CIVIL SERVICE STUDY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
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8th Meeting
December 1, 2009 @ 7:00 PM
Selectmen's Room, 1204 Main Street, Starbard Building
Members Present: Chairman Al Ferron, Sheila Bachant, Cynthia Bazinet, Anthony Gribbons, James Jumonville, Otto Lies, Dawn Torres-Gale
Members Absent: n/a
Staff: Johannah Adams, Computer Project Coordinator - Police Department
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Called to Order: 7:02 PM
• O. Lies moved, A. Gribbons seconded to approve minutes of previous meeting. Yes: 5 No: 0 Abstain: 0. Minutes approved as submitted.
• A. Ferron distributed handout; revised list of advantages ("adv")/disadvantages ("disadv") of Civil Service ("CS") and non-Civil Service ("NCS"). (Handout available upon request).
• Committee agreed that the current objective is to review, consolidate, and condense the Committee's research, in order to create a succint report for the Committee to present.
• Changes made to handout:
> Add to CS adv: Opportunity for promotion from within
> Add to NCS disadv: Implied or perceived obligation to hiring authority
> Add to NCS disadv: Chief's impartiality could be comprised by influential citizens
> Minor wording changes made to a number of items
• O. Lies pointed out that objective is to get best possible candidate for Chief. Feels that part of our recommendation should be - if staying in CS - that the exam be open statewide.
• S. Bachant explained that the last two Chiefs have been CS closed exams, and that open vs. closed is up to the appoint authority ("AA") (which is the Town Manager ("TM") in Holden).
• O. Lies stated that AA is one individual - the TM. Other towns use the Board of Selectmen. Giving one person the authority to decide open/closed exam and also appoint the Chief may not be wise. Would require Town Charter change.
• J. Jumonville pointed out that such a change may be a violation of the TM contract, and takes two legislative sessions to implement; A. Ferron said this is outside of the Committee's charter.
• Discussion re: Morale associated with putting in time at the department with possibility of promotion is one advantage of keeping Chief position CS with closed exam, as weighed against the advantages of an open exam.
• A. Gribbons: A compromise would be: Upon Chief leaving, TM required to meet with current Chief to review qualifications of internal candidates. If not satisfactory, then TM considers opening the exam. Successful candidate must one of top 3 scorers of CS exam, which means open exam can end up eliminating the best local/internal candidate who knows and cares about the town.
• Discussion re: definitions, pros, cons of closed vs. open CS exam.
• S. Bachant expressed concern that residents may not understand differentiation between open and closed exams; O. Lies suggested that this be explained clearly in Committee report.
• A. Gribbons and J. Adams will summarize pros/cons discussed tonight and any additional ones which are emailed to them before 12/16.
• A. Ferron reviewed Committee's voting options. Potentially, 2 separate recommendations will be made: 1) CS or NCS -and- 2) If CS, open or closed exam
• Draft document to be reviewed next meeting will include:
> Question 1: Civil Service or Non-Civil Service?
- define CS
* advantages of CS
* disadvantages of CS
- define NCS
* advantages of CS
* disadvantages of CS
> Question 2: If Civil Service, open or closed exam?
- define open exam
* advantages of open exam
* disadvantages of open exam
- define closed exam
* advantages of closed exam
* disadvantages of closed exam
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Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 7:00 PM, Selectman's Room, Starbard Bldg.
Adjourned: 8:47 PM
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