2021-03-02 CC Agenda - Public Communications related to Item #B6 - Part-Time Classification2021-03-02 CC AGENDA PACKET
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO ITEM #136 - PART-TIME CLASSIFICATIONS
Harada, Patricia
From: Shilling, Mona
Sent: Tuesday, March 2, 2021 2:28 PM
To: Harada, Patricia
Subject: FW: City Council Agenda Item #6 Correspondance - Written Corespondence
Attachments: LetterToCouncil_PartTimeBC.pdf
Patricia,
Please post the attached written communication for item #6.
Thanks,
Mona S
From: Mitnick, Scott <smitnick@elsegundo.org>
Sent: Monday, March 1, 2021 2:29 PM
To: Weaver, Tracy (City Clerk) <tweaver@elsegundo.org>
Cc: Shilling, Mona <MShilling@elsegundo.org>; Hensley, Mark <mhensley@hensleylawgroup.com>
Subject: City Council Agenda Item #6 Correspondance
From: Geoff Gerny <geoff erny@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2021 2:20 PM
To: Boyles,Drew (Mayor) <dboyles@elsegundo.org>; Pimentel, Chris (Mayor Pro Tem) <cpimentel@elsegundo.org>;
Pirsztuk, Carol (Council Member) <cpirsztuk@elsegundo.org>; Nicol, Scot (Council Member) <snicol@elsegundo.org>;
Giroux, Lance (Council Member) <Igiroux@elsegundo.org>
Cc: Mitnick, Scott <smitnick@elsegundo.org>; Curt Crowson <curtcrowson@att.net>; TONY DEL CASTILLO
<tdelca2ao1.com>; DANIEL ENGLER <dengler31@aol.com>; Matthew Goodenough <mattiegoodie@gmail.com>
Subject: Letter to Council regarding March 2, 2021 City Council meeting, agenda item #6
Esteemed Council Members,
Please open attached PDF. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Geoff Gerny, President
El Segundo Firefighters' Association
IAFF Local 3682
531 Main Street, PMB 1104
El Segundo, CA 90245
310-529-6917
geoff_ ernyCcgmail.com
E1 Segundo Firefighters' Association * Local 3682
.511 Main Street, PM13 a1104 • El Segundo, California 90245)
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March 1, 2021
Mayor Drew Boyles
Mayor Pro Tern Chris Pimentel
Council Member Carol Pirsztuk
Council Member Scot Nicol
Council Member Lance Giroux
RE: Part -Time Battalion Chief
Esteemed Council Members:
The El Segundo Firefighters' Executive Board has met extensively with HR Directors Donna
Peter, Joseph Lillio, and recently with new HR Director Rebecca Redyk and Fire Chief Chris
Donovan to discuss the hiring of a part-time Battalion Chief. It has been communicated that the
Fire Chief, with approval from the City Manager, means to hire an extra Battalion Chief due to an
emergency under municipal code 1-6-22.
1-6-22: HIRING OF EXTRA EMPLOYEES:
Department heads, with the approval and sanction of the City Manager, may, during an emergency or
during vacation periods, hire extra employees as may be needed to properly conduct the departments
at a compensation to be fixed by the City Council. These extra employees may be selected from the
employment list at the option of the heads of the departments. However, no extra employee shall be
hired for a period in excess of one hundred eighty (180) calendar days or six (6) months in any fiscal
year, and the hiring of extra employees as herein provided for, shall not in any way mean, or be
construed to mean, that said extra employee shall be under probation as defined by Section 1-6-14 of
this Chapter. (Ord. 586, 4-10-1962)
During our meetings we were informed that this extra Battalion Chief will be managing department
projects and working 24-hour shifts as a suppression platoon leader as needed. We have not
received clear answers to the following:
1. What is the emergency?
2. Why is a part-time employee being hired to fill a potential vacancy when there are full-time
Battalion Chiefs available to fill the need who have the institutional knowledge needed to
manage appropriately?
3. Why is an extra employee being hired to fill a potential vacancy when there is a qualified
employee within our ranks able to be provisionally appointed? (MC 1-6-13.C)
4. Why, during a said budget crisis, is the City willing to spend up to $175,000 on an extra
employee?
At this time, we do not support any part-time employee managing emergency incidents. We
recognize there is no emergency in regard to MC 1-6-22; we do not understand why money is
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E1 Segundo Firefighters' Association - Local 3682
5.--31 Mein Street, PMI3 =1104 • El Segu11(10, C.Afornia 90245)
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being spent on an extra employee when we currently have a fully staffed Battalion Chief rank as
well as qualified personnel in the Fire Department meeting the qualifications established for the
classification. If the Fire Chief, with approval and sanction of the City Manager, wants to hire an
extra non -classified employee to assist him to meet his project deadlines, we can understand that
need. However, appointment in classified service "shall be based on merit and fitness to be
ascertained insofar as practicable by competitive examination." (MC 1-6-13.A) The rank of
Battalion Chief is earned by applying for and passing the El Segundo Battalion Chief promotional
exam.
We feel the Fire Chief and City Manager are misusing the municipal code to hire an extra
employee and violating protocol by appointing a part-time employee to a classified service outside
of an emergency and in lieu of provisionally appointing a qualified employee. We believe this
undermines the intent of the municipal code, the promotional process, the classified service of
Battalion Chief, current employees in the rank of Battalion Chief and current personnel who are
qualified and available to be provisionally appointed. This is a slippery slope that may set a
dangerous precedence. This decision to allow a part-time employee to manage a fire suppression
platoon and run emergency calls in El Segundo does not serve the community well. We ask to
reconsider the need, classification and assigned duties of this extra employee.
Respectfully,
El Segundo Firefighters' Association
Executive Board
IAFF Local 3682
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