San Diego Civil Service Commission Meeting - December 6, 2024

This meeting of the San Diego Civil Service Commission covered consent agenda approvals, discussion of employee leave requests, and several special salary adjustment proposals. The Commission voted on all items, with key outcomes including approval of modified leave requests and 10% salary adjustments for three classifications despite staff recommendations for denial.

Consent Calendar

• The Commission unanimously approved the consent agenda (Items 3–11, including minutes from the November 7, 2024 meeting) with a 5-0 vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made on non-agenda items. During discussion of special salary adjustments, Andres Alvarado, Business Representative for Local 127, spoke in support of increases for the construction estimator, fleet attendant, and plaster classifications, citing recruitment/retention issues, changes in duties, and comparisons with other cities.

Discussion Items

• Item 13 – Leave Request for Maurice Crosby (Water Systems Technician One): Mr. Crosby requested a one-year special leave without pay due to loss of his commercial driver’s license after a traffic accident involving alcohol (no DUI). Staff recommended modification to place him on an eligible list. The Commission approved the modified request 5-0.
• Item 14 – Leave Extension for Johnny Stanley (Heavy Truck Driver Two): Mr. Stanley requested a second three-month extension for hip surgery recovery. The Commission granted a six-month extension ending May 1, 2025, with job saved, voting 5-0.
• Item 15 – Revision to Personnel Manual Index Code D3: Staff recommended adding heavy truck driver two as a career advancement opportunity for heavy truck driver one. Approved 5-0.
• Item 16 – Special Salary Adjustments: The Commission considered five sub-items:
  • 16.1 – Fire Prevention Title Changes: Approved title changes for fire prevention supervisor, inspector 2, and inspector 1 to deputy fire marshal titles. (5-0)
  • 16.2 – New Pump Station Classifications: Approved creation of pump station operations superintendent and senior pump station operations supervisor. (5-0)
  • 16.3 – Construction Estimator (15% requested): Staff recommended denial, citing no recruitment problem. Local 127 argued for the increase, noting only one filled position and comparisons to Los Angeles (20% higher). The Commission approved 10% increase 5-0.
  • 16.4 – Fleet Attendant (15% requested): Staff recommended denial. Local 127 highlighted only one employee and pay gaps (11–29% less than other agencies). The Commission approved 10% increase 5-0.
  • 16.5 – Plaster Classification (15% requested): Staff recommended denial. Local 127 noted only three employees and changes to tenant improvement work. The Commission approved 10% increase 5-0.
• Item 17 – Personnel Department Update: Personnel Director David Gallagher reported on reducing supplemental questions in over 50 job bulletins, the impact of Measure E failure (sales tax) leading to a hiring freeze, and a pilot program for process improvements. No vote was taken.
• Item 18 – No presentation; meeting adjourned.

Key Outcomes

• All five special salary adjustment motions passed 5-0, each at 10% instead of the requested 15%, overriding staff recommendations for denial on three of them.
• Leave requests for Crosby and Stanley were approved with modifications; both motions passed 5-0.
• The consent agenda and other discussion items (title changes, new classifications, and manual revision) were all approved unanimously.