Civil Service Board Regular Meeting - January 30, 2023
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Civil Service Board Regular Meeting - January 30, 2023
The Civil Service Board met on Monday, January 30, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. via teleconference to consider consent calendar items and four agenda items, including three appeals of disqualifications and the election of officers for the 2023 calendar year. All four board members were present: Gwynnae Byrd (Chair), Emmanuel Amanfor (Vice Chair), Joy Gonzalez-Cabatic, and Kathryn Meola. The meeting adjourned at 1:49 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Civil Service Board Meeting Minutes: The board approved the minutes of November 21, 2022 (the agenda had listed September 19, 2022, but the minutes and transcript confirm November 21, 2022). The motion passed unanimously (4–0).
- Adoption of Sacramento Fire Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Paramedic Classifications: The board adopted the new classifications and specifications as part of the City's Classification Plan. Staff explained that these are single-role positions focused solely on medical services, separate from fire suppression duties. The motion passed unanimously (4–0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Item 3 (Appeal of Johnny Holmes): A member of the public, Dan, commented that not disclosing the minimum passing score for the exam seemed “shady” and questioned whether the pass threshold shifted. Staff clarified that the minimum score is predetermined and consistently applied to all candidates.
- No other public comments were made on agenda items or matters not on the agenda.
Discussion Items
- Appeal of Johnny Holmes (Park Maintenance Worker Recruitment): Appellant Holmes was not present. Staff reported that Holmes was initially sent an erroneous disqualification for non-attendance, then a corrected notice stating he did not pass the exam. Holmes appealed, citing improper procedure. The city argued the standards were correctly applied. The board waived formal rules and adopted the director's decision to uphold the disqualification. Motion passed unanimously (4–0).
- Appeal of Holly Zink (Program Supervisor – Older Adults): Appellant Zink was not present. Staff stated Zink did not meet the minimum qualifications: the position required two years of experience with older adults and a bachelor's degree (or equivalent). Zink had 5.33 years of experience, but her work with children did not satisfy the “older adult” requirement, and she lacked sufficient education units. The board waived formal rules and adopted the director's decision to uphold the disqualification. Motion passed unanimously (4–0).
- Appeal of Igor Malygin (Assistant Architect Recruitment): Appellant Malygin was not present. Staff explained that Malygin failed the training and experience examination. He appealed, claiming the questions were tricky and unclear. The city contended the exam was standard and fairly applied. The board waived formal rules and affirmed the director's disqualification. Motion passed unanimously (4–0).
- Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson for 2023: After nominations, the board elected:
- Kathryn Meola as Chair (President) and Joy Gonzalez-Cabatic as Vice Chair (Vice President) for calendar year 2023. The motion passed unanimously (4–0).
Key Outcomes
- All three appeals of disqualifications were denied, and the director's decisions were upheld by unanimous votes.
- New board officers were elected for 2023.
- Staff noted that the return to in-person meetings is targeted for March 2023.
- The City Clerk confirmed that required trainings, including a Brown Act training, are being developed and are expected to be presented at a board meeting by summer 2023.
- No public comments were received on matters not on the agenda.
Meeting Transcript
We'll still need a few more seconds. Sorry for the delay. Chair, we are live. Okay, thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the meeting of the Civil Service Board. It's Monday, January 30th. And happy new year to everyone. Let's see. Excuse me, I just want to. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, will you um will everyone please unmute and turn on their videos? And um Mr. Clerk, will you please call the roll to establish a quorum? Thank you, Chair. Commissioner Gonzalez Cabonic. Present. Commissioner Miola. Commissioner Miola. Present. Vice Chair Okay. Vice Chair Amonfor. Present. And Chair Byrd. Present. Thank you. We have a quorum. Excellent. So I'm notice I'm noting that we usually have five members. Did somebody leave us? I believe so. Give me one moment. Chair. Chalonet Hunter, her term expired on December 31st. The uh on seat E. Uh C E is currently um uh open for applications and they're being reviewed. Oh, great. Thank you for letting us know. I didn't realize her her term had expired. Okay. Um this meeting is virtual via Zoom. For members of the public who wish to join, please refer to the agenda on the for the Zoom link. Once you've joined the meeting and wish to speak, raise your hand, um, which is a little icon down at the bottom to provide public comment. Um, when I confirm the public comment speaking period for your desire desired item. If you're online, click on raise hand on the bottom of your screen in the mobile app. You can raise your hand by tapping the raise hand option in the more tab. If you're calling in via telephone to raise your hand, dial star nine, then to mute or unmute, dial star six. Speakers will be called on by the last four digits of their phone number.
openpublica.com