01/16/1962
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Proceedings of the Civil Service Board meeting, Tuesday, January 16, 1962.
The Clearwater Civil Service Board met in regular session at 7:30, Tuesday evening,
January 16, 1962, in the Civil Service offiJce,
Members present: George H. Dalby, Chairman; Mary Fay Bissell, Donald 0. McFarland
and Harold Wallace.
Absent: R. M. Thompson, Sr.
Observers: City Manager, James R. Stewart; City Attorney, Herbert Brown; Mrs. Mary L.
Howell, Mrs. Helen Leonard, League of Women Voters; A. D. Finch, Attorney, Asst. Fire
Chief Walter Manning; Herbert McLendon, Jimmie Phillips, James Shaffer, Employees'
Association; Sgt. Paul Meissner, Police Department; E. C. Hedler, A. A. Zahler and
reporters,' Al Hutchison, Don Pride and Joe Devlin.
Meeting called to order by Chairman Dalby.
Mr. Dalby, on behalf of the Civil Service Board, thanked Mr. Stewart, City Manager,
and the City Commission for providing the American flag for the Civil Service office.
Due to absence of newly appointed member, Mr. R. M. Thompson, Sr., welcome delayed.
Chairman asked for reading of minutes of January 9, 1962 meeting.
Mrs. Bissell., seconded by Mr. McFarland, moved that minutes be accepted as read.
Motion carried.
The appointment of Chairman for 1962 tabled until full Board could be present.
Following discussion concerning change of meeting nights in order that all mbmbers
would be able to attend under ordinary circumstances, Mrs. Bissell, seconded by
Mr. McFarland, moved that the Civil Service meeting nights be changed from the first
and third Tuesday of the month to the second and fourth Monday of each month.
Motion carried.
Concerning the request of Ned Graham, Refuse Collector, for a preliminary hearing,
previously postponed, Mr. McFarland moved that the hearing be set for Monday,
January 22, 1962, 7:30 p.m., in the Civil Service office. Director requested to
contact Attorney Loyd Mosely to inquire if date would be satisfactory. Seconded
by Mr. Wallace and carried.
Reported on examinations held for Parkettes, Police Department, and Utilities
Servicemen I, Utilities Department, also examinations scheduled for Police Captain,
Communications Clerk II and Electrician II.
Reported on appointments.
Board members discussed Police Sgt, Paul 1+4eissner's request to be declared eligible
to take the Police Captain's examination scheduled for January 25, 1962. Members
agreed it unfortunate that the requirements outlined in the position classification
concerning length of service in position have not been strictly adhered to pre-
viously. Sgt. Meissner was permitted to take the Captain's examination when it was
given two years ago,
Mr. McFarland moved that Sgt. Meissner be allowed to meet with the Civil Service
Board Monday evening, January 22, 1962, prior to a scheduled hearing and outline
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f training courses taken which he felt would be equivalent to the one year of
experience he lacked. Seconded by Mrs. Bissell.. Motion carried. Director
requested to make note of this meeting for 7;15, Monday evening, January 22.
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Reported on resignations. Mrs. Bissell, seconded by Mr. McFarland, moved that
resignation of Helen Fellows, Mialma Cable and Kenneth Lewis be accepted with
;i.. regret. Carried.
' Read letter of request from City Manager that position of Clerk I, Finance
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Department be abolished and position of Secretary 1, Finance Department be
'.. established. Mrs. Bissell moved that the Clerk I position be abolished and
the position of Secretary I be established in accordance with Mr. Stewart's
F' request. Seconded by Mr. Wallace and carried.
Read letter from Mr. Stewart, City Manager, recommending re-classification of
position held by Jimmy Lee Smith from part-time laborer to part-time Recreation
Assistant, C Recreation Department. Mr. McFarlandf seconded by Mr. Wallace
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moved that the City Manager's recommendation changing the status of Jimmy Lee
Smith, be accepted. Motion carried.
Read letter from the City Manager regarding change in title of two part-time
positions of laborers in Recreation Department to two,full-time janitors. Mr.
Wallace, seconded by Mr. McFarland, moved that Mx. Stewart's recommendation that
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`'. the change be approved, be accepted. Motion carried.
Reported on dismissals.
;..,•;;,' Mr. McFarland asked for clarification of city employees' forty-hour work week.
It was explained that this change was not a request from the Civil Service Board
;`...r .. but was suggested and approved by the City Commission. Mr. Stewart stated' that
it should be referred to as a forty-hour week but not necessarily a five-day
;. week as some employees are needed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Prior to the Civil Service Board reviewing the complaint of Walter Manning, Asst.
.;.'.~ Fire Chief, concerning the examination for Chief, at this time, the Chairman
stated that he felt if an interview was to be given Mr. Manning, the same privilege
should be extended Assistant Chief Beck, who had also made a request. Members
agreed, and expressed the opinion that it was up to the men involved whether or
' '. not the interviews should be open or private. Mr. Dalby said that the interview
:• should not deal with any personalty, and members concurred.
rig.. There being no objection from Mr. Manning to an open interview, Attorney A. D.
?. Finch proceeded to speak in Mr. Manning's behalf in appealing for a review of Mr.
Manning's examination. Mx. Finch stated that Mr. Manning was not criticizing
the examination but felt an honest error had been made in grading the examination
?paper, specifically, question No. 19, in the section of Hydraulics.
Mx. McFarland thought that there could be a misunderstanding of the examination
' '. and that the Civil Service Board would be wrong in saying that Mr. Manning's
=}`; answer was incorrect.
Motion was then made by Mr. McFarland that the Civil Service Board accept the
t' answer given by Assistant Chief Manning on the section on Hydraulics and the
grade be recomputed, and if, after recomputing, it was found he had a passing
.
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Civil Survice Hoard Minutes, meeting January 16, 1962
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Brad*, and after reviewing Assistant Chief G. D. Beck's examination also, that Mr.
Manning's name and that of Mr. Beck, providing he passed, he certified to the
Appointing Authority. Motion seconded by Mr. Wallace and carried.
Mr. Finch pointed out that the allowance for the question would add .9 to I4r.
Manning's grade.
Mrs. Bissell, seconded by Mr. Wallace, moved that Mr. Finch or Mr. Manning furnish
the Director with a list of the authorities he had substantiating Mr. Manning's
answer to the question in dispute and that the Public Personnel !Association be
notified ofthe difference in the answers on the key of the-loaned test.
Mr. Wallace requested that copy of letter to the Public Personnel Association be
submitted to Board members for approval before mailing to the Association.
Motion carried.
There being no further business to come before the Board at this time, Mrs. Bissell,
seconded by Mr. McFarland, moved that meeting be adjourned until next meeting night,
February 12, 1962, but reminded members of the hearing date set for Monday, January
22, 1962.
Respectfully submitted,
Ruth E. Brown, Secretary'
Approved:
George Dalby, Chair
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