Nov 16, 2020 Civil Service Commission on 2020-11-16 3:30 PM

like to call these November 16th meeting of the Civil Service Commission to order at 332. First order of business is introduction of guests. There's everyone that that I see is not a guest but part of the regular regular group. So moving on. Next is public comments and I understand there are none. So let's move on to the third item which is the approval of the September 18th minutes that you had in your packet. I would entertain a motion that we approve the minutes. I'll second. Any discussion any corrections? Hearing none all in favor of approval of minutes say aye. Aye. Opposed? You're muted Lillian. I'm passing so it's two of us anyway. So all right next order of business is the sergeant's position announcement which again was in our packet. So who's going to handle this one? Okay. Well we have it in front of us. Are there any questions about it? Registration deadline December 28th test is on Wednesday January 6th. Anyone have any questions on that? I would entertain a motion that we approve the POA for police sergeant test. So moved. Seconded. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Next order of business is the position announcement of POA for police lieutenant. Again same deadline December 28th test on Wednesday January 6th. I would entertain a motion that we approve the POA for police lieutenant promotional exams. I'm moved that we approve the POA for lieutenant. I'll second the motion. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Next is the what have we got firefighter test or yes POA for firefighter. Captain is trying to get in. He was the one that had the different name so he's trying to get to the link. Actually I think he's on right now. I think he just popped up. He can kind of go over. I think they had to change the location due to the number of people who have registered but he's on now so. Can you hear me? Sorry I'm having to borrow somebody's computer and my cell phone didn't let me log in. What was the question I'm sorry. Well we're at your place in the agenda to talk about the civil service exam or firefighter. Okay yes sir. Sorry we changed it to change the venue to the civic center due to COVID-19 precautions. We've got too many people that would occupy the facility over at the police and so I think with talking to Chief Hedges and you know we did a site visit over there at the civic center and they're confident that we can you know get three to three to five hundred in there even distance with masks and everything so. Whoa that's good news. Mr. Ramsey the Chief Hedges had asked me earlier if the Civil Service Act allows them to give the exam at more than one place if because of COVID issues and the answer is yes. So even if fire always seems to have a lot of people sign up I don't know if they have an alternate site. It sounds like they think they have a big enough place so they may not have to give it a two different locations but if they had to that's legally permissible. Okay without without us having to change any of the paperwork. Yeah I think it's fine it's it sounds like it's going well I think what would happen is people would show up and they may and Stephanie may address this it may not even be an issue that they may tell them there's an alternate alternative or additional site to go over there. My only concern would be as long as somebody shows up on time and registers or checks in and then they have to go over to another place they should be allowed to take the exam but Stephanie it sounds like we just think we think the Civic Center is big enough for everybody and we make it any any arrangements for a secondary place if need be or is that no longer an issue. Yes sir you want me to answer that? Yeah sure. Well the answer is it depends you know we have I think the Civic Center should be more than adequate but if not I've talked to my counterpart at PD about using their facility as a backup or an overflow type thing. We did gosh when I got hired of course it's been 21 years so back then we did two different locations and what we had talked about is pre-reporting a message and you know playing so that way the instructions and everything's all consistent and then now with iPhones it's easier to synchronize your clocks but you know I think according to 143 from what I understand everybody has to take the test at the same time so we can't have like you know start at one o'clock one or two has to be like okay start your clocks at one click everybody start on both locations. Yeah I think everyone will show up at the Civic Center and hopefully there's plenty of room if not I Stephanie so kind of be an alternate site where we could direct them to or are we just one place and that's it. I think to be on the safe side we can have an alternate site to direct them to. I think we did that and I can't remember exactly when but I remember we did have to switch locations and I forgot the rationale as to why but what we ended up doing is starting the test just a little bit later just to ensure that everyone could start at the same time but we made sure that there was a notice posted on the location where the test was going to be located and we had someone stay there at that site so I think if we just make sure everyone had adequate notice and the testing began at the same time where the persons who's administering the test are able to speak and notify each other let's get started at this time. I think that's fine I think everybody shows up at the one main place and if they have to send people elsewhere sounds like there's arrangements and make sure everyone starts at the same time so I think the posting is fine hopefully it won't even be an issue. Do we know how many people have already signed up? Yes ma'am 646 as of right now. Can you say that the Civic Center will only see three to four hundred? Well and this is my first rodeo as a recruiter and so I apologize for the lack of camera this doesn't have one but we have historically averaged about a 35% retention rate you know the people who signed up to actually show up when I was talking with our test provider you know we talked about doing a virtual test with COVID and everything and he's one that pointed out the 143 issues of having to have it at the exact same time and so he was telling me that nationwide is around 50% that's what we're shooting for um so based on that I mean again it's one of those it depends kind of things you know if we get 800 people sign up and 400 show up it'll be cake but if all 800 decide to come it's gonna be a gonna be a sticky situation. I think you should plan though that you kind of have more people show up so just have those that alternative uh all set up and running if need be otherwise you're you could be in trouble. Yes sir um we had Colba like I said he's my counterpart at the police and he's let us use their facility he anticipated that would see around 100 I want to say 104 with with spacing distancing um and we also got permission to use NCTC next door here and use some of their their stuff they can hold about 200 and the problem we had was UNT and TWU who we've used in the past are closed WU it says no and UNT is having a women's basketball game and then I think there was this um chief tried embassy suites and they're booked up which sounds odd to me in the middle of a pandemic but they love me they are and um pretty much everything else seems to be booked up as well. I think the posting's fine because it tells everyone to go to the one central location and then we can just deal with it if need be at that time. I'm the only thing and I'm certainly not going to I'm not against any of this if we are going to have if we do have to use the police facility in addition to the civic center um make sure that there's parking so that the people who have to rush over there at the last minute just before they have to start taking the test aren't having are stressed out with where they're going to park and and all of that I mean that needs to all be clearly stated and laid out before the testing starts so they all start with the same on the same level playing field. Yes sir and commissioner Ramsey there's some parking right across from the police department it's like a empty lot sort of behind some apartment complexes that um the applicant the test applicants can use utilize. I've never found that a lot to be any emptier than any of the others but uh but you know I'm just just make sure that we that we have taken that into consideration that's the only thing that I'm concerned about is knowing that if you come rushing in you've had a hard time you know you got five minutes and you're rushing in to find a place to park and get in to take the test you're not in any frame of mind for at least five to ten minutes to really take the test and that's not fair that's all that's my only my only concern on that so. Okay and I would entertain a motion that we approve the POA for the firefighter exam. I motion that we approve it. I second. Now is there any other discussion? Daryl I did have a question you know you brought up a very interesting point about the parking so the place of the location is able to handle all of these expected applicants. We have enough space there. And with parking though we do have we have parking that is in front of Hickory where the railroad track is as we have COVID going on we have a lot of employees that's telecommuting that's in that building that's that's not there right now so we should have plenty of spacing in that parking lot and then even for the police department because of COVID a lot of the positions that are administrative who work in office they're working from home telecommuting just as well so it should be some extra space at this point to be honest. I mean it is a Saturday too and yeah I mean I and I understand that I just wanted to have it go on the record that that is a concern to give the test takers the you know a fair a fair start on that test so but yeah I mean it's a Saturday it shouldn't it shouldn't be a problem but it always seems to be when we think it isn't going to be so um okay sir I can address that real quick on that um Chief Becker just came in and had a good idea about using city shuttle buses you know because we close the doors at one o'clock on the testing center and we will have you know basically um you know custody over the applicants whatever whatever the phrase is and we can put them in shuttle buses and take them to the police station and drive them out there that way that you know we're they're not having to rush and where there's no you know concerns about the accuracy of information that's being given is that the test itself isn't at one o'clock that's just when they have to be in the doors doors closed okay so we have we have some flexibility there too so I just wanted to address that question about parking that's a great idea yeah yeah that that's all I wanted was to make sure that that that we took that under consideration as this is all going forward so I'm perfectly fine with that so any other discussion I have none thank you all in favor of approval of the firefighter poa say aye aye opposed hearing none all right next item on the agenda is the discussion of the next civil service commission meeting crystal you're on or stephanie I know we need to have a meeting in january um because we will have the certified list for both police and fire from the entrance exams um and probably a couple other things that we'll need to go over but as far as having a meeting in december I don't have anything on the books that people have requested um so it's up to y'all if y'all would like to meet in december we certainly can if y'all want to hold off until january when we know we will need to have a meeting that we we definitely need to have a meeting in january we typically haven't haven't had a meeting in in december I don't think I don't think we have so um so january the last week in january the fourth we probably need to do the week of january 19th um that will give us time to get the entrance exams list done and it'll also give us time to post the poa's for the fire promotional exams in enough time to meet the requirements okay that's kind of a sweet spot that week let's see monday is a holiday yes sir I mean I'm fine on any any day that week except week of the 19th the morning week of the 19th darrell yes sir okay I'm good with that anytime that week I should be back for them okay chris john you are you kind of okay I'm I'm I'm I'm thinking I have some things that but I don't think there's anything that week I'm looking right now chris so maybe you can check the tv schedule and I'm assuming we're going to still be virtual more than likely yes so check all the schedules and then get back to us and give us some things and we'll we'll go from there absolutely okay if there's nothing else for the good of the order I would entertain a motion to uh adjourn this meeting at 349 on november 16th I move second all in favor say aye aye all right well if we don't see you see you for christmas have a great thanksgiving and christmas stay safe two yes happy thanks to you and merry christmas thank you