Board of City Service Commissioners Meeting – July 21, 2026

The Board of City Service Commissioners met virtually on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 1:30 PM. Commissioners present: Frank Bock (President), Marilyn Miller (Vice President), Janet Cleary, and Heidi Wick Spoerl. Commissioner Steve Smith was excused. The meeting covered routine consent items, ten temporary appointment extensions, two exemption requests, and a contested classification appeal. All actions passed unanimously (4-0) except the appeal, which was denied after a closed session.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of July 7, 2026, Meeting Minutes – Motion by Cleary, seconded by Wick Spoerl. Approved 4-0.
• Approval of Classification Reports – Motion by Miller, seconded by Wick Spoerl. Andrea Knickerbacher (DER) noted the large volume was due to the impending Workday project and that the next opportunity for changes would be late November. Approved 4-0.
• Approval of Probationary Report Recommendations – No new probationary periods for most positions; new probationary periods recommended for Cynthia Reynolds (City Attorney’s Office), Ramona Ramos (Compliance & Engagement), and Jessica Klos (Municipal Court). Approved 4-0.

Temporary Appointment Extensions (Items 6–15)

All extensions were approved unanimously (4-0) after brief explanations from the respective departments:

• Imani Ortiz, Business Services Manager – Second extension, 90 days through October 24, 2026, for the new Department of Compliance and Engagement.
• Ramona Ramos, Operations Policy and Grant Manager – Second extension, 90 days through October 24, 2026.
• Mayra Perez, DPW Business Services Specialist – First extension, 4 months through December 19, 2026, covering a retirement vacancy.
• Shannon R. Goodwin, Administrative Services Director – First extension, 4 months through December 19, 2026, to carry out key personnel actions.
• Jason Schmeling, Urban Forestry Technician – Third extension, 6 months retroactive from June 27 through December 28, 2026. Commissioner Cleary questioned the length (covering two leaves of absence); DPW representative Makisha Porter explained it covered two separate leaves and other vacancies. Approved.
• Lamont Downey, Fleet Operations & Training Supervisor – First extension, 6 months through February 16, 2027, while recruitment proceeds.
• Natalie Herman, Transportation Financial Analyst – First extension, 6 months through February 16, 2027, pending reclassification.
• Jessica Klos, Administrative Services Supervisor (Municipal Court) – First extension, 5 months through January 1, 2027, due to retirement.
• Nicholas Costello and Angel Sanchez, Water Repair Crew Leaders – First extension, 5 months through January 2, 2027, to gain experience.
• Richard Vanriper, Water Field Supervisor – Second extension, 5 months through January 2, 2027.

Exemption Actions

• Permanently Exempt Six Part-Time Auxiliary Executive Administrative Assistant Positions (Pay Range 2CN) – Motion by Cleary, seconded by Wick Spoerl. The Office of the City Clerk requested the exemption to allow council members to hire trusted fill-in coverage. Approved 4-0.
• Re-exempt Intergovernmental Relations Division Manager, Sr. (Pay Range 2OX) – Motion by Miller, seconded by Wick Spoerl. The position serves as a lobbyist for the administration, advising the mayor on legislation. Approved 4-0.

Public Hearing: Classification Appeal – Jennifer Evans

• Item 18: Jennifer Evans, Workers’ Compensation and Safety Manager, appealed the classification recommendation that would set her position at Pay Range 1LX (up from 1JX, with a recruitment rate increase from ~$105,000 to ~$116,000). She argued that her job duties had not changed significantly since 2003 and that she was being singled out personally by the DER Director. DER’s Andrea Knickerbacher presented that the position was no longer part of senior management and was comparable to Human Resources Administration Managers and the Health Department’s Clinic Operations Director, and that a market study had not been performed for this title. The Commission entered closed session at 2:35 PM and reconvened at 2:58 PM. Based on a preponderance of the evidence and testimony, the Commission voted 4-0 to deny the appeal.

Key Outcomes

• All routine and temporary appointment communications were approved unanimously.
• The classification appeal of Jennifer Evans was denied.
• The meeting adjourned at 3:02 PM. The next meeting is scheduled for early September 2026.