Recording started.

We're ready to begin.

Okay, welcome to the civil service commission meeting.

I am Commissioner President Nico Portillo.

We are going to do a roll call to confirm commissioner attendance.

When I call your name, please say present.

Commissioner Merrill.

Commissioner Moore.

Present.

Commissioner Fagna.

President.

Commissioner Freeman is absent.

You uh also joining us today.

Our personnel director David Dallagar, Assistant Personnel Director and Namin Avan, Senior Deputy City Attorney David Carlin, and assistant to the personnel director, Saba O'Neal.

And there are three items actually on this afternoon's closed session agenda with the conference with neighboring labor negotiators.

Um has been withdrawn.

So we will include uh public employment appeal of employment disqualification pursuant to California Government Code Section 54957B1.

Anthony M.

Cisneros appealing their medical disqualification for the position of lifeguard one and public employment disciplinary appeal pursuant to California government code section 54957B1.

Daniel Oliver appealing their termination from the position of cement finisher.

And public employee performance evaluation pursuant to government code section five four nine five seven for the personnel director.

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

Any on any electronically or any no public comment on Zoom?

We will take in-person public comment first and move to public comments via Zoom.

All right.

Closed session.

The regular business meeting will begin at 1 p.m.

Order uh Brandon, please.

Recording in progress.

All right, thank you.

Welcome to the Civil Service Commission meeting.

I am Commission President Nico Portillo.

We are going to do a roll call to confer Commissioner attendance.

When I call your name, please say present.

Commissioner Merrill.

Present.

Commissioner Moore.

Present.

Commissioner Pham.

Present.

And Commissioner Freeman is absent.

Thank you.

Also joining us today are personnel director David Dallagar, Assistant Personnel Director and Laminavan, Senior Deputy City Attorney David Carlin, and assistant to the personnel director, Sala O'Neill.

Item two is the report from closed session.

I'll call on Sala to read out the report.

Item one from closed session conference with labor negotiator.6 with the draw.

Item two public employment appeal of employment disqualification for students of California Government Code Section 54957B1.

Anthony M.

Cisneros appealing their medical disqualification for the position of life are motion to deny the appeal passed 4 to 0 with Commissioner Freeman accent.

Number three, public employment disciplinary appeal to California Government Code Section 54957B1.

Daniel Oliver appealing their termination from the position of cement finisher.

Motion to uphold the termination passed four to zero with commissioner Freeman accent.

For four public employee performance evaluation for soon to government code section 54957 personnel director, nothing to report.

Thank you, Salah.

We will now move on to non-agenda public comment.

Is there anyone who wishes to make a public comment on an item not on the agenda that is within the purview of the civil service commission?

Um we will take in person public comment first and move to public comments via Zoom second.

No public comment on June.

All right, thank you.

We will now move on to the consent agenda.

Um we have uh commissioner Merrill requested that number three be pulled from the consent agenda.

So we will uh approve uh the consent agenda's consent agenda will vote and approved uh the consent agenda for uh numbers four through fourteen.

But any uh is there a motion?

Uh motion to approve consent agenda items four through fourteen.

All right, I'll second.

Um we have a motion and a second.

Is there any uh discussion?

See we'll go ahead and vote.

Uh Commissioner Merrill, yes, Commissioner Moore, yes, Commissioner Fan, yes, and I am a yes, so the motion passes unanimously.

Um, suppose this is a good time.

Uh, Commissioner Um Merrill.

Yes.

Yes, a good time.

Yeah, it's yeah.

This is approval demands for the regular meeting on April 2nd.

That must be specifically information on items 15 and 16.

Those were my request for information and updates.

Number 50 was for updates on the EDO report.

And 16 was uh inspection track writing process.

So the only thing I'm uh putting a little slide about is the amount of comments that I don't see there as far as the minute meetings, and so I look at it.

Uh the number 17, I think all the words you had on yours.

And on my says speaking for staff with David Ballagroup and on the 50 to say speaking for staff who's uh here in uh Kennedy.

So I'm joking about the number of words, but we made some we had discussion and we had some action items on each one of those, and I can count on your memory, but not mine because I don't know where it's at.

So it's not written down, it's almost as if it didn't have it for me, but and so it just helps me to refer back to my minutes where I can see where we decided for example, number 15, said we were gonna request the thought of the meeting with uh the division of race and equity, you know, commitment to data collection, and uh PGEO members would be reviewed.

Things like that.

I don't need every word for written to be repeated, but we come across an action items in the future.

I just want to have that so that I at least require back to them.

Absolutely.

That was that's my comment for that item.

Yeah, it makes perfect sense.

And if the commission so chooses, we're happy to push this item for next meeting and then have it updated for you guys to approve at that meeting.

That's 15 and 16.

Yes.

Thank you.

Yes, thank you.

Okay, I think the uh Merrill's comments are spot on.

Uh so I would move to uh table agenda item three uh so that items 15 and 16 can be updated uh with more detail, reflecting the discussion and uh and the fact that it would be uh second, is there a second?

Oh second, all right.

Um so there's a motion and a second.

Um commissioner Merrill.

Yes, Commissioner Moore.

Yes, Commissioner Fan, yes, and I am a yes, so the motion um passes unanimously, all right.

Um now I'll move on to our discussion items next item is 15, good afternoon, commissioners.

Carissa Rosemore for staff item 15 is a request from Nicole uh Rinconeno Alvarez Police Officer 2 for a one-year special leave without pay ending March 31st, 2027 with her job to be saved.

Ms.

Rinconeno Alvarez is requesting this leave due to relocation.

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

Ms.

Riconeno Alvarez has been employed with the city since December 1st, 2022.

Her most recent performance evaluation was meet standards.

Miss Ricuneno Alvarez and the department are present to answer any questions you may have.

Um Miss Uh Riconeno Alvarez, do you have any um comments?

Yes, are you able to hear me?

Yes, hello everyone, good afternoon.

Thank you for your time.

As you all know, my name is Nicole Rinconeno Alvarez.

I, as previously mentioned, I have been employed with the city of San Diego with the San Diego Police Department since December 1st of 2022, but I have been a sworn police officer for approximately three years now, conclusion within May time.

I'm kindly here just asking and requesting that the Civil Service Commission consider my requests as previously mentioned for a leave of uh leave of absence without pay for approximately the one year mark with the intention of saving my position with the agency with the San Diego Police Department.

I have relocated at the moment to San Antonio, Texas for the reasoning that my husband did get placed in a job opportunity here.

That requires him to be present here for approximately six to seven months as his wife.

I decided to come with him and support him physically since the training was going to be very mentally and physical deeming.

We have the goal, and we still have the intention of returning back to San Diego once his training was concluded after the six to seven months, which is expected to end within November, late November, early December.

Therefore, I'm asking the commissioner kindly to request and to accept my leave of absence with without pay for the year, due to the fact that I still have the intention of returning back to San Diego Police Department as my position with the uh police officer, too.

Anyone from the police departments here?

Good afternoon, commissioners.

Um, the department is recommending to place um the employee on the leave of absence, um, name on list, and the reason being is that we the department's goal is to continue to fill the vacancies.

Our goal is to fill every academy with 50 new employees.

But uh, if you allow the modification to name on list, they would this will preserve the employees' ability to return once she's ready to return to work, and we can take it from there.

Otherwise, it will be a hardship for the department to hold the vacancy and not be able to fill behind her.

Oh, can you identify yourself who is speaking?

Sylvia Satram, sorry, deputy director for police human resources.

Okay, so um Ms.

Satram, would it be a problem for uh Miss Rico Nano Alvarez to when she's ready to move back to have her to be rehired?

No, placing her name on the eligibility list will afford her the opportunity to return to her employment anytime when she's ready.

What she would have to do is contact the command and then we take it from there.

She would have to undergo a modified background, and I don't see there is no disciplinary issues in her personnel record, so I don't see any objection or problems with her returning.

Any questions from public comment?

So, Commissioner.

We save her job, excuse me, question.

She doesn't have to come back and go through any kind of um background.

I guess she goes through your job.

But if she if it's an eligible list, I suppose she would have to do it.

Come back and modify background.

So do everything be selective, your process.

Oh, they have to go through all that.

Yes.

Uh go ahead, Ms.

So just to explain the process.

Being on an eligible list means that once she decides to return to her job, like I said, she'll contact the department and we'll notify backgrounds and recruiting that this former employee is wanting to return to her job.

We we expect to have the vacancy, so at that point, we'll refer her to backgrounds and recruiting.

We work with city persona to activate her name on the eligibility list, and she undergoes a background, a modified background.

She does not have to start from ground zero.

If the background is modified based on the time of separation, any time that she's been away from the department, and they take it from there.

But she still would have to interview and uh that is correct.

No, she would not have to interview the position.

Well, I don't know what PV is doing over there.

We'll talk to their appointment authorities, but according to civil service rules, the name would have to be referred to them, and the person would have to have some sort of interview and be selected.

So there is a well, it's not necessarily an interview, but yes, it would be after the consideration of the department to move forward or not.

So what they do is that they review her performance in the department and decide whether or not they want to move forward.

So is it a review or an interview?

If you ban how would you like to see it?

It's probably a review, and then they talk to the employee to see if she is interested in returning to her job.

If she isn't the reinstatement list, then we pick her up from there.

Okay.

So uh I'll entertain a motion.

I'll move to uh grants one year special leave without pay ending March 31st, 127 with job and say, so we have a motion and a second.

Okay.

Uh let's go ahead and vote.

Uh Commissioner Merrill.

Yes.

Commissioner Moore.

Yes.

Commissioner Fam.

Yes.

And I am a yes.

So the motion um the motion uh is uh yeah, unanimously.

You know, motion passes unanimously.

Uh we're gonna uh next is item 15.

Staff please.

Good afternoon, commissioners.

Jennifer Lamas via staff.

Item 16 is staff's recommendation on overtime eligibility for the seven new classifications approved for creation by the Civil Service Commission during the recent fiscal year 2027 salary season process based on an analysis of their duties and responsibilities and a comparative analysis of like kind placement.

Staff recommends that all new classifications be eligible to receive overtime compensation.

These classifications are emergency medical technician, junior engineer, corrosion, paramedic one, paramedic two, parking enforcement officer trainee, digital equity specialist, and senior digital equity specialist.

I'm available to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Any questions from the commission?

Uh any public comments, questions, or public comment on Zoom.

Okay, um, anybody want to make a motion?

We do not write motions.

Okay, second, all right.

So we have a motion and a second.

So go ahead and vote.

Commissioner Romero.

Yes, Commissioner Moore.

Yes, Commissioner Bam.

Yes.

I am a yes.

So the motion passes unanimously.

Uh next is item 17.

All righty.

Well, good afternoon, Commissioners.

David Alligar for staff.

Item 17 is a request for me to update the commission on various personnel department-related items.

Today I'll be providing an update on the implementation of new NeoGov modules, a follow-up on the coordination with the division of race and equity, and a brief update on the proposed budget.

As a reminder from a prior commission meeting, NeoGov is a current uh is currently used citywide to support recruitment and applicant tracking for the classified positions, including job posting, applicant screening and referral to ensure continuity of these critical hiring functions.

The city entered into a new contract effect of April 1, 2026.

In addition to continuing existing services, the contract expanded our use of NeoGov by adding two new modules on board and a track to further modernize recruitment and onboarding processes.

We've now officially begun working with NeoGov project managers on the implementation of both modules, marking the transition from planning into execution.

The track module, which focuses on candidate relationship management and enhancing recruitment outreach, is currently scheduled for approximately eight to eight week implementation timeline.

At this point, we anticipate it being ready immediately upon completion, allowing us to begin building candidate pipelines and expanding recruitment efforts.

The onboard module, which is designed to streamline and digitize the onboarding process for new hires, has an estimated implementation timeline of approximately 12 weeks.

Due to its impacts on the onboarding workflows and processes, it will most likely require completion of the meet confer process prior to full implementation.

We'll continue to keep the commission informed as we make progress and begin bringing these tools online.

As a follow up to the request from the commission at last meeting, personnel met with the division of race and equity and extended an invitation for them to present at a future civil service commission meeting.

They were very receptive and agreed to participate.

However, due to the demands of the current budget season, their availability is limited.

And the presentation will most likely be scheduled after the budget season concludes.

The meeting itself was very productive and we had a strong discussion around opportunities for future collaboration.

We look forward to continuing the partnership and identifying additional ways to work together moving forward.

Finally, today I want to provide a brief update on the proposed budget.

Initially, personnel was given a target efficiency reduction of 7%, which would have resulted in a reduction of approximately seven to ten staff members under the current proposed budget.

That reduction has been limited to three positions.

All three positions are currently filled, although one will become vacant in June due to a planned retirement.

As a result, two staff members at this time would no longer be in our department come July 1.

These reductions are specific to the outstation section.

That team provides dedicated embedded personnel support to operational departments, assisting with critical hiring functions, such as recruitment coordination, applicant processing, ensuring departments can fill positions efficiently and in compliance with civil service rules.

Their work helps streamline hiring processes, reduce delays, and provide departments with direct hands-on support tailored to their operational needs.

We will be presenting at the budget review committee tomorrow, and there will there may still be revisions to the final adopted budget.

Remain hopeful we can minimize the impacts to our current impact staff.

With that, I'm here to hear any questions or answer any, hear any comments or answer any questions.

Attract and onboarding.

So yeah, so we've been working with the project manager over the last two weeks.

We have weekly meetings, Brandon is heading up the team to implement these, and one of the cool features of Attract, which we're hoping is going to help mitigate some of the recruitment issues or issues with losing our recruitment team the prior year, is you can target specific classifications, specific certifications, you can even so much as target specific agencies.

We were able to look up a local water agency and find all their people who are in the NeoGov system who we could email BLAST with the click of a button that hey, our water, our water plant operators pay more than you, come on down.

So it's really going to open the door for us to do targeted recruiting.

It also can work off of zip codes, so we can monitor.

We have issues with getting representation from certain zip codes and areas of the city.

We can target those areas to make sure people are aware.

So it's it's not a replacement for our recruiting team, but it is something to help supplement and make sure we are getting out there and making everybody aware of our jobs.

There you go.

Any other questions from yet today?

So if your proposed budget is approved tomorrow, and you have two staff members in fact, which is if it's approved, as it is.

Yeah, if it gets approved in June.

So right tomorrow is just the budget review committee hearing.

Then there's a May revise, and then council I believe meets on June 9th.

June 9th's when the last year they did a bunch of changes on June 9th.

So we really won't know anything until June 9th.

But if it is approved wholesale as is, we will have two staff members who will not have a place to land with this department.

I know there's a process you got to try to work with, and of course, if I landed somewhere else, are we?

Absolutely.

Thanks.

No more questions, I think we will adjourn.

Thank you.