Welcome to the civil service commission meeting.

I'm Commissioner President Nico Portillo.

We're going to do a roll call to confirm commissioner attendance.

When I call your name, please see present.

Commissioner Freeman.

President.

Commissioner Mayor.

Commissioner Moore.

Commissioner Fenn is absent.

If you're attending has been noticed.

Also joining us today our personal personnel director, David Dallagar, assistant to a personnel director and assistant personnel director and senior deputy city attorney David Carmen and the assistant to the personnel director, Sabah.

There are three items on this afternoon's closed agenda.

And Brandon L Bird approving their conviction record disqualification for the position of safety office.

And is there anyone who wishes to make a public comment on an item on the closed session agenda?

We will take the personal public comment first and move to the public comment.

No public comment.

Commissioner Freeman.

Commissioner Merrill.

Commissioner Moore.

Present.

Commissioner is absent.

Thank you.

Your ambitious denoted joining us today.

Our personnel director, David Dallager, assistant personnel director, and Rahina Bahn, Senior Deputy City Attorney Dave Cardiff and assistant to the personnel director.

Sabal meeting.

All right.

Commissioner Freeman.

This could be by written by the oh okay.

All right.

You can't miss no you you need two.

Oh, I need two.

President Ratio received four votes for presidents to continue on.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right.

Do we have any um anybody who wants to make a motion or uh uh what do you call it?

Um select anybody.

I'll move to nominate four to continue.

I'll second that.

Thank you.

Um like everybody to nominate four to continue I'll second that yeah with the four votes to continue on as I vote records it uh thank you I do have actually this just appear to right now um appoint reporter uh um we can't have secret votes right like that's a that's just a written vote so they want to be written no how everybody voted they can but it happens to be analogous no problem but it's not it's not received okay no yes that would be super illegal being the brown ass that's true for the venture for give you okay um item three report from closed session solar uh items for closed session public employment appeal of employment disqualifications pursuant to California government code section five four nine five seven v1 number one jade atkins appealing the rejection of their application for the position of records management analyst motion to deny the appeal cost four to zero with commissioner item two brandon l Burns appealing their conviction record disqualification for the position of safety officer motion to grant the appeal vote was two to two with commissioner portillo and commissioner more voting no the motion fails for lack of majority the appeal is denied public employment appeal of disciplinary appeal pursuant to California government code section 54957 v1 step and glover appealing their termination for the position of sanitation driver two motion uh motion to trail the matter for the next meeting passed four to zero with commissioner fan absent thank you we will now move on to non agenda of the comment is there anybody who wishes to make a public comment on an item not public agenda which is in the pro view of the civil services anybody Brandon anybody uh no public comment on zone okay thank you we'll move on to the consent agenda would anybody like to make these motion to approve the consent agenda items four through seven which includes the minutes from November 6 2025 commission meet to approve I'll second we now have a motion and a second is there any discussion okay we'll go ahead and take a vote public comment sorry public comment um we'll go ahead and take a vote uh please yes no or abstain uh commissioner freeman yes commissioner merryl yes commissioner more yes and I am a yes uh passes me now um what I wanted to do if it's okay with everybody um bring up uh move item 10 3 uh for uh move it up to um right now so we can discuss it right now if there uh I understand there's uh badges in the item up so they can get going no objection okay uh go ahead um good afternoon commissioners Jennifer Lama's you know with staff item 10 is the final set of staff recommendations on special salary adjustments title changes the creation of move tree classifications and classification deletions as we articulate our memo to you staff reviewed these requests based on the criteria described in charter section 130 on September 4th 2025 the commission directed staff to study salary proposals for the fiscal year 2027 salary ordinance today we are making recommendations on three proposals staff and the requesters are available in case the commission has any questions sub item three is a request from the police department and MEA to create a new entry level parking enforcement recruitment classification and a special salary adjustment of 10% for the parking enforcement officer classification series based on turnover and recruiting problems.

Staff recommends creating a separate classification of parking enforcement officer training, which is currently an option title off the special event traffic controller one classification to remain at the current monthly salary of approximately $4,884.

Staff also recommends that the personnel manual index code D3 be updated to allow the new classification of parking enforcement officer trainee to underfill the parking enforcement officer one classification.

However, staff recommends denial of the request for a special salary adjustment.

A staff has reviewed the recruitment data and finds that although the city is experiencing a recruiting problem with the parking enforcement officer two classification.

The city of San Diego pays more than local agencies.

No turnover problems were found.

Their requesters have submitted a rebuttal for their requests, which has been provided to NEA is here to make you aware of their concerns, and I'm happy to answer any questions to make.

Okay.

Good afternoon, Commissioners.

Nick Wright, Labor Relations Manager with MEA.

In attendance with me today is senior parking enforcement officer Laird Tucker, or excuse me, senior parking enforcement office, supervisor Larry Tucker.

Also in attendance from the department are Lieutenant De Los Reyes, Commander Kelso, and Assistant Chief Cross.

We've already provided our rebuttal statement specifically as it pertains to personnel's recommendation.

We do want to thank personnel for recommending what will get people in the door, which is this creation of the classification of the trainee.

However, we still believe, as does the as does the department, that in order to retain the people that they bring in, a 10% SSA is necessary and essential.

As we noted, uh, as personnel noted, there are recruitment problems that are identified.

There are a few recruitment problems identified throughout, um, and a retention issue that was also identified throughout is identified in my rebuttal statement.

But to try to compare the median salary between San Diego and any other city is extremely difficult.

Uh, per the graph that I provided you just on parking meters alone.

Uh, those are really sort of utility positions outside of the city of San Diego, other municipalities.

They perform multiple other duties that are not done here.

What we have are parking enforcement specialists, um, unique to just the city of San Diego.

There's not another municipality in our county that does what these people do.

So, with that, I do want to hand it over to Mr.

Tucker so he can uh expand more on the reasons and the need for the SSA, and we're happy to answer any questions as are uh the command staff.

Okay, sure.

No, thank you for this opportunity.

Um, I just wanted to feel uh to state that yes, that what we do is completely different from what other park enforcement officers do anywhere in the area.

Um, I mean, most of them don't even inbound vehicles, and that's something that we do all the time to help all departments in the city as far as special events and and the slurry for slurry still and stuff like that.

Um so it is a unique position that is not easily replicated out or easily compared to applying it uh throughout the city or throughout the county.

Um, I wanted to thank both the MA and and our uh command staff and the city to help us with the recruit position that is going to help immensely getting people inside the door.

Um we're um everyone is bending over backwards trying to pull every level we can to make sure that we keep these positions filled.

The last lever we have is why we're here today is that to make sure that we're paying our people an appropriate amount so where they're not looking for similar jobs in the city that are that are that have gotten SSAs and we're now making more with not having to work weekends, not having to work late.

I'm sure everyone's aware of all the changes that are happening inside the city regarding parking.

Um we will very soon be changing schedules for the second time in three years, extending hours, forcing people to work weekends.

So the schedules are becoming less desirable.

Um, yet we're we're um we're being asked to do so.

Um, so all I hear from my teams is hey, like we're working late, we're gonna have to work till 11 o'clock at night.

Like, are we gonna get paid more?

Are we going to get compensated for this?

And people already looking for other positions.

Some people have already left, some left in the last month.

Um so we just want to.

This is a problem that is solvable.

Um, we can do it right now, just if we can make sure we make sure we pay parking force officers what they deserve to be paid.

We can actually can move forward, have these positions filled every day.

We have a position that's not filled, is actually hurting the city financially, and it's really doable.

So I just wanted to make sure I brought that to your guys' attention.

And just to piggyback real quick on what Lyric said, every every year you don't have a parking enforcement officer, is $600,000 loss of general fund revenue.

That's per parking enforcement officer.

They have about 105, 90 of which were by tickets, so that's 53 million dollars in general fund revenue per year.

Um, so every loss, every time someone leaves, that's more money that's not going into the general fund.

Any more discussion or questions?

Yeah, I got a question.

So, what are the recruiting problems when you see it?

So, one of the to keep it as simple as possible, it was it was harder to be a PEO, parking enforcement officer, than it was to be an officer.

Like it was the minimum requirements were restricted to the point to where it was easier to be hired as an officer than it is to be a parking forcement officer.

So that is that is the just the very simple way to explain the troubles we're having with the minimum requirements that we're dealing with.

So does that answer the question?

So that's why you want the training.

That's why we need the training position.

Absolutely.

So having the training position would create some type of stabilization, or at least give us the putting to see if it'd be easier to recruit and then they whether they grow in the wings, or if they at least that allows us to get that problem for them.

If we can't solve individually, the the training positions allow for quicker recruitment.

Um, the overall issue is that when someone is looking for a position within the city, um obviously the first thing they're gonna look at is paying after they look at the minimum qualifications, right?

And when they look at San Diego and then they look at the size of San Diego and the complexity of San Diego, because I did spend time looking at the job announcements of the cities that were quoted by personnel.

Um, their job announcement is about three and a half pages long.

Chula Vista's was four sentences, um, La Mesa's was a half a paragraph.

Um, everyone else, the complexity was just so much further reduced.

And what happens is after the recruitment, as they go up into PEO2, especially, that is when now these new schedules, because parking was Monday through Friday, now it's seven days a week.

Now what they were originally hired for and what the schedules they were told, the hours they were told, those are all changing.

So as those change, usually compensation comes into effect.

Unfortunately, for the night shift portion of the PEO's work, that doesn't really fall within the realm of shift differential traditionally, so they may not even get that five percent compensation for working that shift.

And so when you have people looking at other positions in the city, going, actually, I'm tired of doing this, I want to go over there because they make more money and they do the same things we do.

So, for example, PEOs routinely leave for co-compliance officer positions because they are paid more, not because the complexity is any greater, but it's because the pay is greater.

They also tend to leave the city routinely because the job is difficult.

I'm sure you can imagine how difficult it is looking like a sworn police officer out there without the protections that sworn police officers have, although officers are very quick to respond to anything that happens.

But these individuals are shot at, they are constantly threatened.

Um, you know, I I believe just six months ago I had someone that was shot at while they were driving their three-wheeled scooter.

Um compensation does seem to be the number one thing that comes up from employees to not only MEA, but also to management when they leave, they tend to identify compensation to be the reason.

And we understand that personnel does not see losing people from PEO to co-compliance officer as a retention issue.

We understand that.

Um, but in this unique circumstance, because there are similar classifications within the city that do the exact same job, but make more money because they just happen to be co-compliance instead of parking enforcement.

Because here parking enforcement is really co-compliance of parking enforcement.

They're enforcing the same codes that co-compliance or the same, they're enforcing codes in the same way that co-compliance is, excuse me.

So it's similar to um, you know, I'll pull from your background, Joey.

You know, in fire, as you're aware, the fire inspectors and the co-compliance officers and community risk reduction, they do a lot of the same stuff.

One sworn, one isn't.

And you can see those co-compliance officers kind of feel stuck where they are because where are they gonna go?

You never see anyone choosing PEO over co-compliance.

So that 10% recommendation will give MEA and will give the department flexibility during negotiations with the city to try to implement something to maintain the retention of the officers that they already have, as well as build up the base that they need to be able to fill all of their positions because at these new um in January as these new schedules are then conferred upon and come out, that will require more people.

So the training position is important because it's been so difficult to fill, where we know we're already getting more positions to try to fill.

The 10% SSA, if we are successful, wouldn't even be implemented until 7-1 next year.

If we're successful to whatever degree we are within that 10% range.

But that the hopes for that is that there is a there's a light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.

We have a recommendation, we're gonna do everything that we can to try to get that recommendation through.

And if we do, hopefully that incentivizes the seasoned officers who you're not going to have to take those two years to train somebody to match that revenue that's coming into the general fund.

And if we can, if if we with personnel's recommendation of the trainee classification, we see that recruitment issue fixed for that purpose.

But the retention issue is the issue that we're having.

And because personnel doesn't look at it that way, we totally understand that that's why we're advocating for the 10%.

Because they are losing people and they're losing people to the city, and then it makes it even more difficult to bring people in.

Um then you lose for whatever period of time.

I think it's two years to become a PEO two from the trainee position.

That's two years.

I mean 10 people, two years where the seasoned staff would be bringing in 600,000 versus 100, 150,000 each.

That's a significant difference.

And as funny as it may sound, that is PEOs may be the linchpin of the general fund as far as it comes to MBA supporting other positions, because if they're not bringing in that money, then we're going to see more percentage cuts asked for from uh the mayor and his staff or from city council, and then departments are gonna have to do what they need to do.

But if we can bring that money in, hopefully that 10% will maintain that general fund revenue.

So you just segue into where I was going.

So when we think of we're losing people right now, we're on riffs, we're hiring freezes, everything that we're currently in.

So we're thinking of bringing on a new position that we would then need to fill.

So that's the cost.

And then we're saying, and then also the 10%.

Is there room for, and that's the labor side for the conversations of whether it is hazard pay, whether it is shift differential, whether it is re-looking at that versus going to go to the budget again when we're already losing people.

And I know even from former years being in personnel, PEO is a good starting place, and people do grow and move from there, but then those are also those bumping rights, then it comes back and it just trickles back and impacts us when we turn around and have a risk.

So understandable, we do not typically see RIFs in and out of the police department.

Um, the main reason being that someone who someone may need to go back through backgrounds, they may need to go through the other things.

So we don't really see riff implications in PE.

Um, and to your point on hazard pay, um there's other alternatives.

Yeah, no, hazard pay or chip differential.

I was trying to pull from what you had said, apologies.

Um, to your point, those are just as those are have less likelihood based on the information that I have right now than a potential for a 10% SSA, which especially if we aren't able to secure the shift differential, will make up for that shift differential for the new schedules we know are coming.

So, and even then the SSA is just a recommendation.

I couldn't guarantee you that they were gonna get any of those.

Um, and what we're looking at primarily is the retention, the retention side for that 10%.

You know, we ask for 10%, we hope to get that much.

Who knows if that's even going to happen?

Um, but having that recommendation gives us at least some latitude to try to show people like, hey, just just hang out for a little bit longer.

Let's see if we can get this, even if that secures, even just the recommendation secures four, five, six people staying until July 1.

We can see what we can get through negotiations and move forward from there to try to try to mitigate that retention issue of what it is that they're describing to Canada.

And the police department, to my understanding and why a command staff is here, is they're fully in support of this.

They understand that's a budget impact, but they understand how important this is for the PEOs and for the record that they bring.

And that's a budget impact, knowing that we also have are having problems hiring for police officers in general, and then covering certain communities in general, would give offices there and a court that would be in support if it's still making it.

But understanding that that's a budget hit or a take from offices on the street.

Potentially.

Um, so it just depends on how where the revenue is coming from.

Fortunately, I can't expand upon that because I'm not sure.

But I would say that uh in the police department, as with the fire department, every single person is essential that they uh require for staffing and that they also require for public safety.

And I don't believe that the police department would view that as a hit to their budget.

They would find that as a when you consider how much it costs to bring somebody in, um, as you noted earlier, um, especially in the police department versus other departments where you have polygraph where you have everything else that has to go into effect, you're actually gonna end up saving money from the recruitment side if you retain.

But the retention side is where you're going to save money by not having to go through all of those processes.

Um, so overall, 10% is significant.

Um, not as significant as some others, um, but it will be a cost savings if they can retain.

And I think that's the main goal.

Let's make it easier to bring people in so we can train them, give them a longer period of time to train, um, make it easier to beat those minimum qualifications that were a little too stringent, but also let's retain so we don't have to do that that often because that costs a significant amount of money, and that significant amount of money is probably more than the 10% that they would be paid.

If that goes through more questions, it's a good explanation.

Um, so I will go ahead and uh see the motion.

Are we doing discussion before I can do it?

Well, we could like I'm always used to doing it like after the work.

Or yeah, I talked about it.

I just I don't know.

Um, especially having questions.

Uh I'm looking about how it looks to me like this is uh a funny case.

This is uh an odd case where we have our our system and uh we have comps, salary comms, and that's what sometimes the jobs that look like comms at the top level are not really as complicated as uh as they might sometimes be.

Um, and this looks like both of those cases.

So uh the reason this uh wasn't recommended by staff uh was that the comps didn't line up uh in a way that justified it.

Um, but I've been persuaded uh here that those comps, while they're the closest comps they get, staff certainly did a good job here.

Um as close as they can get, but still didn't get there.

Um, and so like this is that is the process we follow.

But the reason we have commission to make these decisions is to see when the process doesn't quite give you the outcome you're intending.

And so what we're trying to do is have uh competitive employment policies, uh competitive salaries that don't get out of control.

10% certainly not out of control, especially in a situation where we have that looks like twice the uh uh quits in the last three years uh of these officers.

Um especially given the parking environment that you're doing there.

So I would recommend that contrary to the recommendation.

Uh the we recommend approval in 10%, which basically ban request.

You want to make a motion?

Um I'm saying not, so yeah, but I make a motion to uh the motion um that I think you're making is the adopt the person mail recommendation within a 10% salary adjustment, the personal recognition.

So personal recommendation for creating the training all you classification and the 10% increase for the moving to approve series P O trainee and 10% for the series for the series.

Yes, thank you.

Career against and the career.

That is my motion.

Um that motion too, like you've got to move to create the new classification piece.

Uh parking enforcement officer trainee.

The career advancement for the uh position as well as the 10% throughout the series.

I'll say okay.

Let's uh go ahead and vote.

We got a motion in a second.

Commissioner Freeman.

Yes, Commissioner Merrill.

Yes, Mr.

Moore, yes.

And I a yeah.

Um, I forgot I there's any more public comment.

Okay, um, so the decision is unanimous.

So the motion passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Okay, um I think this two eight.

Item eight of a sanchez for a staff.

Item eight is a request from Courtney Skillman, account clerk for a one-year first extension, specially without pay ending January 14th, 2027, with her job to be safe.

Miss Skillman is requesting this leave for child care.

The public utilities department recommends modification of this request to name on eligible list.

Ms.

Gilman has been employed with the city since January 11, 2022.

Her most recent performance evaluation, which meets standards.

Ms.

Gilman and the department are present to answer any questions you may have.

Okay, thank you.

So I am requesting a one-year special leave.

This is my first extension.

And the reason is my daughter was prematurely born prematurely.

She was born two months early, um, spent over two and a half months in the NICU.

She still has ongoing health challenges since she was born.

Um she requires extra care and medical follow-ups that demand my attention at this time.

Extending this leave will allow me to ensure her continued recovery and stability before returning to work fully focused and dependable.

Um I value my position and the support I have received from my team, and I want to make sure I return at a time when I can get my full attention and commitment.

Umce again, this time will allow me to focus on her continued health and to arrange the proper child care and support systems needed for that proper just um transition back to my normal work schedule.

Um I am also committed to maintaining communication throughout my leave and will provide updates.

I want to emphasize um that I am fully committed to my career and to returning to my position as soon as my daughter is at a point where her needs can be appropriately managed.

Um I value my role with the city of San Diego and the work that I do, and my goal is to return with the same dedication, focus, and reliability of always demonstrated.

Um, and granting this extension will allow me to return to work with a clear mind, full focus, and the ability to get my best both as an employee and as a parent who knows her child's finally ready for that transition.

Anyone from public utilities?

Yes.

Oh, go ahead.

That all right, but please follow Mr.

Wright's uh example and grab a second chair.

Uh so thank you very much.

My name is Adam Jones, I'm the deputy director of finance for the public utilities department.

Courtney is one of my employees in my accounts payable section.

Um, I agree that Courtney has been a wonderful employee as was mentioned by your personnel uh staff.

Uh the real challenge that we are seeing this year, and especially um since this time, is uh it's now been a year with the complete leave without pay.

There was additional protected leave before that.

Um, and we find ourselves in a very challenging year.

Um, there's a lot of operational decisions that we need to be making throughout this year.

Um, the team that is uh fully budgeted positions of 12, we're down to uh there's four that are vacant, so eight including Miss uh Salesman.

And um and the challenge is is that we need to start making decisions now about how we're going to be uh moving forward in the next year.

Um, I feel that the employees done a great job.

That was why I felt very comfortable putting name on list um since the time in which the employees have been out on leave.

We have seen three employees uh leave the section, move to other jobs or pursue other opportunities.

So we are generally constantly in the hiring free or the hiring uh aspects, and I believe that if uh if the if my employee were to be applying, I would find her highly qualified, and she would be a great candidate for these positions, but it is finding it a challenge at this point to have to hold a position vacant for another year after this period of time and having that workload uh go to the other employees that are still here.

So my intention is to go through the hiring, go through the city's new uh request to fill process and to get all vacancies taken care of by the end of the year.

That's my intention, and uh thank you for the opportunity to come in.

All right, any discussion.

So you have somebody covering for her now, right?

We have correct the rest of the rest of the rest of the staff have been doing it, we've authorized it over time doing all this aspect as we've seen employees leave and in preparation of going through a full recruitment.

How many staff have that discovery?

Okay.

And uh Ms.

Gilman, um, do you have a idea of when you know your daughter will be in a spot where you're comfortable?

You know, um I would say uh she really needs like she's still uh like needing oxygen sometimes, like it's she still has a lot of medical appointments.

So I would say I mean I can't say for sure, but with the I mean at least like a few months would be helpful to where I can be able to be comfortable leaving her with anybody else.

Any other questions?

Um willing to make a motion um that um we got the special um leave without pay um ending January 14, 2027, with our job to be saved um instead of the one year uh maybe six months post motion, yeah.

Oh one year instead of six months instead of so ending July 14th, yes 24.

All right, we got a motion and a second.

Um let's go ahead and vote.

Commissioner Freeman.

Yes, Commissioner Merrill, yes, more yes, and I am a yes, thank you very much.

Yeah, I'm sorry, but what it can okay.

Um item nine.

Uh right.

Um this is uh on the motion to dismiss the appeal.

Um I'm moving here to dismiss the appeal of uh Salawi uh Sadanea, so INA Sabai Mea.

Uh normally I ask people directly uh we say things, but there so um we had a appeal set for this is a uh appeal of discipline.

Um the appeal was set uh for November 12th at 9 a.m.

Uh there was a uh pre-hearing meeting as always.

Uh the appellant did not attend the pre-hearing meeting.

Uh the appellant did receive the uh certified mail notice of the year, but the appellant also received an email confirming um that uh he would be uh asking whether he was going to be at the uh appeal.

Uh please confirm you will be attending your civil service appeal on Wednesday 12 at 9 a.m.

Uh appellant respondent.

Hello, I will be present on November 12th at 9 a.m.

So we've established what he did get notice of the appeal.

Um and when we have these uh appeals, um like a lot of people have to show a lot of staff and people witnesses, folks out in uh lobby, there's a court reporter that we have to pay for the whole day regardless.

Um there's two sets of lawyers sometimes.

Actually, there's two sets of lawyers always three uh many times.

Uh so when somebody just doesn't come to the appeal, uh it does create massive cost to everybody else.

Um and so you know, making sure we take these things seriously.

Uh we look to the rules, which say any employees appealed to commission for a public hearing and who fails to make an appearance at the hearing, either in person or using the video communication application, or through a representative, but and none of these things happen.

In the event of such failure, the appointing authority or the appointing authority's representative may move the commission uh to dismiss the appeal and make that motion here.

Uh we remained uh in the room until uh I think 20 after.

Um I personally hung around the building for uh another half hour uh just to make sure that uh showed up.

I am not aware of the appellants having uh made any effort to provide this appeal as such, uh dismiss is on the line.

Oh this is the first letter.

Yes, uh well, so public up all right.

We haven't had a second yet.

Oh second, sorry.

We have uh okay.

Uh we have a motion in a second.

Is there a public comment?

Yes, I'd like to uh this is uh civilian so I now oh go ahead.

This is the idea.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

Um yeah, I was unfortunate um that I wasn't able to make that.

Um had a pretty event come up that I couldn't I couldn't get to the meeting, and I wasn't able to call in in time.

I did call in afterwards, but this was the fourth time though that um they had scheduled the meeting.

The first three times were all canceled, um last minute, and um I'm not saying that's an excuse for me, but um I wasn't yeah, that is true.

I was not able to make this um this last meeting a couple weeks ago.

Um, but I am interested in in my appeal still because I was fired for no reason.

I was an outstanding employee with no no write-ups whatsoever.

Um I came into this division where I'm at, um, highly recommended from the division where I was at before, and I had no issues.

I even got uh uh what do you call that a merit raise, you know, within this within this uh division that I'm in or that I was in.

Um I filed for a grievance, they put me on uh uh against my supervisor, then they put me on uh paid leave for six months, and then they come back with oh, you know, we we found you uh that you work in a threatening manner, and we're gonna have to fire you.

I don't understand how you guys could um how you guys could fire people like that.

I don't I they had no they had absolutely no evidence of of any of that stuff.

I've never been written up.

I've only had good things happen for me there, but as soon as I you know, when I when I exposed what my supervisor was doing there, you know, time fraud, all of a sudden, oh yeah, now it's time for you to go.

So no, I would like to continue on with my appeal because I feel I was I was um wrongfully terminated um from the city of San Diego when I did nothing but a good job there.

Uh I have a question uh for Mr.

Savana.

You said there were uh previously scheduled appeals that were canceled.

Can you tell me more about that?

Yeah, Andrea Peterson.

Um we've been in con we've been actually in contacts uh via email for the last year and a half uh regarding this, and she set up three different times.

Um, and they were not able to um they were not able to keep those times, so they've had to reschedule.

Okay, so those were rescheduled, uh not canceled.

I I will tell you that I was uh involved in some of those scheduling because they have to ask me if I'll be there.

Um and uh at no point did we get within a month of a hearing and have it be rescheduled.

It's always well in advanced uh that sort of thing.

Um and that's not uncommon sometimes.

We uh attempt to find dates and they don't work for everybody, and then we have to attempt to find other dates.

Um but at no point do I see um was a hearing actually scheduled.

Um if I'm mistaken in that and I look at the IML right now and I don't believe I am, uh, then at the very least they will reschedule without advanced because uh I had I I had this appeal nowhere near my gallery until I actually clarify for that.

Yeah, yeah, that's happening up.

I've had uh communication with Andrea Peterson, uh the lady who's been um uh facilitating the uh the appeal process for me.

And uh I've been very uh I'm very upfront, you know.

I um so um yeah, I would like to I would like to continue on if possible.

If not, you know, just um just let me know, you know that you know you guys are I would not um give me an appeal and we can just move forward.

I have a question.

Who did you contact when you missed your last appeal?

Who did you contact with the city?

It was Andrea Peterson.

She's she's the uh the gal that um that is I've been speaking with for the last year and a half, year or so.

So what we're saying out loud is uh when no one had been notified, so we were here.

I was sitting in on with uh Commissioner Moore and or Vice President, and we were waiting.

No one had been notified in advance.

We didn't know that was correct.

Uh 20 minutes in person, and then he intentionally said, I'm going to stick around, and we left, and I kept my phone on waiting just in case he said, Hey, can you double back?

So, as far as this last most recent one, um, that we're aware of that everybody was present, there was no notification in advance.

That is correct.

That was correct.

It was afterwards.

I've been the only hearing loss for all this case.

I wasn't there, that was the scary.

So this is the only one that's just the only one that's okay.

All right, we have uh any more public comment.

Uh we have a motion and a second.

Um go ahead and vote.

Uh Commissioner Freeman.

Yes, you just missed the appeal.

Yes, we can dismiss the appeal.

Okay.

Uh Commissioner Merrill.

Yeah.

Uh Commissioner Moore.

Yes.

And I'm a yes.

The um motion path of unanimously.

All right.

Uh number 10.

Yes, go ahead.

Afternoon.

Uh sub item one is a request from the Department of Information Technology to create a new digital equity specialist classification series.

Staff recommends approval of the creation of a new classification series with the alternative titles of senior digital equity specialist and digital equity specialist to support and provide digital navigation services at a monthly salary of approximately $8,785 and $8,006, respectively.

Staff also recommends that the personnel manual index code D3 be updated to allow the classification of management trainee to underfill the new proposed classification of digital equity special.

I am available to answer any questions.

What does a digital equity specialist do?

Well, we basically will be uh supporting and providing digital navigation services to the public, um, using their tablet, their phone, uh things of that nature.

Um we want to make a motion public comment or public comment on the okay.

Would you like any more background on the digital equity services or digital navigation?

We're we're from the department of IT.

We manage the program, so we're happy to answer any additional questions for our background information.

Okay, and you're what's that okay?

Um there's no questions.

Are you I will move to a frugal request?

All right, I'll second first adversation.

All right, we have a motion in the second.

We'll go ahead and vote.

Uh Commissioner Freeman.

And this is to create the classification.

Yes.

And the career hands.

Yes.

Uh Commissioner Mero.

Yes.

Commissioner Moore.

Yes.

I am a yes.

Uh, once again, the motion passes the unanimously.

Uh, we'll go ahead or with 102, please.

Yes, item sub item two is a request from the public utilities department to create a new entry level junior engineer corrosion classification.

Staff recommends approval of the creation of a new junior engineer corrosion classification to perform entry level duties and responsibilities at a monthly salary of approximately eight thousand seven hundred and sixty-four dollars.

Staff also recommends that the personnel manual fixed code D3 be updated to allow the proposed new classification of junior engineer corrosion to underfill the classification of assistant engineer corrosion.

I'm available to answer any questions.

So is this along the lines of a trainee?

Like what would we call a station?

And I have this here, but what would be the follow change?

So is this truly a training role?

Because I think a junior um, I think junior is right above associate to me, but below senior, but yet so let me get there.

Right.

So this particular classification is a professional entry level position as opposed to the engineering aid.

Um, so that the aid will focus more on field data collection and systems monitoring and maintenance, like report reporting, where this particular um engineer will be going in with already knowledge and training because they'll have a degree, and then they'll be in doing more of the you know, advanced journey level.

So, what are the assistants doing today?

The assistance rate.

Oh, at this moment, you know, I got that is that the intent for the assistant in the assumption with the tip wants to go a little bit lower on assistant.

So now are we going a little bit lower on junior engineering?

Is where is that work with the assistant up?

So I can while she's looking for that commissioner Freeman.

I can give you some more context.

So what PV is trying to do is right size or organization.

What we have in the engineering series is sub-professional classification, which Jennifer is talking about right now.

But we also we started the junior engineer series, so junior engineer civil, junior engineer electrical.

Every engineer series starts with a junior engineer, which is requires a four-year degree in that field, uh EIT or you know, adequate professional level engineering, like four years, right?

Like for like with the exception of corrosion engineers.

So that's the whole in our system right now.

Is what they have to use is junior engineer electrical, which when people go to school and are amped up on becoming a junior engineer electrical underfilming a assistant engineer electrical, and then they find out that they have to go deal with cathodes and all that stuff, they tend to drop out of the program and makes them hard for them to hire.

So we're trying to bring this classification in.

Any more public uh comment or any more uh questions?

Entertain a motion.

I will uh like motion to approve the uh requests first at recommendation for the creation of classification with the monthly salary uh six four and uh the underfill such as your motion to the second.

Um go ahead and vote.

Uh Commissioner Freeman.

Yes, Commissioner Merrill.

Yes, Mr.

Moore, yes, and I am the yes for the motion passes, and then we have uh informational item.

I'll take it from here.

Commissioner, David Alligator for staff.

Item 11 is a request for me to update the commission on various personal for items today.

I'll be providing updates on the development of citywide fingerprinting speed of regulation, the completion of the Flight 2026 reduction reports process, and the city's current budget, and outlook and hiring.

Uh, up first, I'm happy to announce that after two years of work developing a new citywide AR to clearly establish a fingerprinting policy.

Fell's candidates as volunteers uh living outside the county of San Diego or the state to complete their fingerprints off-site.

We have moved into the next phase.

Well, this uh while the timeline has been extended due to the number of stakeholders and procedural steps involved.

Uh, we've continued to make steady progress on this.

Uh, we have now distributed the draft AR and a company clearance memos to all potentially impacted department directors for their review signature and comments, uh which they are all due back in the middle of this.

Once all clearance forms are submitted to us, uh, we will move on to the final step.

The final step is the meet confer process with the impacted bargaining.

We look forward to engaging in that process with good faith, and we understand that the adoption of the regulation ultimately depend on the outcome of those discussions.

Uh, turning now to the reduction of force update.

Last month I reported that we began the RIF process with 31 impacted, and after attrition and the reclassification of vacant positions, the number was reduced by 10.

At that time, 12 employees have been placed complex and courtesy and use, and nine employees were still pending final placement.

Since then, we have completed the process for those remaining nine.

Seven were able to stay in their current apartment and classification, and two accepted placement in a different classification within that same department.

All impacted employees retained a full-time benefit position with the city.

This update officially closes out the RIF process associated with the FY 2026 adopted budget.

Finally, today I do want to provide you guys with an update on the city's budget outlook as impacts on our operations.

That the city addresses the budget deficits for upcoming fiscal year.

A citywide hiring approval process, better known as a request to fill process, is being reinstated on the summer system.

Under this process, departments will be required to obtain an oral approval before proceeding with new hires and promotions.

Our team is working closely with city administration to support a smooth implementation as we will again be responsible for implementing the hiring controls of the class five service.

It's also important to note the new requirement combined with a broader fiscal constraints, will once again extend hiring timelines and increase the citywide vacancy.

Additionally, all departments have received their budget efficiency targets, with most including the personnel department facing a 7% reduction.

We're still in the early stages of financial planning and are assessing how to best navigate these strengths.

The city is exploring a range of budget shortfall mitigation options.

So it's not clear yet whether the 7% target will remain or be adjusted in the future.

We will continue to monitor developments closely and keep the commission informed as more information becomes available.

With that, I am happy to answer questions or hear comments.

Yeah, I want to double back to the RTF process.

So what is the plan?

So there's some structure and some time constraints because it's being held accountable for timelines, but then having to then fill in additional timelines.

So is there a partner in person?

Is there a maybe help me to see how that is today?

Yep.

Well, so how it's going to be is all those RTFs from what we know today, right?

It hasn't begun yet.

Um, they'll have the requirements will have to put in a request to SAP for each position specifically.

That request will have to be approved up through their chain of command, up to and including the mayor.

And if they are approved, then at that point, we will be able to refer them the eligible list or allow them to hire if they had the eligible list already.

What we're not doing as a department is we're not holding off on doing recruitments.

If a department comes to us and asks tells us that they need to fill a position, we're gonna put forward the effort to have a list available so that when the RTF is approved, a list is ready to go.

So we aren't adding that 54, 56 days onto the process.

But the true accountability is going to be based on city administration as they're the ones who are determining when or if those positions can be filled, if they are needed to be filled by the operations, and then at that point, once we get the approval, then we will provide them the list or allow them to place the personal position.

What do we anticipate turnaround is going to be on the trends?

Yeah, on the in the layers.

Well, so it depends, right?

So we have a significant budget deficit again going forward.

We've not hit uh mid-year monitoring, but we haven't gotten a quarter three monitoring.

So we don't know what it looks like, but the intent generally speaking, again, we have not begun this one yet, so I don't know.

The intent generally speaking is to slow down the hiring process.

So we don't know if the intent is to slow it down by a number of weeks, or if the intent this time is to truly focus and make sure the classifications, the specific PCNs they want to hire, are needed by the department higher to hire.

So taking a breath clearly, if I have the position, it's a need, it was a position that was put forward, it was in the budget.

Clearly, I have that need.

The disservices to the community, if we're holding on, where it impacts our recruitment, it impacts operations, it impacts employee morale, it impacts staffing, it impacts our retention, then circles us back.

So we get in the cyclical process, and maybe the voices that I'm probably listening for or hoping for are the united voices.

I don't I don't know, but that added layer for opinion, and if this is needed, have we provided any insight in what turnaround time looks like or even given feedback to say, can we get a commitment or maybe deal in an ask of can we get a commitment of a point of contact?

Who is our primary?

Okay, department directors, you guys need to get you guys when you get it, you need to get it to the mayor within 48 hours.

So by some type of timeline, because then we are held accountable to the numbers, but yet the lat still then goes to the divisions and the mayoralty.

Yeah, and so I guess I have a two-part answer for this.

Yeah, we can we can table this.

Yeah, and either one's great, right?

I can't I can't speak for city administration, right?

I can't speak to what the goals is.

As I said, you know, generally speaking, RTFs are meant to slow down hiring, are meant to create vacancies or meant to create savings.

Um as I said in my last paragraph, we're getting a seven percent reduction in our staff for next fiscal year.

We have no vacancies, right?

So other departments, from what it sounds like are getting a seven percent as well.

So I don't know if this is going to be a tool in order to get rid of the potential seven percent.

Now, not every department's like us where we're all PE, we're not contracts.

So I I don't know how this tool is going to be utilized by the administration.

I'm I'm happy to work with them.

We do have a point of contact with working with HR on our end from this, but to your point, we are not driving either the show to get them approved quickly or to not get approved quickly.

We are in more of a back seat going along for the ride and stopping them with our process that we agreed to help the mayors, which is what I can see passenger, and making sure that we at least articulate the impact because I hear you and I understand the statements and I get the budget, so I understand that.

Um I mean, no this is dead.

I guess we don't need to keep even, but it still remains that that's a seven percent savings for now, but what is the long-term impact?

That that's the greater impact because then how much are we going to be and no discounts anybody leave approved today?

But then we need to keep getting increases along the way because we're not fully staffing, and then the whole more with less philosophy.

How far has it gotten?

And this is exactly why this is my report today.

I wanted to get it on the record and allow comments.

So, yes, yes, I I agree 100%.

We have um our vacancy rate has gone back down to around 10% at the city, right?

Shortly before I started here was 18 and a half percent, but the last hiring freeze still went up to about 129.

So now we're back down to 10.

And so, yes, I I see your perspective, and trust me, all I want to do is hire get positions filled, and I just wanted to definitely bring it to your attention that we will not be able to do that at the speed at which we would and I and I want to make sure that I'm clear so if anybody takes my voice back, recruitment is a concern for mine, but retention is important.

I have value in the city of San Diego, and I believe in the city of San Diego, but bringing people in is one thing, it's knowing how to keep people, and if the jobs seem unstable, if I'm going to continue to stay in this cycle of I'm doing more with less, and we can't really give increases, or what are we giving SSAs for if we really can't implement them like that that cycle?

So I'm hoping that is what is shared is the recruitment and the retention, and then rewarding those that do well and stay here in all of the things, so it's the cumulative culture that we're setting, so we are not the training ground for other agencies.

Absolutely, and I'll think that was very good.

I I want to comment that I recognizing there's this additional policy layer.

Um doesn't oversee the mayor, which oversees the regular.

So I'll make sure that whatever the policy and budgetary decisions uh are that we do our part as quickly and effectively as possible.

Um I don't have a big number in this room, um, but uh our our mission is to do our part as quickly as possible and serve the uh departments to do a hire uh as quickly as possible, um and and reduce that time frame.

Uh we've had some time um the hiring recess, obviously created some constraints, but also it's given us an opportunity to revisit the the repair of a badly broken process uh that we started with a few years ago.

Um I think that's happening, but I think so events work, so that's helpful.

Let's concentrate on things we need.

Um, I do have a question about the think of frames, right?

Um, I hadn't asked about this in a while because I kind of thought um, and I that's on me.

Uh, but you outlined a couple steps when uh are we expecting that to L.

So uh we have to meet confirm good faith, right?

So I can't put a date on that.

Fair enough.

Um the department directors, so that AR number one lays out how ARs are created.

Uh it requires for all impactful directors to sign off and approve an AR.

Is that correct?

So that's the step we're at now.

So the initial step was going back and forth 20 different times with is this an AR?

Is it a rule change?

Is it a rank change?

And then starting a rule change, starting rank change, starting AR, and hitting that cycle multiple times, and then once we've got locked in back and forth city attorneys, office helping us out, HR helping us out labor relations, working with the team there, flappers.

So right now we are we have about half the directors have signed off, and we're just remaining for the remainder.

Once we have that done, then we're able to meet for with the impacted part of the problem.

Um understanding the mean for process, this is a thing that like for King on the commission that I heard people complaining about far and wide, and to think that something that seems to be pretty consensus and obvious problem uh has taken two years to get to this point is concerning.

Um I I would like to see um a TikTok on what exactly happened there.

Um it doesn't have to go, it can just be uh in a kind of timeline to me.

Um so I can see how if we have other uh policy issues we need addressed um what we need to do to get this rest because this is um I'll be frank with you.

If your predecessor was giving me this report, I would not be being displayed.

Um so uh I would like to see what happened here.

Absolutely.

We're not the only bureaucracy, that's yes, go ahead.

Uh yeah, in the same vein as uh of a span on track of things, different separations that I've brought up in the past couple meetings.

I'm just hoping that we can um make things standing uh items so you could say in progress or something, so that I know that you don't have a git.

Don't you so we had I had a request for information about the recipe interview, you'll follow up and your email as well.

Just an update just to know, so can you capture in the minutes also?

So that it'll be some area, yeah.

We'll capture that one thanks.

I can throw it in to get the report out.

Yeah, everything except for my email give me an update or okay.

Thank you.

Also, and I'll phrase this as a portal order.

Um that the uh the agenda is set by the chair.

Um, but generally speaking, they they would chair like being chair.

Uh it takes recommendations pretty uh stuff.

So um if there's something we'll hear about, so there it is.

There we go.

Okay, just ask.

Go ahead.

Good point, good point.

I uh the validation app that that's something we've got to do.

I think it's broader of the ask of the department or the app have them itemized so you can have that follow this as something like this doesn't have whether we we item these now, but then going forward as we're tracking ensuring that the asks of the departments are then document captured and responded to all right.

Any more questions, comments?

All right, let's uh go ahead and adjourn.

Thank you very much.