Agenda - Council - 08/22/1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CASE PROCESS FOR FILLING POSITION OF FIRE CHIEF By: Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator and Kay McAIoney, Administrative Services Manager Background: On December 31, 199z~ Fire Chief Dave Griffin intends to compiete his tenure as the kamsey Fu'~:Chief. Be will continue, however, as a Rarnsey Fire Fighter. This raises the issue for us a2s to how the position will be riffled. On August ]~1, 1990 the Fire Board met to discuss the appointment of Fire Chief. At that rime thc FireiDeparunent and members of the Fire Board interviewed Two applicants for the position and forwarded their recommendation to the City Council.. Since that time, laws such as Veteran's Preference have been enacted making hinng practices subject to more scruuny. This has relegated the City of Ramsey to a position of having to ch~mge its processes even if past procedures have been effective. All vacant positions - volunteer, mmporary, pan-time and full-time - are now filled using a sm and lega2 standard by establishing minimum hinng criteria prior to the posnng of a position. Presenters at:the Annual League of Minnesota Cities 1994 Workshop stressed that law in this area has mot yet been tested., but the), urgeA personnel professionals to be extremely careful in the:area Fire Department tLr)rig and Yemran's preference law. Recommen4ation: Given the above, it is recommended that the position of Fire Chief be filled in the same manner as al~ other positions at the City of Ramsey..:'The following is the suggested process. Th/A is the same process followed for the hiring or promotion of an), department head positionl The inclusion of the F/re Board has been inserted as typically departmental staff' input wOUld be solicited for similar situations elsewhere in the 1. A posting would ~ created and poste_A in various places at Cig' Hall. 2. [ Interested applicants would fill out an application and return to personnel by a set deadline. 3. Personnel will review applications based on set criteria and narrow applications down to a reasonable number. 4. Narrowed down applications would be reviewed by City Administrator Schroeder, Personnel and Fire Department designee(s) to arrive at the ca~did~m liSL 5. Applicants meeting minimum qualifications would be interviewed by C/ty ~ Administrator Schroe. der, Personnel and a Committee organized by the Fire : Board. 6. ~ Fmalists (one to three) will be interviewed by the Personnel Commiaee. 7. Personnel Committee will make reCommendation(s) to the City Council. 8. City Council will make a hLdng/promotion decision. There has been a concern stated that the Fire Depm rodent membershiI> would Like to have more involvement in the decision-making process. Staff believes that the above suaaested process would allow them in'voivemenL eliminate the.potential legal issues that wT[1 now otherwise exist, and rnainrain the current int%m'ity of Ramsey's hiring prozess.