WAY UP AND TAKE EVERY STEP.
I HAD NO CONNECTIONS WITH THE CITY.
SO I DIDN'T GET WHERE I WANT WANTED BY THE WAY, I LOOKED.
I GOT WHERE I WANTED BY MY ACHIEVEMENT UNTIL 2015.
THEN I WAS APPOINTED SPECIAL PROJECTS OFFICER, YOU MIGHT SAY, YAY, SHE'S APPOINTED AS A OFFICER.
BUT THEN WHEN IT CAME TO ME THAT THE THEN DIRECTOR TOLD ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS, HEY, I WANTING CREDIT BECAUSE THEY APPOINTED A BLACK MANAGER.
I KNEW THEN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE APPOINTED, BUT YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK ON THAT.
SO I, I FELT LIKE I WAS IN A POSITION WHERE I WAS PUSHED ASIDE, SO I COULD NOT MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
BUT I, THE LAST FEW YEARS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING, IT'S BEEN REWARDING BECAUSE I FELT LIKE IT MEANT SOMETHING.
AND I'VE BEEN IN A POSITION THAT MATTERED.
AND I WANNA THANK CHRISTINA FOR GIVING ME THAT SEAT AT THE TABLE, BECAUSE WHEN SHE CAME 2020, IT'S LIKE, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
[01:20:01]
A LOT THE SYSTEM HAD WAS FAILING, WAS FAILING.IT WAS LIKE WE WERE ALREADY HIT ROCK BOTTOM.
SO THE LAST FEW YEARS HERE HAS BEEN TOUGH.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE CIVIL SERVICE HAS BEEN ON LIFE SUPPORT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH MINIMAL RESOURCES AND MINIMAL STAFF? AND I TOLD CHRISTINA, I SAID, YOU KNOW, IF I'M GONNA DO THIS, I, I CAN'T DO IT.
HOW THE LAST LEADERSHIP DID WHEN JOBS, WHEN THE EXAMS WERE NOT JOB RELATED, WE'RE NOT GONNA JUST MAKE UP REQUIREMENTS.
WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA MAKE UP A TEST.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK REALLY CRIPPLED THIS ORGANIZATION IS THE FACT THAT THE LAST LEADERSHIP SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE JUST GONNA GIVE ALL THE BANDS TO THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND THE ORGANIZATION DID NOT FAIL ME.
THEY BASICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE NOT GONNA COMPLY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE THAT BACK.
SO IT'S REALLY HARD WHEN YOU LOWER, UH, STOP, GIVE THEM SOMETHING THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE, AND THEN TRY TO TAKE IT BACK, YOU KNOW? SO I DON'T KNOW HOW PREFERENCES WOULD ACTUALLY WORK.
NOW, MOVING FORWARD, IF DEPARTMENTS DO NOT WANNA COMPLY WITH BANDING, AND, AND I KNEW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, IT'S GONNA BE A TOUGH, AND I SAID, THERE'S GONNA BE GROWING PAINS IN THE ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF NOISE.
THEY, THEY DID EXACTLY THAT, AND I WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
I THINK IF I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I THINK I WOULD RECOMMEND JUST PULLING A BANDAID.
LET'S JUST GET BACK TO, UM, GOING WITH THE RULES.
SO I'M DISAPPOINTED, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT HAPPENED WITH MR. YOUNG TODAY.
I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT THE RULES AGAIN.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE ORGANIZATION, IF THEY'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE RULES, THEY'RE CIVIL SERVICE AND NA RULES AND NAME ONLY NOW.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST WANNA THANK COMMISSION.
UM, I, I DON'T THINK THE MAYOR SAW IT COMING WHEN HE APPOINTED, UH, PASSIONATE COMMISSIONERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
IF YOU'RE GONNA BE IN THE POSITION, YOU GOTTA REALLY, UM, UNDERSTAND AND HAVE THE PASSION FOR IT.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS POSITIONED HERE IN CIVIL SERVICE FOR 23 YEARS, MORE THAN 23 YEARS, BUT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST DEPARTMENT.
I COULD HAVE MOVED AROUND THE CITY.
THIS IS THE FOURTH DEPARTMENT.
BUT I FELT THIS WAS NOT JUST A JOB.
THIS WAS A POSITION THAT MATTERED TO ME.
SO I PROBABLY WOULD DO IT FOR FREE AT THIS POINT,
AND SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK, HEY, YOU ARE DOING IT FOR FREE.
YOU COULD HAVE RETIRED A WHILE AGO.
BUT I KNEW THAT THERE WAS WORK TO DO, AND I FELT I CAN ACTUALLY SAY I DID WHAT I CAME TO DO DESPITE HOW I ENDED.
UM, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THIS AMAZING TEAM, UM, FOR HOLDING DOWN THE FORT WHILE I TOOK A LITTLE VACATION LAST WEEK.
UM, I AM A STRONG PROPONENT OF PROVIDING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO FOLKS AND KNOWING THAT THEY COULD DO EVERYTHING THAT I DID, AND THEY DID.
AND SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF.
THANK YOU TO CAPRICE FOR COORDINATING WITH LIZ.
UM, AND SO I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT STAFF IS VERY CAPABLE, UM, AND HAVE TRIED TO MODEL THAT TO SAY, PLEASE TAKE TIME OFF BECAUSE IT GIVES OTHERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RISE UP AND, UM, PRACTICE SKILLS THAT MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE.
UM, BUT THIS MANAGEMENT TEAM IS NOT IN A PRACTICE MODE THERE VERY JOURNEY LEVEL.
AND I KNEW THAT IT WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE.
SO THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR THAT.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO, UM, STAFF FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
THIS IS MY WILL BE MY LAST COMMISSION MEETING.
IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE HONOR AND PLEASURE TO SERVE THIS TEAM, TO SERVE THIS COMMISSION, UM, IN THE MANY ITERATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE.
UM, I DREAM JOB REALLY WAS, I REALLY AM ENDING MY CAREER ON A DREAM JOB BECAUSE OF THE COMPASSION AND DE DEDICATION THAT MET AT THE SAME TIME WITH A TEAM AND A STAFF THAT WAS COMMITTED TO THE MERIT SYSTEM AND A COMMISSION IN ITS VARIOUS ITERATIONS THAT WAS COMMITTED TO THE, TO THE MERIT SYSTEM.
[01:25:01]
THE CASE IN THIS DEPARTMENT.THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHALLENGING TIMES, BUT THE UNIVERSE HAS COLLIDED.
AND MY LAST FIVE YEARS WHILE, UM, CHALLENGING, HAVE BEEN GOOD, CHALLENGING BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE MOST THAT ARE HERE TODAY, UM, THAT I WOULD NOT, I WOULD GO TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH FOR.
UM, AND I THINK THEY DO THAT FOR EACH OTHER.
AND SO IT IS WITH THAT, THAT I SAY, WE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO BE HEADS DOWN AND DOING THE WORK WHILE THE NOISE WAS ABOVE.
UM, AND THAT IS PART OF THEIR COMMITMENT AND THEIR DEDICATION TO THEIR PROFESSION.
THIS, THIS IS NOT JUST A JOB, THIS IS A PROFESSION.
THIS IS, UH, AS I ALWAYS TRY TO TELL PEOPLE, THE MERIT SYSTEM IS A SCIENCE.
THERE, THERE ARE REASONS WHY WE DO THINGS.
UM, AND SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THIS TEAM.
UM, I HAVE CO-LED WITH THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.
WE, I CAME IN AND SAID, LET'S, LET'S DO SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
UM, BECAUSE MY CAREER ALSO STARTED HERE.
I WAS AN ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST IN THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES DIVISION AND ROSE UP THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AT VARIOUS TIMES.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND I JUST WANTED US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, EVEN WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES WE DID.
THEY DID AN AMAZING JOB TO CONTINUE TO, TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND I KNOW, UM, THAT THIS IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE CITY, AND I KNOW THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE STRONG.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
AND, UH, WHILE I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN THE ULTIMATE PROFESSIONAL WHERE I WOULD HAVE RUN INTO THE STREETS SCREAMING FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR YOU REMAIN SILENT, AND DID YOUR JOB, LED YOUR TEAM TO DO THEIR JOB.
NEVER SPOKE OUT IN A NEGATIVE MOMENT, ALWAYS POSITIVE.
YOU ARE AN EXCELLENT LEADER AND EXCELLENT ROLE MODEL FOR YOUR STAFF AND FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THIS CITY.
I HAD AN EXPECTATION THAT YOU WOULD REMAIN WITH THE CITY IN ANOTHER CAPACITY.
I HAD THAT EXPECTATION BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS LED TO BELIEVE.
HOWEVER, IT IS NOT SO, AND AGAIN, IT IS BECAUSE THE DISINGENUOUS COMMUNICATION THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS RECEIVED.
SO IT BROKE MY HEART, IT DID BROKE MY HEART TO KNOW THAT THEY HAD PUSHED YOU OUT AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
YOU WOULD'VE NEVER GONE TO WORK FOR TOM MOCA.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY OFFERED YOU.
IT HURT ME TO MY CORE TO SEE YOU TREATED THIS WAY AFTER ALL THAT YOU DID.
YOU WEREN'T GIVEN THE RESOURCES.
YOU, IT DECIMATED YOUR DEPARTMENT, AND IT WAS PLANNED.
AND IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO YOU, YOU HAVE CARRIED YOURSELF AS THE ULTIMATE PROFESSIONAL.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I HURT KNOWING WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
[01:30:02]
I'M HEARTBROKEN, AND I'M ANGRY BECAUSE SOMETIMES I HATE IT.WHEN I FEEL POWERLESS, I FEEL POWERLESS, AND IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE VOTERS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN POSITIONS OF POWER TO LEAD TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND I'M DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WAS RAISED TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND SPITE OF SELF DECENT AND IN ORDER.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, BUT I DON'T GO SILENT.
I WILL NOT TAKE THE HIGH ROAD LIKE YOU.
WHEN THEY GO LOW, I GET RIGHT DOWN IN THE DIRT WITH THEM.
IT WAS UNPROFESSIONAL, AND IT WAS PLANNED.
THEY NEVER INTENDED FOR YOU TO STAY.
THEY INTENDED FOR YOU TO DO JUST WHAT YOU DID.
AND WITH THE AIR OF GRACE, YOU RETIRED WITH AN HEIR OF GRACE.
YOU DIDN'T EVEN CALL THEM ON THEIR BEHAVIOR.
AND I SIT HERE IN THIS SEAT TODAY, AND I SAY TO YOU, THEY WERE WRONG.
YOU GAVE 150% WHEN THEY GAVE YOU NOTHING, AND YOU STILL DID YOUR JOB.
AND I HAVE BEEN HONORED TO WORK WITH YOU, HONORED TO SEE YOU LEAD, HONORED TO KNOW THAT MY DAUGHTERS, MY LATINA DAUGHTERS, HAVE YOU TO LOOK UP TO.
AND IF YOU EVER NEED A SISTER, JUST CALL ME.
MY NAME IS ROBIN GORDON PETERSON.
AND IF I SAY SOMETHING, I STAND IN IT.
I DON'T MISLEAD THEM, AND I DON'T MAKE DISINGENUOUS STATEMENTS.
SO THANK YOU, CHRISTINA, FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR STAFF.
WE, UH, I AM PART OF A, THE COMMISSION THAT HAS BEEN HERE THROUGHOUT YOUR TENURE AS, UH, DEPARTMENT HEAD.
UH, IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO INTERVIEW YOU WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AT THAT TIME.
UH, YOU WERE THE WHOLE PACKAGE.
AND, UM, I WILL BRIEFLY SIDELINE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MADAM PRESIDENT HAS SAID.
UM, AND I WANNA TALK ABOUT, UH, YOUR ROLE HERE FROM THE TIME WE INTERVIEWED YOU.
AND WE KNEW WE DIDN'T ONLY JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A SHORTER COMMUTE
IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO SEE YOU UNFOLD IN THIS ROLE, THAT INTEGRITY, UH, THAT THIS MERIT SYSTEM DESERVES.
YOU HAVE BEEN, UH, AN ABSOLUTE BEACON OF, OF EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD.
AND WE COULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN A BETTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO LEAD THIS DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY AS IT SUNSETS.
UM, IT IS, IT, IT LEAVES A HOLE IN MY HEART, UM, TO LOSE THIS CHARTERED COMMISSION AND DEPARTMENT AS IT HAS EXISTED FOR ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS, GIVE OR TAKE.
I KNOW THE CITY INCORPORATED IN 1897.
I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE CHARTER CAME IN INTO PLAY.
UH, BUT THIS, THIS TEAM, AND AS, UH, COMMISSIONER OR PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON SAID, UH, THIS, THIS IS QUITE, QUITE THE, WHEN I THINK OF PRESET IT QUITE THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, THAT I DON'T THINK ANYONE EXPECTED TO BE SO VOCAL
[01:35:01]
ABOUT THINGS.UM, AND YOU HAVE HAD SO MUCH GRACE, EVEN WHEN WE WERE TRIPPED UP AS A COMMISSION BY THE LEADERS IN THE CITY, UM, WE WERE TAKEN, ESSENTIALLY, THE RIGHT WAS TAKEN FROM US TO GIVE YOU YOUR MERIT INCREASE.
UM, WHICH WE WILL FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET, UH, BUT AGAIN,
BUT I JUST, I JUST CAN'T, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH WORDS TO SHARE THE ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE, HONOR, UH, AND PLEASURE IT HAS BEEN TO SERVE WITH YOU, SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY, OF LONG BEACH, OF THE EMPLOYEES, OF THE CITY, OF LONG BEACH.
SERVE ALONGSIDE YOUR TEAM, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE CREATED AND GUIDED AND IMPLEMENTED IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL FOR THE GIFT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
I HAVEN'T SAID NOTHING THE WHOLE MEETING TILL NOW.
UM, CHRISTINA, I AM SO PRIVILEGED THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEARN FROM YOU.
I AM SO HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE GRACE THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT, UM, IS SO IMPRESSIVE FOR ME.
UM, OBVIOUSLY FOLKS KNOW THAT, UM, GRACE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WHILE THE TORNADO WAS GOING ON, UH, YOU WERE CONCENTRATING ON MAKING SURE THAT YOUR STAFF WAS TAKEN CARE OF AND WAS ABLE TO DO THEIR JOBS.
AND, UM, THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT IN AND OF ITSELF WHEN, UH, WHEN THE DEPARTMENT IS LITERALLY BEING DECIMATED AND PROPOSED AND ULTIMATELY VOTED IN FAVOR OF BEING DONE AWAY WITH.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE THAT COULD DO THAT.
I AM CERTAINLY NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.
UM, BUT IT TRULY HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE, UH, TO LEARN FROM YOU, TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU, UM, AND TO JUST BENEFIT, UH, FROM ALL THE INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE, UM, THAT, UH, YOU HAVE SHARED WITH ME OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION.
SO I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU AND, UM, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU AS A FELLOW LATINO.
UM, ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT YOU'VE MADE, UM, ARE SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALSO SHARED WITH MY TWO DAUGHTERS AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER.
UM, THEY KNOW AND THEY HAVE SEEN THE PICTURE OF YOUR OFFICE, AND I TELL THEM WHO WORKS IN THAT OFFICE, WHO SHE IS, AND WHAT SHE'S DONE WITH HER LIFE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN, THANK YOU.
SO I'VE BEEN IN SEARCH OF PROFOUND WORDS, AND THEY, THEY'VE BEEN HARD TO FIND.
UH, SO I ENDED UP OF ALL UNLIKELY PLACES.
WHO, UM, UH, AND THERE WAS A LINE FROM ONE OF THE EPISODES, UM, THAT AS FOLKS HAVE GONE AROUND THE CITY, CROWING ABOUT THEIR WIN HAS REALLY REFLECTED ON ME, LIKE WINNING.
I DON'T DO THIS TO WIN AND I DON'T DO IT FOR, BECAUSE IT'S EASY.
I DON'T EVEN DO IT BECAUSE IT WORKS.
'CAUSE IT DOES IT, MOST OF THE TIME I DO IT BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT.
AND MOST OF ALL, BECAUSE IT'S KIND.
AND I THINK ABOUT THE WORK OF THIS DEPARTMENT, HOW FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT AND THE KIND IT HAS BEEN, UM, DOING, DOING THINGS
[01:40:01]
THE RIGHT WAY, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO TRADITIONALLY WOULD NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES ALMOST EVERYBODY AT THIS DAIS, UM, AT SOME POINT IN HISTORY OR ANOTHER, UM, IN MANY PRESENT DAY SITUATIONS AS WELL.UM, AND THEN JUST HOW FOCUSED ON THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE KINDNESS YOU HAVE BEEN.
UM, I KNOW SOME OF THE MANAGEMENT HAVE BEEN COMPLAINED THAT WE ARE MEAN TO THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE HELD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
AND YES, TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT USED TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
A LITTLE BIT OF OUTSIDE ACCOUNTABILITY FEELS MEAN.
UM, BUT EVEN THERE, UH, EVEN JUST TODAY, UM, OUR, OUR PRESIDENT, UH, SHOWED HER KINDNESS AND HER COMPASSION EVEN FOR, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE MANAGEMENT IS HEARD AND REPRESENTED.
THAT FAIRNESS HAS REALLY RESONATED.
AND I THINK IT COMES FROM YOU AND IT COMES FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND THE STAFF.
UM, I'LL JUST TAKE A MOMENT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU ALWAYS GET TO HEAR HOW INDIVIDUAL, UM, HOW YOU AFFECT INDIVIDUAL LIVES.
BUT, UM, THE JOURNEY OF A QUEER PERSON IS A VERY COMPLICATED ONE.
AND YOU GO THROUGH DIFFERENT PHASES OF LEARNING DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOURSELF THAT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO EXPRESS OR HAVE THE WORDS FOR THE PERMISSION TO BE, UM, AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN YOUR LIFE.
I'VE SORT OF BEEN ON THAT JOURNEY FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, THREE YEARS.
UM, AND THAT ENTIRE TIME, UH, YOU, THE DEPARTMENT, THE COMMISSION, HAVE REALLY BEEN THERE TO GIVE ME CENTER AND GROUNDING AND SPACE AND SUPPORT AND KINDNESS, AND I SO, SO APPRECIATE THAT.
AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY FRIEND.
UM, ALL OF YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY FRIEND, SO THANK YOU.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY FROM THE MACRO, THIS COMMUNITY, THIS ORGANIZATION, THIS COMMISSION, AND ULTIMATELY THIS AMAZING TEAM.
I SOMETIMES I OFTENTIMES, WHEN THERE'S, I'M IN A DIFFICULT POSITION IN MY LIFE AND I SAY, OKAY, WHAT IS THE LESSON? WHY AM I HERE? UM, AND I THINK DRIVING IN TODAY, THERE WAS A CLARITY OF WHY I'M HERE.
AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE MY, MY MANAGERS, MY MANAGEMENT TEAM, THEY'RE THE TECHNICAL EXPERTS.
YOU OFTEN SEE ME CALL ON THEM OR REFER TO THEM, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY ARE THE DEFINITE TECHNICAL EXPERTS.
BUT MY, I, I CAME TO THAT REALIZATION THIS MORNING THAT I'M HERE FOR THE, FOR THE PEOPLE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE BRIDGE AS EASILY AND PEACEFULLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND YOUR KIND WORDS, I NEED YOU TO VOTE ON THE RECEIVE AND FILE FOR THE MANAGER'S REPORTS, PLEASE.
AND THEN WE'LL CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT SO THAT WE'RE NOT HOLDING YOU WHEN WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY.
WILL I ANNOUNCE, OH, I'M SORRY.
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? GO AHEAD.
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Civil Service Commission on non-agenda items. ]
I'VE COMMUNICATED THIS TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.UM, THIS IS MY LAST MEETING AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION.
UM, ONCE MEASURE JB PASSED, UH, I WENT AHEAD AND
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
CONSULTED WITH[01:45:01]
MY EMPLOYER, AND WE HAVE FOUND OTHER ACTIVITIES FOR ME TO TAKE ON ON WEDNESDAYS SINCE THIS COMMISSION WILL BE SUNSET AT SOME POINT.I DID LISTEN IN ON THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR US TO CONTINUE THIS WORK.
ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE THE REQUEST POST ELECTION, I WISH THERE WOULD'VE BEEN SOME COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY LEADERS REGARDING A TRANSITION.
UM, AT SOME POINT BEFORE THE ELECTION ACTUALLY HAPPENED, WE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD ONLY BE TWO OUTCOMES TO THE ELECTION.
AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE PREPARED ACCORDINGLY FOR BOTH OUTCOMES.
UM, I EXPECTED TO BE DONE WITH THE COMMISSION IF MEASURE JB PASSED ONCE THE VOTE WAS CERTIFIED, I UNDERSTAND THE VOTE WILL BE CERTIFIED DECEMBER 10TH.
AT SOME POINT, LA COUNTY WILL CERTIFY THAT VOTE.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF LONG BEACH HAS A DIFFERENT DATE FOR THEIR LOCAL, UH, CERTIFICATIONS.
UM, THE DATE HAS CHANGED A COUPLE OF TIMES.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
I'VE ALREADY COMMITTED MY WEDNESDAYS TO OTHER THINGS PROFESSIONALLY.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITY'S MAYOR FOR APPOINTING ME TO THIS IMPORTANT COMMISSION.
UM, BUT MY GRATITUDE REALLY LIES WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT STAFF.
I'VE ALREADY THANKED CHRISTINA, I WANT TO THANK MARIA.
I WANNA THANK SAL IN HIS ABSENCE.
I KNOW HE'S NOT HERE, UM, BUT I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU.
I WANT TO THANK STAFF, UH, THAT HAS SHOWN UP AT EVERY COMMISSION MEETING AND PROVIDED REPORTS.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DO ALL THE WORK, UM, AND I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT OTHERWISE.
UM, I CHOSE TO COME TODAY BECAUSE I WANTED TO HONOR THE WORK THAT CIVIL SERVICE STAFF HAS DONE, NOT AT THE REQUEST OF ANY POLITICIAN.
I AM HERE BECAUSE I WANNA HONOR THE WORK THAT STAFF HAS BEEN DOING DILIGENTLY.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE WAS ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AS BEST AS POSSIBLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
I WILL NOT BE CALLED IRRESPONSIBLE, IMPULSIVE, OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS BY ANY OF OUR CITY LEADERS.
I'M SURE THEY WILL SAY THAT AT SOME POINT.
THIS IS A DECISION THAT I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT A LONG TIME.
AND LIKE I SAID, WITH AN ELECTION, THERE ARE ONLY TWO POSSIBLE OUTCOMES.
IT IS NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TRANSITION THE CITY.
THAT WAS THE CITY'S JOB, AND I LEAVE THEM TO THAT TODAY.
SO EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD THAT HAS SHOWN UP, THAT HAS HAD THE COURAGE, HAS PUT UP WITH HAVING TO SHOW UP.
I'M NOT THANKING YOU FOR DOING SOMETHING EXTRA.
I'M THANKING YOU FOR DOING YOUR JOB.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND DOING YOUR JOB, REPRESENTING YOUR DEPARTMENTS, ANSWERING QUESTIONS WHEN WE HAD THEM.
THANK YOU FOR NOT EVADING US AS SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE, EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE THAT HAS COME TO OUR MEETINGS, THAT HAS BEEN PART OF OUR HEARINGS.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOUR TRUST IN THIS COMMISSION FOR VOICING WHETHER YOU WERE IN FAVOR OR IN OPPOSITION OF ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE EVER DONE, I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COMING FOR COMING TO OUR MEETINGS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HEARD WHAT YOU FELT NEEDED TO BE HEARD HERE.
I DOUBT THAT THAT WILL BE THE CASE MOVING FORWARD.
GARY, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ADVICE.
I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU AS FAR AS THE LEGAL ASPECT OF THIS COMMISSION AND HOW THE CITY DOES BUSINESS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN SUCH A WEIRD POSITION OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND I APPRECIATE ALSO YOUR ADVICE AND YOUR COUNSEL AND YOUR IMPARTIALITY IN THIS MATTER.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN A TRUE ASSET TO THIS COMMISSION WHILE I HAVE BEEN ON IT.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, MY FINAL WORDS ARE FOR MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I AM TRULY HONORED TO HAVE SERVED WITH SUCH A DIVERSE COMMISSION TO END UP ON A COMMISSION WITH A LATINA THAT GREW UP IN THE SAME RIO AS I DID WITH TWO STRONG BLACK WOMEN, AND WITH JUST MY, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLANDS.
UM, YOU ARE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF WHAT A BEAUTIFUL HUMAN IS, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
[01:50:01]
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR.THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO LEARN FROM YOU.
AND, UM, I AM SO MUCH BETTER TODAY THAN THE DAY I FIRST BECAME A COMMISSIONER HERE.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I YIELD THE FLOOR.
MAY I READ THE EMAIL THAT I RESPONDED TO COMMISSIONER'S RESIGNATION? ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HE'S HAD TIME TO READ IT.
UM, WHEN I WAS CATCHING UP ON MY EMAILS AND SAW THAT EMAIL FROM HIM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS HOW I FEEL REPRESENTING THE STAFF AS, AND IT COULD BE FOR EVERY SINGLE COMMISSIONER ON THIS DA.
SO I SAID, DEAR COMMISSIONER ASUNA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE WHILE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, YOUR ASTUTE OBSERVATIONS AND INQUIRIES INTO EVERY ITEM YOU TOUCHED AS A COMMISSIONER MADE ALL OF US BETTER AT WHAT WE DO TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS.
I ALWAYS ENJOYED HEARING YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND HOW THEY SHAPED YOU AS A PERSON WHO CAME TO THE BUSINESS OF THE COMMISSION, BE IT A BUSINESS MEETING OR A HEARING.
YOUR IMPARTIALITY WAS NEVER QUESTIONED, BUT YOUR SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE IN EVERY SITUATION WAS ALWAYS SEEN.
I WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS, KNOWING THAT THOSE YOU WILL ENCOUNTER WILL EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING WE DID HERE AT THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WITH GRATITUDE, WE SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER OLIS.
UH, SO I'LL START WITH ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TRADITIONALLY HAVE DONE, AND I WANT TO, UH, REMEMBER THAT TODAY IS TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE.
UM, AND WE HAVE LOST MANY, UM, IN THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, AND ALSO STATE, UM, THAT WHILE THE CITY MAY TAKE WHAT ACTIONS IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE, UM, I SEE MY RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE COMMISSION ENDING WITH THIS COMMISSION AS AN ENTITY.
AND IN MY MIND, UM, THAT WILL BE ON DECEMBER 10TH.
SO I HAVE NO INTENTION OF RESIGNING.
I WILL REMAIN THE COMMISSIONER, UM, UNTIL THAT DAY.
BUT IN MY MIND, THAT DAY IS THE LAST DAY THAT THIS COMMISSION EXISTS.
WHATEVER THE CITY CONSTITUTED IS NOT THIS COMMISSION.
UM, SO, UH, I WILL, UH, I, I HAVE ASKED, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, WRAPPED UP AS MUCH BUSINESS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, LIKE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER, UM, WE, WE BOTH WILL BE PULLED AWAY TO OTHER BUSINESS, UM, IN, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
UM, BUT, UH, I JUST AM SO, AS I SAID EARLIER, GREATLY APPRECIATED, UM, THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THANK YOU ALL.
SO THERE'S A, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UM, THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND FOR THE RECORD, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A LETTER SENT TO COMMISSIONERS FROM THE MAYOR.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I HAD SOME EMAIL ISSUES FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND SO I DID NOT RECEIVE THAT LETTER.
I DID GET A CHANCE TO READ IT THIS MORNING.
AND JUST AS THIS PEOPLE'S COMMISSION DOES, UH, FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES, IF IT'S AVAILABLE, I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD, PLEASE.
UM, IF ANYONE HAS IT, UH, I CAN FIND IT.
I KNOW I WAS GONNA SAY, SORRY.
I WENT ON VACATION ON MY TECHNICAL SKILLS WANED A LITTLE BIT.
[01:55:01]
UH, 2024 ON THE LETTERHEAD OF MAYOR REX RICHARDSON.DEAR MEMBERS OF THE LONG BEACH CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO PERSONALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEMANDING BUT IMPORTANT WORK THAT THIS YEAR HAS PRESENTED YOU AS A COMMISSION.
AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED AND DEBATED CHANGES TO A HISTORIC SYSTEM THAT I KNOW EACH OF YOU FEELS DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL IN DEPTH, LISTENED INTENTLY TO THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE COMMISSION AND THE MANY DIVERSE CONSTITUENCIES WE REPRESENT AND MADE CHANGES TO ADDRESS AS MANY CONCERNS AS POSSIBLE.
I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THAT THE COMMISSION HAS MEANINGFULLY VOICED ITS OPINION THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, AS IS YOUR RIGHT, AS APPOINTED CITY COMMISSIONERS.
HOWEVER, IT IS NOW EVIDENT THAT THE VOTERS HAVE CLEARLY SPOKEN AND APPROVED THE MEASURE JB CHARTER AMENDMENT OVERWHELMINGLY BY NEARLY 62%.
WE NOW HAVE AN IMPORTANT SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO ENACT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS AND ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO THIS NEW SYSTEM, REGARDLESS OF OUR PREVIOUS OPINIONS ON THE MEASURE.
AND I AM ASKING FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND ASSISTANCE IN DOING THAT.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE TO YOU, AND I INVITE YOU TO DISCUSS THESE AT NOVEMBER, AT THE NOVEMBER 19TH, 2024 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE HEARD THAT THE COMMISSION HAS REQUESTED AN OPINION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT THE COMMISSION'S ROLE MOVING FORWARD AND A REQUEST FOR A GUARANTEE OF CERTAIN LEGAL PROTECTIONS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ANSWERED THESE CONCERNS TO THE BEST OF HER ABILITY.
THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSION WILL CONTINUE IN ITS CURRENT FORM UNTIL THE CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTION, AND AFTER THAT POINT WILL CONTINUE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH IS BEING DISCUSSED AT THE COUNCIL'S NOVEMBER 19TH MEETING.
IF YOU FEEL THIS MATTER HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY RESOLVED, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME TO THE MEETING TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH COUNCIL.
NUMBER TWO, THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ABRUPTLY CANCELED THE SCHEDULED MEETING OF NUMBER NOVEMBER 6TH, 2024, WHICH HAS IMPACTS ON THE CITY'S CITY ORGANIZATION AND ITS EMPLOYEES.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA WAS A REQUESTED APPROVAL OF THE CLASS SPECIFICATION FOR THE SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN POSITION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.
THIS POSITION HAS NOT HAD AN ELIGIBILITY LIST SINCE SEPTEMBER, 2021, AND CURRENTLY HAS A 39% VACANCY RATE BY CANCELING THE MEETING, THAT SPECIFICATION CANNOT BE APPROVED AND THE RECRUITMENT CANNOT START.
CRI CRITICAL DISCIPLINARY APPEAL DECISIONS ARE ALSO ON HOLD, GIVEN THE CANCELLATION AS OF TODAY.
THERE HAS BEEN NO MEETING SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 20TH, THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE COMMISSION, WHICH CONCERNS ME GREATLY.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE COMMISSION CONTINUE TO MEET, TO CONDUCT THE REGULAR BUSINESS OF THE CITY AND FULFILL ITS PUBLIC DUTY UNDER THE CHARTER TO HEAR APPEALS AND OVERSEE PERSONNEL RELATED ACTIONS.
NUMBER THREE, AS MAYOR, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO ALL FIVE COMMISSIONERS INDIVIDUALLY TO DISCUSS THESE CONCERNS AND TALK THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO THE VOTER APPROVED NEW HIRING SYSTEM.
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, ONLY THE CHAIR HAS RETURNED ANY OF MY CALLS, WHICH IS ALARMING.
AS A CITY OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR APPOINTING COMMISSION MEMBERS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
I EXPECT THE COURTESY OF HAVING MUTUAL AND RESPONSIVE LINES OF COMMUNICATION WHEN REQUESTED, EVEN ON TOPICS WHERE WE MAY HAVE DIFFERING OPINIONS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ON BEHALF OF OUR RESIDENTS, THE CITY MANAGER HAS DEVELOPED A PLAN TO SUPPORT CIVIL SERVICE THROUGH ITS TRANSITION AND HAS COMMUNICATED THAT PLAN WITH BOTH THE COMMISSION, THE PUBLIC AND HUMAN RESOURCES, AND CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY MANAGER HAS PROPOSED A MODIF MODIFICATION TO SUPPORT THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH AN INTERIM DIRECTOR, GIVEN THE NEWS OF THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S PLANNED RETIREMENT ON DECEMBER 2ND.
THIS HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSION, THE CITY LABOR UNIONS, AND WILL BE AVAILABLE IN WRITING TODAY ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA FOR PUBLIC DELIBERATIONS ON NOVEMBER 19TH.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHERE THESE ITEMS WILL BE DISCUSSED.
AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT TOGETHER WE CAN COME TO A SOLUTION THAT HONORS AND UPHOLDS THE WILL OF THE VOTERS
[02:00:01]
FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO THE NEW SYSTEM THEY HAVE ELECTED TO PUT IN PLACE.THANK YOU, REX RICHARDSON, LONG BEACH MAYOR.
UM, AGAIN, I WILL REITERATE THAT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT RECEIVE THIS LETTER.
UH, I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO READ IT THIS MORNING, AND I, I FOUND IT IMPORTANT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT I WAS ON THE RECORD AND TO RESPOND SINCE I WAS NOT, UH, ABLE TO ATTEND LAST NIGHT.
SINCE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE MEETING, UH, PERSONALLY, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE MEETING THAT WAS CANCELED.
UH, THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION.
I, AS, UM, I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF AS THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION TO REQUEST THAT THE MEETING BE CANCELED FOR TWO REASONS.
AND THIS WAS BEFORE THE ELECTION RESULTS, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GONNA BE.
AND I WANTED THE INTEGRITY, AND I WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THIS MEETING WAS CANCELED PRIOR TO UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS OF THE MEETING, BECAUSE WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY.
WHAT WAS MISSING WAS THAT WE WERE TO RECEIVE, TO HAVE THIS COMMISSION, WAS TO HAVE THE PROTECTIONS THAT IT'S ENJOYED UP UNTIL THE POINT OF WHATEVER ELECTION RESULTS WOULD BE.
AND THAT WAS REQUESTED AT A MEETING, UM, WHERE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S REPRESENTATIVE WAS PRESENT, UM, WAS REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLINS.
AND SO ABSENT THAT, AND ABSENT THAT TODAY AS WELL, BUT ABSENT THAT, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL ON THE UP AND UP.
WE ALL UNDERSTOOD WHAT OUR ROLE WAS BECAUSE OF LACK OF COMMUNICATION FROM EITHER THE CITY MANAGER OR THE MAYOR, AS TO HOW THIS COMMISSION WOULD PROCEED, SHOULD MEASURE JB PASS.
SO THAT TAKES CARE OF TWO THINGS, A CANCELED MEETING.
AND THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT, AND HAVE NOT TO THIS STATE, RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, EXPLAINING TO US THAT WE CONTINUE WITH OUR RIGHTS THAT THIS COMMISSION, UM, CAN PUT FORTH IN ADDITION TO THE PROTECT PROTECTIONS AS WE EXECUTE THOSE RIGHTS AND COMMUNICATION.
I AGREE THAT COMMUNICATION IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.
IT IS BAFFLING THAT NOW IS WHEN WE WANT IT.
UM, I AM FULLY CONFIDENT THAT THE MAYOR COMMUNICATING WITH MADAM PRESIDENT WHO REPRESENTS THIS COMMISSION WOULD BE GOOD.
UM, BUT APPARENTLY WE WANNA HAVE ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, WHICH I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT DISINGENUOUS TO START NOW.
UM, SO THAT IS MY PERSONAL RESPONSE TO THAT LETTER.
UM, UNLESS COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, UM, I WILL MOVE ON TO MY NEXT PORTION.
SO I DID GO BACK AND I LOOKED AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UM, THE PART WHERE THEY SPOKE ABOUT CIVIL SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING, AND I'LL, I'LL START WITH THIS.
THIS IS A QUOTE BY A MAYA ANGELOU.
PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID.
PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.
AND I THINK THAT IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TOLD THE MAYOR WHEN THIS WAS FIRST PROPOSED, UM, IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS ANNOUNCEMENT AT STATE OF THE CITY, WAS THAT HE WENT ABOUT THIS THE COMPLETELY OPPOSITE WAY AS HE SHOULD HAVE.
I SAID, MAYOR, WE COULD HAVE HELPED.
WE'RE VERY INVESTED IN THIS PROCESS, IN THIS MERIT SYSTEM, THE INTEGRITY OF IT.
SO AS A COMMISSION, HAD YOU BROUGHT US ALONG, WE COULD HAVE HELPED CRAFT A SOLUTION, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT THIS COMMISSION RETAINING QUOTE UNQUOTE POWER.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WHY WE'RE HERE.
AS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS SAID, WE'RE NOT HERE BECAUSE IT'S EASY, WE'RE NOT HERE.
HE FORGOT TO SAY WE'RE NOT HERE BECAUSE OF THE PAY
IT'S BEEN HARD, IT'S BEEN LONG HOURS.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, WITHIN OUR DECISIONS, WE HOLD PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS, UH, WITH OUR, WITH THE APPEALS.
AND SO WE, WE SERVE, UM, I WAS APPOINTED BY NOW, UH, CONGRESSMAN ROBERT GARCIA, WHICH I'M FULLY GRATEFUL FOR HIS APPOINTMENT, HIS TRUST IN ME, AND THAT HE LEFT ME TO DO THE WORK THAT HE ENTRUSTED ME TO.
[02:05:02]
CONGRESSMAN, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT APPOINTMENT.SO THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS LACKED A TON.
I, I JUST FIND IT VERY PET, PET PATRONIZING THAT HERE WE ARE NOW COMPLAINING ABOUT COMMUNICATION, ABOUT THE CONTINUATION, THE EASY TRANSITION WHEN UP UNTIL THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD BEFORE THE ELECTION, THIS COMMISSION WAS IN THE DARK AS TO HOW WE WOULD PROCEED, SHOULD MEASURE JB PASS.
AND I KNOW THIS IS NOT DIRECTED TO ALL OF YOU, BUT YOU'RE ALL IN THE AUDIENCE.
BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS KNOWN.
I CAN REST EASY AT NIGHT, AND I'M GONNA BE SO BOLD AS TO SPEAK FOR MY COMMISSIONERS AS WELL, THAT WE DID THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
WE SCREAMED, RIGHT? WE WERE WHAT THEY CALL THE, THE STEREOTYPICAL ANGRY BLACK WOMAN OR LATINA WOMAN.
AND WE WILL GET, YOU KNOW, TO BE TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE OF THAT.
BUT WHATEVER WE STOOD UP FOR WHAT WE BELIEVED IN, WE STOOD UP FOR THIS MERIT SYSTEM, AND WE DID IT WITH INTEGRITY WHERE I COULD STILL, AS A COMMUNITY LEADER, HOLD MY HEAD UP HIGH WHEREVER I GO, WHATEVER ROOM I WALK INTO.
I DID THAT WHEN I RAN FOR COUNCIL WAY BACK WHEN I WASN'T SUCCESSFUL.
BUT GUESS WHAT? THE VERY NEXT DAY, I HAD TO STAND IN FRONT OF MY COMMUNITY AS PRESIDENT OF THE EAST VILLAGE ASSOCIATION AND FACE EVERYONE.
AND I WAS ONLY ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE I RAN WITH INTEGRITY JUST AS I HAVE SERVED ON THIS COMMISSION.
SO SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE LIKED WHAT I SAID, AND THAT'S OKAY.
BUT IF YOU HAVE A TRUE INTENT OF WORKING TOGETHER, THEN YOU START FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OR LISTENED TO WHAT THIS COMMISSION SAID, BUT YOU DIDN'T TAKE IT INTO ACCOUNT BECAUSE HAD YOU TAKEN IT TO ACCOUNT, WE WOULD'VE HAD A, A VERY DIFFERENT PROCESS.
HAD YOU BEEN WALKING WITH US THIS WHOLE TIME, THIS COMMISSION WOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF WHERE WE STOOD, SHOULD MEASURE JB PASS ON ELECTION NIGHT OR SOON THEREAFTER.
NOT ONLY DID NOT, WE, DID WE NOT GET WHAT WE REQUESTED IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING OUR PROTECTIONS, BECAUSE WE LOST TRUST IN THE PEOPLE THAT WERE TELLING US OTHERWISE.
SO WE'RE NOT FOOLISH TO ASK FOR PROTECTIONS AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF, OF WHAT OUR ROLE IS TODAY.
I WILL ALSO, UM, AND BY TENURE IN THIS COMMISSION, SO IT'S EFFECTIVE, UM, IMMEDIATELY AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS MEETING.
UM, IT IS, I HAD NO IDEA, TO BE QUITE HONEST WHAT I WAS GETTING MYSELF INTO, EVEN THOUGH I RESEARCHED A LOT AND DID ALL MY DUE DILIGENCE AS I LIKE TO DO BEFORE I COMMIT TO ANYTHING.
UM, I WAS IN FOR A RIDE AND A BEAUTIFUL RIDE.
IT HAS BEEN EVEN UP TO THE END THIS PAST YEAR, RIGHT? IT WAS, IT WAS NOT EASY, BUT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE I STOOD BY PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN THE SYSTEM, UM, BELIEVED IN FAIRNESS, INEQUALITY, AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT IN A FUTURE IN THIS COUNTRY, LET ALONE THE CITY.
SO UP UNTIL THE END, IT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.
MY WEDNESDAY MORNINGS, UM, SOME PEOPLE THINK I'M A LITTLE LOONY BECAUSE OF IT, BUT IT'S MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK, OR HAS BEEN UNTIL TODAY BECAUSE I GET TO COME IN AND, UH, STAND ALONGSIDE A STAFF THAT IS JUST AMAZING, AMAZING, NO WORDS WILL, WILL FILL THAT AMAZING, UH, UMBRELLA FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE'VE HAD, CURRENTLY, I'M THE LONGEST SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND SO EVERY TIME WE'VE HAD A CHANGE IN COMMISSIONER, WE'RE ALWAYS A LITTLE WARY BECAUSE THIS HAS, THIS DYNAMIC OF THIS COMMISSION SINCE I'VE BEEN ON SIX YEARS, UH, FOR SIX YEARS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN FANTASTIC.
AND WE HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED THAT EVERY NEW COMMISSIONER THAT HAS COME ON, UM, HAS, HAS FIT VERY WELL INTO THIS DYNAMIC.
WE'RE ARGUING OUR HEADS OFF, SOMETIMES
AND WHERE CHRISTINA HAS TO REMIND US, GUYS,
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE HEATED AND WE'RE PASSIONATE BEHIND
[02:10:01]
THE SCENES, BUT WE KNOW THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.BUT AS HUMAN BEINGS, WE TRUST EACH OTHER, WE BELIEVE IN EACH OTHER, AND WE RESPECT EACH OTHER.
AND SO THAT I HAVE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MY COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THAT AS MUCH AS WE GET ALONG THE, THE VARIED PERSPECTIVES THAT COME FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
AND SOMETIMES WE'RE LIKE, OH, YEAH, HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT OR HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT THAT WAY.
AND SO, AGAIN, THAT RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER ALLOWS US TO NOT DIG OUR HEELS IN AND JUST BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE.
WE TAKE EACH OTHER'S OPINIONS, UM, WE RESPECT THEM, WE SEE THEM, WE THINK ABOUT THEM, AND THEN WE DRAW CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THAT.
UM, SO IT HAS BEEN
AND THIS ONE, UM, THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY THAT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH BY BEING COMMISSIONERS OF, OF THIS MERIT SYSTEM AND APPEALS.
UM, WE HAVEN'T TAKEN IT LIGHTLY.
WE UNDERSTAND THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY AND MY WISH, TRULY HR, YOU HAVE REALLY BIG SHOES TO FILL, IF I MAY SAY SO MYSELF, BECAUSE, UH, I THINK THAT OUR WORK CAN SPEAK FOR ITSELF.
I WILL TALK ABOUT IT TODAY AS I HAVE BEEN.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO WORK AND WE DO IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS, AND THE EMPLOYEE'S NOT ALWAYS RIGHT, AND THE DEPARTMENT IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT.
AND WE LOOK AT THAT, UH, FAIRLY AND IMPARTIALLY AND MAKE OUR DECISIONS THAT WAY.
UM, MY HOPE IS ALSO THAT THESE DISCIPLINARY APPEALS, UM, GO SMOOTHLY.
THAT WHATEVER COMMISSIONERS SIT IN, IN THESE SEATS TO LISTEN TO APPEALS, UM, DO SO IMPARTIALLY THAT THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE NOT BEHOLDEN TO ANYONE OR ANY DEPARTMENT OR ANY PARTICULAR LEADER OR ANY OF THAT.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I AM SADDENED THAT WE WERE INVITED TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS LETTER IN RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER, UH, BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.
BUT BEFORE THIS EVEN WENT ON THE BALLOT, BEFORE IT WAS VOTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WE WERE NOT INVITED TO SPEAK
WE CAME TO SPEAK AND WE WERE NOT GIVEN THREE MINUTES, WE WERE GIVEN 90 SECONDS.
THAT'S THE RESPECT THAT THEY GAVE THIS COMMISSION AND THESE PEOPLE AS INDIVIDUALS, AS RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
SO TONIGHT, I WILL LAY MY HEAD ON MY PILLOW, KNOWING THAT I DID WONDERFUL WORK ALONG WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
AND KNOWING THAT WHATEVER THE COMMENTS MAY BE ABOUT MY RESIGNATION AFTER THIS MEETING, UM, I DIDN'T DO IT TO MYSELF.
PEOPLE MADE DECISIONS THAT THEY BEHAVED IN A CERTAIN WAY.
AND I AM OF THE OPINION AND AGE OF PARTED MOLE.
UM, BECAUSE I'M A HUMAN BEING AND I WON'T BE MESSED WITH, MY INTEGRITY WON'T BE MESSED WITH.
SO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSITION, NOT THIS COMMISSION.
UM, I'VE BEEN LONG-WINDED, BUT IT'S A LOT.
WITH THE SERVICE OF SIX YEARS, I WILL MISS MY WEDNESDAYS.
UM, I WILL MISS THE IMPORTANT WORK, AND THIS IS WHERE IT BECOMES PERSONAL, UM, BECAUSE COMMISSIONER ASUNA IS RIGHT.
THE LITTLE GIRL THAT DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE THAT GREW UP IN THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD GETS TO BE ON THIS DA IS AND HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS TO DO REALLY IMPORTANT WORK FOR, FOR UNDERREPRESENTED, UM, COMMUNITIES, OR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN GIVEN THEIR DUE.
YOU KNOW, I WENT TO THE, UM, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY YESTERDAY WITH MY KIDS, AND THEY HAVE AN EXHIBITION OF OF LOS ANGELES, AND I'M SO THANKFUL THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT THESE UNCOMFORTABLE THINGS AND INJUSTICES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN OUR PAST.
[02:15:01]
UM, BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE FINALLY, AS PEOPLE OF COLOR BEING SEEN AND HEARD, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEE THAT.UM, IT WAS ALSO VERY, UM, DISCOURAGING TO SEE THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS STILL HAPPEN TODAY.
AND SO WITH A HEART FULL OF GRATITUDE FOR EVERY STAKEHOLDER, EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE THAT CAME BEFORE US, UM, THE CIVIL SERVICE TEAM, JUST SUCH A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, ALL OF THE MANAGERS, CHRISTINA, GARY, I'D LIKE TO MESS WITH GARY A LOT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GONNA CHANGE IF WE EVER SEE EACH OTHER
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK, ALL OF THE DEDICATION.
AND GARY, I KNOW YOU WERE IN A TOUGH POSITION AND I CALLED YOU OUT A LOT, AND THEN YOU CALLED ME OUT A LOT BACK IN THE NICE WAY THAT YOU TEND TO DO
I NEVER BROKE THAT PROFESSIONAL BARRIER, GARY'S PROFESSIONAL BARRIER.
UM, BUT I WANNA, I, I REALLY, AND MAYBE I'M JUST BEING LONG-WINDED BECAUSE SUBCONSCIOUSLY, SUBCONSCIOUSLY, I DON'T WANT THIS TO END.
THIS HAS BEEN REALLY FULFILLING WORK.
COMMISSIONERS
WE BROUGHT SO MUCH TO EACH OTHER'S LIVES.
I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE LIFELONG FRIENDS.
UM, MADAM PRESIDENT, WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A VERY LONG TIME, VERY LONG.
UM, AND I CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUATION OF THIS SISTERHOOD THAT WE HAVE.
AND COMMISSIONER OSUNA, COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLANDS, I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE MET YOU AND VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE, UH, MADE LIFELONG FRIENDS IN YOU.
UM, AND EACH ONE OF YOU, UM, I DON'T WANNA TALK, STOP TALKING BECAUSE IT MEANS IT'S ALL OVER
BUT WITH THAT, I WILL SAY THANK YOU WITH A HEARTFUL OF GRATITUDE.
UM, I JUST, AS I SAID EARLIER, ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.
THIS TEAM, THE CIVIL SERVICE TEAM, I WILL SAY ONE LAST THING TO YOU.
YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN VERY TOUGH.
WE'VE HEARD IT FROM, FROM EVERYONE.
UM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST SAD ABOUT, OF, OF HOW THIS PROCESS WENT.
THAT, UH, YOUR WORK WAS POO-POOED.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU AS INDIVIDUALS AND NONE OF YOU DESERVE THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO SIT HERE, BUT THESE ARE YOUR CAREERS.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE WITH INTEGRITY, WITH HONESTY, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE SKILL TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, NOT ONLY FOR YOURSELF STANDING UP FOR YOURSELF WHEN WE'RE NOT HERE ANYMORE.
THIS COMMISSION ISN'T HERE ANYMORE.
AND THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO STAND UP FOR YOUR FELLOW COWORKER WHEN YOU KNOW SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT.
IT TAKES ALL OF US TO MAKE A CHANGE.
AND SO I AM INCREDIBLY HAPPY KNOWING THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH BECAUSE YOU'RE INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEINGS, ALL OF YOU.
AND CHRISTINA, I'LL SEE YOU
SO, UH, SINCE YOU READ THE LETTER INTO THE RECORD, UM, I WILL MAKE A COMMENT AND I WILL BE BRIEF.
JOANNE GARA TALKED ABOUT INTERVIEWING CHRISTINA FOR HER POSITION.
WHEN JOANNE GARCA INTERVIEWED CHRISTINA FOR HER POSITION, CHRISTINA WAS AN APPLICANT.
JOANNE GARCA WAS THE COMMISSIONER.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION APPOINTS THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THEY VET THEM, THEY MAKE CERTAIN THAT THAT'S THE PERSON THAT THEY FEEL WILL BEST SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S HOW CHRISTINA GOT HER JOB.
I WAS NOTICED THAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS GOING TO APPOINT THE INTERIM DIRECTOR AND THAT THAT WOULD BE MADE BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THE REASON WHY I WAS OFFENDED WAS BECAUSE THAT'S MY ROLE.
IT'S MY ROLE TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION AND SAY, WE NEED AN INTERIM DIRECTOR AND THEN TO VET
[02:20:01]
WHO IS AVAILABLE TO US, AND THEN TO APPOINT THAT POSITION.THAT ROLE WAS USURPED BY ME, BY THE CITY MANAGER.
AND THIS IS SAD FOR ME TO SAY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, THIS HURTS ME TO TELL YOU THIS.
IT WOULD MAKE NO SENSE FOR ME TO APPEAR BEFORE A CITY COUNCIL AND HAVE A DIALOGUE.
WHEN I WENT TO PRESENT A RANGE, A SALARY RANGE FOR MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND WITHOUT ASKING ME A SENTENCE, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WANTED TO RECEIVE AND FILE MY REQUEST.
AND BY THE WAY, I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO REQUEST THAT RANGE BY MY ATTORNEY, OUR ATTORNEY, YOU HAVE TO REQUEST ARRANGE ROBIN.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID.
I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE MAYOR.
I WAS ON MY VACATION AND I TOOK MY TIME TO HAVE A THOROUGH DISCUSSION WITH THE MAYOR.
THE CITY MANAGER KNEW OF THAT DISCUSSION, YET HE WENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND HE MISLED THE COMMUNITY REGARDING MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
HE DID NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE CONVERSATION THAT THE MAYOR AND I HAD.
AND THEN WHEN HE FELT HE WAS LOSING HIS ARGUMENT, HE SAYS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEY WANNA GIVE HER 4%.
THAT WAS A PRIVATE EMAIL BETWEEN HE, REX AND I, IT WAS NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
I HAD NOT EVEN GOTTEN THE APPROVAL FROM MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
AND THIS IS WHAT HE DID, TREATED ME WITH UTTER DISDAIN.
I, THERE WAS NO RESPECT IN THAT ROOM.
THE DEAL WAS DONE BEFORE I EVEN MADE THE ROOM.
BECAUSE FOR SOMEONE TO WANT TO RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT WITHOUT ANY COMMUNICATION, IT MEANS YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
SO THAT MEANS THE DISCUSSION WAS DONE IN THE BACK.
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT WHAT I'M SAYING.
AND NOW YOU SEND A LETTER SAYING TO COME AND BE, WHO WAS I GOING TO TALK TO? AND FOR WHAT? YOU TOOK AWAY MY AUTHORITY WHEN YOU PUT PEN TO PAPER, BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW YOU ARE ALL POUR AND P**S IN THE SAME POT.
YOU WEREN'T GOING BLIND INTO THAT ROOM TO DISCUSS ANYTHING.
AND I, ALONG WITH MY COMMISSIONERS, SHOULD BE APPOINTING MY INTERIM DIRECTOR.
NOT YOU, NOT YOU, BUT YOU WANT TO GO BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND DENY US OUR AUTHORITY.
WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE AND WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR? AND THEN YOU ADMONISH MY COMMISSIONERS FOR NOT COMING ON NOVEMBER 6TH.
WE'RE PUBLIC SERVANTS HERE TO SERVE.
YET EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY, YOU'VE TREATED US WITH UTTER DISDAIN AND TOTAL DISRESPECT.
AND I SPEAK THE TRUTH WHEN COMMISSIONER SAID WE HAVE SOMETHING WE WANNA SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT.
WE WANT TO KNOW THE DEAL IS, WHAT DID HE SAY? HE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN OUR OPINION.
THE CITY MANAGER SAID IT, POINT BLANK.
WE HAD NOTHING TO PUT IN THE DOCUMENT.
BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK FOR ONE MOMENT THAT EVERYTHING CONTAINED IN THAT LETTER DOES NOT HAVE AN OPPOSING VIEW.
AND YET YOU WANT ME TO SHOW UP WHILE YOU TAKE AWAY MY ABILITY TO APPOINT AN INTERIM DIRECTOR.
I'M SUPPOSED TO RIDE AND DIE WITH YOU ON THAT.
[02:25:02]
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN GIVE MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR A SALARY RANGE SO SHE COULD RECEIVE WHAT EVERY OTHER MANAGER DIRECTOR HAS RECEIVED.MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DID NOT GET HER RAISE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, AND YET I'M SUPPOSED TO COME AND TALK TO YOU WHEN WE HAD AN AGREEMENT AND YOUR CITY MANAGER THEN GOES BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND MISLEADS THEM AND BASICALLY STIFLES ME.
WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE? WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ELECTED AND REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AND TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY DIALOGUE.
IS THIS, IF YOUR LEMMINGS JUST FOLLOWING, IS THIS WHAT WE DO? SO TO THE LETTER, NO, I DID NOT APPEAR.
I HAVE TO ADMIT TO YOU, I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED.
WHEN YOU RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT BEFORE ANY DIALOGUE, THAT TELLS ME YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN ANY, ANYTHING THAT I HAVE TO SAY.
YOU'RE GOING TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
AND BY THE WAY, THE NAME THAT WAS SENT TO ME, I LET THE MAYOR KNOW I AM NOT IN AGREEMENT.
I DIDN'T GO TO THE COUNCIL MEETING TO SAY THAT.
I SAID IT TO HIM DIRECTLY BECAUSE I SAID TO HIM, ARE YOU GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION? THIS IS NOT THE PERSON FOR THE THIS POSITION.
AND WHY AM I NOT MAKING THIS DECISION? SO IF WE'RE GONNA PUT IT OUT THERE, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY SIDE OF IT TOO.
YOU HEARD JOANNE SAY HOW SHE INTERVIEWED CHRISTINA.
SO WHAT IS IT YOU WANT FROM THIS COMMISSION? WHEN I CAN APPROVE A BULLETIN, I SHOULD SHOW UP AND VOTE.
WHEN YOU HAVE A PENDING CASE, YOU NEED ME TO MAKE A DECISION ON I I'M GOOD ENOUGH FOR THAT.
IS THAT HOW THIS WORKS? BUT I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO DETERMINE WHO WAS GONNA LEAD THE DEPARTMENT ON AN INTERIM BASIS.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I GOT.
I FIGURE IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE THE DECISIONS, MAKE 'EM ALL.
YOU DON'T NEED COMMISSIONER FROST, HOLLANDS SPEAK FOR HIM.
YOU DON'T NEED COMMISSIONER SUNA.
YOU DON'T NEED COMMISSIONER GARCA.
AND BY THE WAY, I'LL PUT MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE UP AGAINST ANYONE'S.
I HAVE 10 YEARS WORTH OF HUMAN RESOURCES EXPERIENCE.
MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE IS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
I THINK I KNOW HOW TO LOOK AT A RESUME AND DETERMINE WHO IS THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB.
I THINK I HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DO THAT.
BUT YOU SAID YOU WANTED YOUR CITY MANAGER TO DO IT.
THIS MEETING IS GOING LONG, GENTLEMEN, I'LL JUST, ED WAS SAYING, I WILL REITERATE BROKEN RECORD, RIGHT? WE'RE HERE IN THIS POSITION BECAUSE WE WERE NOT COMMUNICATED WITH AS TO WHAT OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROTECTIONS WOULD BE, HOW LONG WE WOULD SERVE WHAT THEY NEEDED OF THIS COMMISSION.
NONE OF THAT WAS COMMUNICATED TO US UNTIL APPARENTLY NOVEMBER 15TH WITH A LETTER.
SO POST-ELECTION COMMISSIONER SAID THIS COULD ONLY GO TWO WAYS, ONE OF TWO WAYS.
WE'VE DONE IT, UH, WITH PRIDE AND INTEGRITY.
AND SO, UM, WITH, WITHOUT THE RESPECT OF BEING COMMUNICATED WITH AS TO WHAT OUR ROLES WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE LEAVE THE CITY TO FIGURE IT OUT AS I KNOW THEY WILL.
SO, UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GAR.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, COMMISSIONER UNA, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLINS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[02:30:01]
I WANT TO SAY OPENLY THAT I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM THE THREE OF YOU.JOSE AND I MET BEFORE HE AND I FOUND EACH OTHER ON THE COMMISSIONER.
WE WERE JUST SO HAPPY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, WE LOVED THIS CITY AND WE WERE SO HONORED TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER.
AND WHEN I LOOKED INTO ERIC'S EYES AND THEN LOOKED AT HIS FINGERNAILS, I KNEW
I KNEW THAT I HAD A KINDRED SPIRIT.
AND SO, UM, UH, OUR RELATIONSHIP DOES NOT, UH, START AND END WITH THIS COMMISSION.
UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE IN EACH OTHER'S LIVES FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, JUST KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR HONOR, AND YOUR INTEGRITY.
WE'VE TALKED ENOUGH BUNCH OF WIND WINDBAGS UP HERE.
MY NAME'S JAIME GARCIA, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE UTILITIES.
HOWEVER, UH, RIGHT NOW I'M SPEAKING TO YOU ALL AND SPECIFICALLY TO CHRISTINA AS THE SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR FOR THE LATINO EMPLOYEES ORGANIZATION, UH, FOR THE LAST THREE PLUS YEARS.
UM, DIRECTOR CHRISTINA, YOU'VE SERVED AS AN A MADINA, WHICH MEANS GODMOTHER TO ON OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR OUR EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION.
AND JUST TO SHARE A NOTE OF POSITIVITY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE YEARS THAT YOU'VE SPENT WITH, WITH US, UM, PROVIDING LEADERSHIP, GUIDANCE, ADVICE, COUNSEL, UH, AND ALSO BEING SO PERSONALLY INVESTED IN THE GROWTH OF OUR MEMBERS AND SPECIFICALLY OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, I WANNA SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ALREADY, UH, THAT THE LATINO EMPLOYEES ORGANIZATION THIS PAST WEEKEND, UH, MET OUR GOAL AND OUR CHIEF FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR THE YEAR OF RAISING $15,000 FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOCAL LONG BEACH STUDENTS.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY SURPASSED THAT GOAL AND WE SUR UH, WE RAISED $20,000 FOR STUDENTS FOR, UH, LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS.
SO CHRISTINA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE TIME THAT YOU'VE INVESTED BOTH IN SUPPORT OF MYSELF AND THEN ALSO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND TANGIBLY OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, UH, YOU'RE RETIRING, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN YES, HOPE FOR THE BEST FOR THE REST OF WHAT COMES FOR YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS TO LEO FOR, UM, OUTSTANDING, UM, ACHIEVEMENT AND THAT FUNDRAISING.
UM, THIS SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION HAS, UH, UH, AWOKEN SOMETHING IN ME AND EVERYTHING THAT I'VE LEARNED THROUGHOUT THE SIX YEARS.
AND SO MY PASSION IS STILL, UH, WITH THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP YOUR ORGANIZATION, UM, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY AND HONORED TO DO SO.
UM, THOSE ARE THE LAST OF OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO RETIRE TO CLOSE SESSION AND, UM, AND RELEASE YOU ALL TO GO TO YOUR MEALS AND LUNCHES AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU HAVE TO DO.
AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
UH, IT'S MEANT A LOT TO, TO THIS COMMISSION THAT YOU TAKE TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY.
UH, WE ALWAYS SAY YOU COULD BE ANYWHERE.
MAY I REQUEST, UM, THAT WE STAND AND APPLAUD THE ENTIRE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT TEAM WITH PLEASURE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION.
[22. 24-55379 Closed Session – Executive Director’s Performance Evaluation (Pursuant to paragraph (b) (1) of Section 54957 of California Government Code). Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
[03:43:43]
1244.[03:43:45]
YES,[03:43:47]
I'M[03:43:48]
SORRY.[03:43:48]
1244.[03:43:49]
1244.[03:43:56]
UH,[03:43:57]
THE[03:43:57]
COMMISSION[03:43:57]
IS[03:43:57]
RETURNING[03:43:58]
FROM[03:43:58]
CLOSED[03:43:59]
SESSION.WE ARE GOING TO GO ON THE RECORD WITH A FEW ITEMS. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I WANT TO, UH, DISCUSS IS, UH, I RECEIVED A VERBAL, UH, ENDING DATE FOR SERVICE, UH, FROM COMMISSIONER JOANNE GARCA.
AND, UH, I AM, UH, REACHING OUT TO THAT COMMISSIONER TO LET HER KNOW THAT I AM NOT ACCEPTING THAT RESIGNATION AND TO SEE IF WE CAN, UM, COME TO A, A DIFFERENT, UH, DECISION.
UM, AS I'VE SAID EARLIER, THE, THE RESPECT OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, AND SO THEREFORE, I WILL, UH, MOVE MY RESIGNATION DATE TO THE DAY THAT THIS ELECTION IS CERTIFIED.
COMMISSIONER GARA, UH, COMMISSIONER GARA HAS DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
[03:45:01]
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER, OTHER ITEMS WE DISCUSSED.I WANT TO, WE GOOD? YES, WE'RE GOOD.
SEAT THE FLOOR TO, UM, COMMISSIONER FROST HOLLANDS.
SO I, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CLOSED SESSION DISCUSSION, THERE WAS A DECISION THAT, UH, MADE THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WOULD RECEIVE THE COLA, UM, RETROACTIVE TO THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY.
UM, THIS IS THE COLA THAT IS DUE TO ALL MANAGERS, INCLUDING OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, AGREED, UH, THAT THE DIRECTOR SHOULD RECEIVE, UM, A MANAGEMENT APPRAISAL, UH, BONUS OF $3,000 AGAIN, PER THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
UH, GARY, ARE WE, HOW ARE WE SPECIFYING THE REMAINING ITEMS? AND JUST TO CLARIFY, FOR THE MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL BONUS OF $3,000, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, THE BONUS THAT WAS RECENTLY GIVEN OUT EARLIER THIS YEAR TO MANAGERS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
THE SAME BONUS THAT ALL OTHER MANAGERS RECEIVED IN THE CITY.
AND I THINK THE, THE LAST REMAINING ITEM MAY HAVE DEALT WITH THE MERIT INCREASE.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, THE COMMISSION HAS DELEGATED TO, UM, PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON, UH, THE AUTHORITY TO WORK WITH COUNSEL ON A RANGE, UH, FOR THE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, NOT TO EXCEED, UH, THE COLA PLUS, UH, 7% OF HER CURRENT SALARY.
UH, AND, UH, DELEGATED AUTHORITY TO PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON, UH, TO PROVIDE FOR A MERIT INCREASE, NOT TO EXCEED 7%.
AND ONE LAST ISSUE TO CLARIFY.
UM, COMMISSIONER GARCA, I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR, UH, RESIGNATION DATE WOULD BE TIED TO THE CERTIFICATION OF THE VOTES, UH, MEASURE JB CORRECT.
OR DECEMBER 10TH, WHICH IS I BELIEVE THE DATE THAT HAS BEEN FLOATED OUT THERE, SO, WHICH WHICHEVER IS LATER.
AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, A DATE FOR OUR, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, TO LEAVE US.
AND I'M ASKING FOR AN EXTENSION OF THAT TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? NO, MA'AM.
GARY, ARE WE GOOD? YOU'RE GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, THEN I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING, UH, AND ADJOURN IT, UH, AT 1248.
UM, I, I'M OFF THE RECORD NOW, BUT I JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALWAYS SHOWING UP.
AND WHEN OUR CLOSED SESSIONS, YOU'RE STILL HERE HOLDING DOWN THE FORT.
WHEN I SEE YOU IN TARGET, IT'S OKAY FOR US TO SAY HI TO EACH OTHER.
[ADJOURNMENT]
ALL RIGHT.