San Diego Civil Service Commission Meeting - September 6, 2024

The Civil Service Commission convened on September 6, 2024, at 4:30 PM. The meeting included a closed session report, approval of the consent agenda, and discussion of several personnel items, including special leave requests and a detailed review of fiscal year 2026 salary proposals. The Commission also received a presentation on the city's financial structure and an update on hiring process improvements.

Consent Calendar

• The Commission unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included the minutes from the July 11, 2024 meeting (5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 20 (Celia Ramirez): Nada Ellias (Library Assistant 3, from a previous item) briefly spoke via Zoom to clarify the outcome of her own leave request, which had already been approved.
• Item 23 (Salary Proposals): Andres Alva Cardenas (ASU Local 127) spoke on several salary proposals. Tim Douglas (President, ASU Local 127) also addressed the Commission on the heavy truck driver and parking meter technician proposals. Department representatives, including Lewis Merlin (Deputy Director, Parks & Recreation), Doug Campbell (Interim Assistant Director, Public Utilities), and others, testified in support of studying the aquatics technician, heavy truck driver, pump station operator, and parking meter technician classifications.
• Item 24 (Hiring Process Update): Lewis Merlin (Parks & Recreation) expressed support for the hiring process pilot and thanked the working group.

Discussion Items

• Closed Session Report: The Commission reported action on public employment appeal of Jennifer L. Whitmer's employment disqualification. Motion to grant the appeal passed 4-0 (Commissioner Pham absent).
• Item 25 (City Financial Overview - taken out of order): Chief Financial Officer Matt Vespe and Finance Director Rolando Charvel presented a timeline of the city's financial history, revenue structure, and the FY2025 adopted budget. They highlighted a structural deficit in the general fund, underfunded infrastructure, and the need for additional revenue. The presentation was informational; no vote was taken.
• Items 18-22 (Special Leave Requests):
  • Item 18: Marco Aguilar Gutierrez (Police Investigative Service Officer 1) – One-year special leave without pay approved (5-0).
  • Item 19: Nata Ellias (Library Assistant 3) – One-year extension special leave without pay, with name placed on eligible list approved (5-0).
  • Item 20: Celia Ramirez (Special Event Traffic Controller 1) – One-year seventh extension special leave without pay, with name on eligible list approved (5-0).
  • Item 21: Marissa Dama Vongsa (Field Representative) – One-year special leave without pay, with name on eligible list approved (5-0).
  • Item 22: Alyssa Tetro (Police Officer 2) – One-year special leave without pay, with name on eligible list approved (5-0). The Commission discussed the basis for her leave, which included a complaint filed with the EEIO office.
• Item 23 (FY2026 Salary Proposals): Staff recommended 11 proposals for further study and 5 not to be forwarded. The Commission first approved the 11 recommended proposals as a block (5-0). Then voted individually on the five not-recommended items:
  • Subitem 1 (Aquatics Technician series): Approved for study (5-0).
  • Subitem 2 (Heavy Truck Driver series): Approved for study (5-0).
  • Subitem 3 (Offset Press Operator): Denied study (5-0) because the submitted request was for the wrong classification (junior instead of senior) and there was no recruitment data.
  • Subitem 4 (Parking Meter Technician): Approved for study (5-0).
  • Subitem 5 (Pump Station Operator): Approved for study (5-0).
• Item 24 (Hiring Process Update): Assistant Personnel Director David Dallager presented a pilot program to reduce the classified hiring timeline from 270 days to target of less than half. Key changes include leveraging executive team meetings to expedite certification requests, eliminating unnecessary supplemental questions, and cleaning up old certifications in NeoGov. The Commission praised the progress and discussed enforcement mechanisms.

Key Outcomes

• Closed Session Appeal: Motion to grant the appeal of Jennifer L. Whitmer passed 4-0.
• Consent Agenda: Approved 5-0.
• Special Leave Requests (Items 18-22): All approved 5-0.
• Salary Proposal Studies (Item 23): Aquatics technician, heavy truck driver, parking meter technician, and pump station operator were approved for further study (each 5-0). Offset press operator was denied study (5-0).
• Hiring Process Pilot (Item 24): The Commission acknowledged the pilot and directed staff to continue implementation.