HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CSC-2011-12-01CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
December 7, 2011
Commissioners Present: Commissioner Thompson
Commissioner Abrams
Excused: Commissioner Richardson
Staff Present: Valerie Saul (Deputy Director of Human Resources)
APPOINTMENT OF ACTING CHAIR
Commissioner Thompson made a motion to appoint Commissioner Abrams as Acting
Chair of the meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Abrams. Motion carried 2-0.
Commissioner Thompson called the meeting to order at 11:32 am.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Abrams made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 2, 2011
meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Thompson. Motion carried 2-0.
NEW BUSINESS
Request to Waive Residency Requirement – DPW: Wastewater Treatment Plant
The Commission reviewed and discussed a request from the Wastewater Treatment Plant
to waive the Tompkins County residency requirement for all positions at the Wastewater
Treatment Plant. The Wastewater Treatment Plant is jointly owned by the City of Ithaca,
Town of Ithaca and Town of Dryden. Civil service administration for the Town of Ithaca
and Town of Dryden is handled by Tompkins County, which often uses a contiguous
county residency requirement. The Chief Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator is
requesting that the Ithaca Civil Service Commission use the same contiguous county
residency requirement as the Tompkins County Personnel Department. During discussion,
the Commission noted that City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca and Town of Dryden residents
are all residents of Tompkins County, so none of the residents of the municipalities that
own the Wastewater Treatment Plant would be excluded from employment at the
Wastewater Treatment Plant if the Tompkins County residency requirement remains in
effect. Additionally, those residents would be disadvantaged by a residency waiver, due to
the increased pool of candidates with which the residents would have to compete. The
Commission also noted that the only position at the Wastewater Treatment Plant that has
required a residency requirement in the past five years due to an insufficient local
applicant pool was the Chief Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator position. Lastly, the
Commission noted that there are not any current vacancies at the Wastewater Treatment
Plant for which an eligible list does not exist. Commissioner Thompson made a motion to
deny the request for a blanket waiver of the Tompkins County residency requirement for
the Wastewater Treatment Plant titles. Requests to waive the residency requirement for
individual vacancies based on demonstrated recruitment difficulties will continue to be
considered in the future. Seconded by Commissioner Abrams. Motion carried 2-0.
Civil Service Commission
December 7, 2011
Page 2
Request to Expand Residency Requirement: Building Department – Code Inspector
The Commission reviewed and discussed a request from Building Commissioner Phyllis
Radke to expand the residency requirement for a Code Inspector vacancy to include all of
New York State. The position has specialized qualifications which require an educational
background in engineering or architecture, and/or substantial project management
experience in plan review, building inspection or construction management. The qualified
applicant pool within Tompkins County has historically been insufficient and is anticipated
to be limited. The Building Department is seeking permission to recruit in larger cities in
New York State that have sufficient development to support the large commercial
construction companies that will be the primary recruitment source for this vacancy.
Commissioner Abrams made a motion to expand the residency requirement for the Code
Inspector position to include all of New York State, through the completion of the next
exam process. Seconded by Commissioner Thompson. Motion carried 2-0.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Commissioner Abrams made a motion to go into executive session to discuss civil service
examination matters. Seconded by Commissioner Thompson. Motion carried 2-0. During
executive session, the Commission took the following actions:
CONTINUING BUSINESS
Approval of Rosters of Candidates for Examination
Commissioner Thompson made a motion to approve the Rosters of Candidates for
Examination listed below. Seconded by Commissioner Abrams. Motion carried 2-0.
Assistant Fire Chief #70-543
Deputy Fire Chief #70-749
Deputy Fire Chief #68-711
Office Manager NCP #70-098
Establishment of Eligible Lists
Commissioner Abrams made a motion to establish School Lunch Director Eligible List
#79-781 for a one year period. Seconded by Commissioner Thompson. Motion carried 2-
0.
Authorization to Establish Eligible Lists During December 2011
Commissioner Thompson made a motion to authorize Executive Secretary Valerie Saul to
establish eligible lists during the month of December 2011 immediately upon the receipt of
examination marks. This will facilitate the immediate appointment of provisional
candidates. Ms. Saul will report the establishment of any such eligible lists to the
Commission at their January 2012 meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Abrams. Motion
carried 2-0.
Civil Service Commission
December 7, 2011
Page 3
Addition of Names to Continuous Recruitment Eligible Lists
Commissioner Abrams made a motion to add names to the continuous recruitment eligible
lists. Seconded by Commissioner Thompson. Motion carried 2-0.
Approval of Personnel Transactions
Commissioner Thompson made a motion to approve the Personnel Transactions.
The next Civil Service Commission meeting will be held Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at
9:30 am.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:55 am.