* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:03:18] GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ABOUT FIVE MORE MINUTES. WE'RE WAITING ON SOME COMMISSIONERS, AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED. AND, UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE. THANK YOU. [00:08:50] IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE I HAVE ONE. IT'LL BE ALRIGHT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UH, CAN I GET A TIME PLEASE? IT IS 9:11 AM THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW CALL THE CIVIL [CALL TO ORDER] SERVICE SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER AT NINE 11. IF WE COULD [ROLL CALL] HAVE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE. VICE PRESIDENT COLEMAN. PRESIDENT . THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER CORDERO. COMMISSIONER WEISSMAN ROSE. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON HERE. THANK YOU. AND CORRECTION. COMMISSIONER COLEMAN. THANK YOU. . GOT DEMOTED JUST LIKE THAT. GIVEN AND TAKEN AWAY. ALL IN ONE BREATH. ALL RIGHT. UH, MY FAVORITE PART OF ANY MEETING IS, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. SO WHY DON'T, UH, WE GET GOING. AND LEVI, WILL [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] [00:10:01] YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, PLEASE? TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE PER ALL. THANK YOU. UM, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC [PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Civil Service Commission on agenda items. ] COMMENT. UH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ON AGENDA ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? YES, SIR. IF YOU'LL PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF. UM, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, SIR, TO COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS DICK REED. UM, AND, UM, I AM WITH IBW 47 THAT REPRESENTS THIS WORKFORCE. AND I'M HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE AGENDA ITEM. UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH MANAGEMENT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. UM, IF YOU KNOW, IBEW, WE REPRESENT UTILITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. YES, SIR. AND, UM, GOING TO, UM, AND WORKING WITH MANAGEMENT VERY WELL, AND THE COMMISSION OVER THERE TO TRY TO, UM, BRING EXPERIENCES FROM OTHER UTILITIES TO MAKE MORE EFFICIENCIES, UM, AND TRY TO, UM, WORK TOGETHER. IN THIS CASE, THE, THE CLASSIFICATION THAT IS, UH, ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED, BUT THE CLASSIFICATION ACTUALLY GOES THROUGHOUT MANY DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY AND IN MOST CITIES THAT MAKES SENSE. KEEP ONE CLASSIFICATION YOU GO ACROSS. BUT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH UTILITIES, IT'S UNIQUELY DIFFERENT. AND THE REASON IT'S UNIQUELY DIFFERENT IS, IS BECAUSE IT'S A UTILITY. AND IN THIS CASE, AN EMPLOYEE OR MY MEMBERS OF MINE DO THIS WORK. THEY DO IT ON A LOT OF LIVE GAS LINES. AND THIS SAME CLASSIFICATION MIGHT BE IN BEACH WHERE JUST IT MOVES SAND OR IT MOVES ASPHALT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE INHERENT DANGERS AND THEY DON'T HAVE SAME AS WATER, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE, UM, IT TAKES TRAINING AND YEARS TO GET THERE. AND THE CLASSIFICATION WE'RE ASKING TO MOVE INTO IS WHERE THEY'RE COMING OUT OF. AND THEN NOT ALL CASES, WHEN YOU LOOK FOR THIS PERSON OR THIS INDIVIDUAL TO FILL A SPOT, IT'S SENT THROUGHOUT EVERYWHERE. AND SO YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEBODY WITH THE SAME CLASSIFICATION BUT NOT THE SAME EXPERIENCE. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, UM, WHOLLY SUPPORT IN THIS AMENDMENT. AND I'M ASKING YOU TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD? HEARING AND SEEING NONE. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. SO THIS IS ITEM ONE, [1. 25-54458 Recommendation to consider a request from the Utilities Department for the classification specification division and consolidation of Senior Equipment Operator and Gas Construction Worker.        Suggested Action: Approve recommendation.  ] UH, ON THE REGULAR AGENDA. AND IT IS A RECOMMENDATION. I'M SORRY, MAKE THE MOTION FOR ME. I'M A LITTLE PREMATURE. I APOLOGIZE. ALL RIGHT. I WILL CONTINUE. THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FROM THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT FOR THE CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION DIVISION AND CONSOLIDATION OF SENIOR EQUIPMENT OPERATOR AND GAS CONSTRUCTION WORKER COMMISSIONERS. DO YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? UH, I DO. SO I'VE, UH, LOOKED OVER, UH, THIS INFORMATION, UM, HAD ACTUALLY SEEN IT BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN, UH, CIVIL SERVICE SENT IT TO ME AS SOMETHING THEY WANTED ME TO REVIEW, TO LET ME KNOW THAT THIS ITEM WAS PENDING AND, UH, HAD BEEN FLOATING AROUND, HADN'T BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. AND I'VE SPOKEN, UH, WITH MR. RAMOS EXTENSIVELY TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WHATEVER WE DO IS DECENT AND IN ORDER, I DID INQUIRE IF THE UNION WAS, UH, IN AGREEMENT BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THE UNION WHO REPRESENTS THE WORKERS IS IN AGREEMENT OF ANY EXCEPTION MADE TO A STANDING RULE. AND FROM YOUR OWN, UH, UH, VOICE YOU HAVE, UH, SAID THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING, [00:15:01] UH, THIS CHANGE. AND THEN I GO BACK TO THE EMPLOYEE BECAUSE THE EMPLOYER, UM, SHOULD ALWAYS BE RESPONSIVE TO, UH, TO THE EMPLOYEE. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE EMPLOYEES ALSO AGREE AND WISH THAT THIS, UH, UH, ITEM BE CONSIDERED AND CHANGED. UM, THIS IS AN EXCEPTION. UH, I WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR. THIS IS NOT THE PROPER VENUE. I'M GOING TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AS WELL. HOWEVER, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT MR. RAMOS SAID TO ME, AND I'M GOING TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT RELATES DIRECTLY TO THIS. HE SAID, IS IT BETTER TO BE RIGHT OR IS IT BETTER TO DO THE RIGHT THING? AND IN THIS CASE, FOR ME, AND I SPEAK FOR MYSELF, IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I'M GOING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES AND I DO HAVE A PREPARED MOTION, AND I'M GOING TO READ IT. I'M GONNA ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING IS IN THE RECORD. THIS IS A MOTION TO RESCIND THE CIVIL SERVICE APPROVAL OF THE REVERSION REQUEST FROM THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2024, AND TO APPROVE THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE SENIOR EQUIPMENT OPERATOR INTO GAS CONSTRUCTION WORKER IN THE GAS CONSTRUCTION DIVISION OF THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, RETROACTIVE TO TO THE ORIGINAL COMMISSION APPROVAL DATE OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2024, WITH THE CONSOLIDATION AND COMPENSATION AS GAS CONSTRUCTIVE WORKER EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2024. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE ADOPTION DATE AND EFFECTIVE DATE, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH PAYROLL. IF YOU ARE OKAY WITH THAT MOTION, WE CAN PROCEED. I'LL SECOND THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. ARE WE GOOD? MM-HMM . ALL RIGHT. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE ON TO PUBLIC [PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Civil Service Commission on non-agenda items. ] COMMENT. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. YOU GUYS WANNA GET OUTTA HERE, DON'T YOU? ? NOBODY'S MOSEYING UP TO THE PODIUM. ALL RIGHT, THEN. UH, COMMISSIONERS. NO, NOTHING. ALL RIGHT THEN. ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? [ANNOUNCEMENTS] THANK YOU FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING. WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, SIR. UH, ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM MANAGERS? NO COMMENTS. WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS. WE'RE NOT GONNA SAY ONE WORD ABOUT THIS. I, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. WE KNOW. NO, I'LL PASS. OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL, I WILL, UM, THIS IS, UH, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT LEVI HA UH, IS NOW OUR ACTING HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER IN THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES DIVISION. AND I WOULD SAY WELL DONE. SO YOU MAY NOT WANNA SAY SOMETHING, BUT I WILL. AND, UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, [ADJOURNMENT] WE WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING. AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR COMING. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN SOMEWHERE ELSE AND YOU CHOSE TO SPEND YOUR TIME WITH US. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.