The Board of City Service Commissioners held a hybrid meeting on March 13, 2026, to hear the discharge appeal of Omar Barberena, an Equal Rights Specialist in the Department of Administration's Office of Equity and Inclusion. The hearing included testimony from department witnesses, evidence review, and closed session deliberation. The board ultimately upheld the discharge by a 4-0 vote.
My name is Frank Bach. I serve as the president of the board. The first item on today's agenda is a call to order. This March 13th meeting of the Board of City Service Commissioners is called to order. The next item is a roll call. Would the executive secretary please call the roll? Commissioner Miller, present. Commissioner Cleary. She's excused. Commissioner Smith. Present. Commissioner Wicksburrow, present. And President Bach. Present. Or present. Next item, please. Item three, file number 251743 communication for the approval of the March 10th, 2026 meeting minutes. Do commissioners have any comments or questions regarding the proposed minutes. No, I move approval. I second. Been moved and seconded to approve the proposed minutes of the March 10th meeting. I'll pull the commissioners. Commissioner Miller. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Commissioner Wicksporl. Yes. The minutes are approved as submitted. The next and only item on our agenda is item four. It is the continuation of the discharge appeal of Omar Barbarena, who was an equal rights specialist with the department of administration. I see the parties are both present. Today, the state statutes and our rules allow a city employee to appeal a discharge action. Today we're hearing an appeal from Omar Barbarena concerning his discharge, which was signed on January 21st, 2026. The commission will decide whether or not there was cause to discipline the appellant. And if we find there was cause, the commission will decide the appropriateness of a penalty. The court reporter who is with us today will swear in the witnesses just prior to their testimony. I want to remind everyone that only one person can speak at a time because the court reporter has to be able to hear the speaker in order to make a record of the hearing. The parties stipulated to certain exhibits and other matters, including the fact that Mr. Barbarina filed a timely appeal. Now the hearing is this hearing itself will be conducted as follows. Second, we'll have opening statements by each of the parties. Third, we'll hear direct testimony from witnesses. Each witness will be subject to questions from the members of the commission and cross-examine by the other party. Fourth, we'll have closing statements by each of the parties. And finally, the commission will deliberate on the matter. Typically, our deliberations occur in closed session. Of course, is announced in open session. At each step in the process, the department goes first, the appellant second. Staff will work with the parties to select an additional hearing date.