CIVIL SERVICE STUDY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
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6th Meeting
October 15, 2009 @ 5:30 PM
Selectmen's Room, 1204 Main Street, Starbard Building
Members Present: Cynthia Bazinet, Dawn Torres-Gale, Al Ferron, Anthony Gribbons
Members Absent: Sheila Bachant, James Jumonville, Otto Lies
Staff: Johannah Adams, Computer Project Coordinator - Police Department
Also Present: n/a
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Called to Order: 5:44 PM
• A. Gribbons moved and C. Bazinet seconded to approve minutes of 9/29 meeting. Yes: 4 No: 0 Abst: 0. Minutes approved as submitted.
• The first portion of this evening's meeting was set aside for citizen input.
> Joan Orton, 80A Kendall Road, Jefferson expressed her opinion that the Holden Police Chief position should be left in Civil Service; Holden has an excellent police department with highly dedicated and qualified officers; the Chief should be chosen from within the department.
• A. Ferron had continued his telephone survey research since the last meeting. He noted that in Massachusetts, 88 out of 351 cities and towns are Civil Service. He gathered other statistics as well (available upon request).
• A. Ferron interviewed a total of 18 Police Chiefs, from both Civil Service ("CS") and non-Civil Service ("NCS") cities and towns. The full written results of his research are available upon request.
• Discussion of this research included the following topics: [Note: Towns are designated by number, since the survey was done anonymously]
> Town 9 explained the three options available when searching for a new Chief from within CS:
1. Call for a CS exam limited to town police
2. Call for a CS exam statewide
3. Ask for a lateral transfer of current Chiefs from other towns
[Note: The question was raised as to whether or not a CS exam is required for lateral transfers. A. Gribbons will research the answer for next meeting.]
> "Weak" vs. "strong" Chief. These terms are relative to the appointing authority for the city or town; refers to whether the Chief can suspend an employee, recommend hires, etc. Depends upon how the town charter is written. In general (but not in all cases), CS Chiefs are "strong", NCS are either "strong" or "weak".
> Question of what "latitude" means (i.e. Town 17 noted that NCS Chief has "more latitude"). A. Gribbons clarified that this probably means weak vs. strong, and dealing with personnel issues without the restrictions of CS rules.
> The experience, qualification, and educational level required or desired of a Police Chief.
• D. Torres-Gale pointed out that if the Chief position were NCS, the Board of Selectmen may have the option of appointing, for example, a Director of Public Safety, which could be in direct conflict with the Police Chief.
• A. Gribbons noted that a town like Holden may benefit more from a community-oriented, well-known and recognized local Chief as opposed to, for example, a homeland security expert recruited from another area of the country.
• The charter of the Committee was reviewed; the goal is to present pros and cons of CS and NCS. For the next meeting, members will list pros and cons of both alternatives, as they pertain to the Chief as well as the citizens of Holden.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, November 3, 2009 @ 7:00 PM, Davis Hill School Cafeteria
Adjourned: 6:30 PM
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