HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Civil Service Commission May 22, 2025 agenda
AGENDA
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
CITY HALL 515 CLARK AVE
CONFERENCE ROOM 235
May 22, 2025
CALL TO ORDER: 8:15 a.m.
1. Approval of the Minutes of the April 24, 2025, Regular Civil Service Commission
Meeting
2. Certification of Entry-Level Applicants
3. Request to Remove Name and Exhaust Water Plant Operator List
4. Discussion on SF 311 – Relating to City Civil Service Employee and Related
Procedures
5. Next Regular Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 26, 2025
COMMENTS:
ADJOURNMENT:
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
AMES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
AMES, IOWA APRIL 24, 2025
The Regular Meeting of the Ames Civil Service Commission met in regular session in Conference Room
235 of City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, with Commission Members, Harold Pike, Larry Conley, and Kim
Linduska, Commission Chair present. Also in attendance was Commission Clerk, Vicki Hillock.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH 27, 2025: Moved by Conley, seconded by Pike, to approve the
Minutes of the March 27, 2025, Regular Service Commission meeting. Vote on Motion: 3-0. Motion
declared carried unanimously.
CERTIFICATION OF ENTRY-LEVEL APPLICANTS: Moved by Linduska, seconded by Conley, to
certify the following individuals to the Ames City Council as Entry-Level Applicants:
Building Maintenance Specialist Zach Rankin 80
Bryon Anderson 76
Daniel Hodges 74
Chris Engelhardt 72
Energy Services Coordinator Elian Williams 76
Layne Fober 72
Environmental Engineer I Ashkan Naghdi **
Jacob Solomon 85*
Danbi Won 80
Innocent Anosike 74
Shushan Wu 72
Ysabelle Gilseth 70
* Includes preference points
** Indicates carryover from prior certified list
Vote on Motion: 3-0. Motion declared carried.
CERTIFICATION OF PROMOTIONAL-LEVEL APPLICANTS: Moved by Pike, seconded by
Linduska, to certify the following individuals to the Ames City Council as Promotional-Level Applicants:
Police Sergeant Dilok Phanchantraurai 84
Bradley Campbell 84*
Derek Accola 76*
John Barney 72
* Includes preference points
Vote on Motion: 3-0. Motion declared carried.
REQUEST TO REMOVE NAME AND EXHAUST WATER PLANT OPERATOR LIST: Moved by
Conley, seconded by Linduska, to remove name and exhaust Water Plant Operator entry level certified list.
COMMENTS: The next Regular Meeting will be held in-person on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 8:15 am in
Council Chambers of City Hall.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:24 AM.
__________________________________ _______________________________________
Kim Linduska, Chairperson Vicki Hillock, Commission Clerk
ENTRY-LEVEL:
Assistant Planner Parker Walsh 78
Maintenance Worker - P&R Curtis Walker 74
- P&R Sublist Logan Sansgaard 72
Planner YuanQin Chen 75
Recreation Manager Katie Todd 84
- Adult & Youth Sports and Activities Sublist Jeff Lauridsen 84
Grace Dupuy 83
Devin Hatch 81
Aric Reidmann 73
RRP Lead Operator Brian Heenan 84
Michael Clark 83
Jeremy Taylor 82
Thomas Bell 76
WPC Plant Operator Clayton Visek 78
Shelby Anderson 75
James Conn 74
* Includes preference points
** Indicates carryover from prior certified list
PROMOTIONAL-LEVEL:
Memo to Remove Name from Environmental Engineer I List
SF 311 - Relating to City Civil Service Employees and Related Procedures
ADDITIONAL ITEMS:
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING
May 22, 2025
Certified entry-level (05/22/2025):Score
Parker Walsh 78
ASSISTANT PLANNTER - 1214
Certified entry-level (5/22/2025)Score
Parks and Recreation - sublist
Curtis Walker 74
Logan Sansgaard 72
MAINTENANCE WORKER - 6112
Certified entry-level (5/22/25):Score
YuanQin Chen 75
PLANNER - 1212
Certified entry-level (5/22/2025)Score
SubList: Adult and Youth Sports and Activities
Katie Todd 84
Jeff Lauridsen 84
Grace Dupuy 83
Devin Hatch 81
Aric Reidmann 73
RECREATION MANAGER - 3201
Certified entry-level (5/22/2025):Score
Brian Heenan 84
Michael Clark 83
Jeremy Taylor 82
Thomas Bell 76
RESOURCE RECOVERY PLANT LEAD OPERATOR - 5520
Certified entry-level (5/22/2025)Score
Clayton Visek 78
Shelby Anderson 75
James Conn 74
WPC PLANT OPERATOR - 5213
Caring People Quality Programs Exceptional Service
515.239.5199 main
515.232.5297 fax
515 Clark Ave. P.O. Box 811
Ames, IA 50010
www.CityofAmes.org
Human Resources Department
MEMO
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
To: Civil Service Commission
From: Bethany Ballou, Human Resources Director
Subject: Remove Name from Certified List for Environmental Engineer I
On the agenda for the May 22, 2025, Civil Service Commission meeting, the
Commission will discuss a request from City staff to remove names from the
certified list for the Environmental Engineer I classification, which was approved on
April 24, 2025.
Danbi Won – Candidate withdrew from process via email, before contingent offer.
Jacob Solomon - Candidate withdrew from process via email, after receiving
contingent offer.
Section 4.5 (Removal of Names from Certified Lists) of the Civil Service
commission Policies and Procedures states: “A person appearing on a certified
list for original appointment shall have their name removed from the list by the
Commission whenever that person has requested that their name be removed, or
refuses an interview or an offer of appointment...”
Four (4) candidates will remain on this list.
Staff requests that the Civil Service Commission remove the above name s from
the Civil Service List.
STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 19, 2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
Senate File 311, an Act relating to city civil service employees and related procedures
and including effective date provisions.
The above Senate File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincr.rely,
yn
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 FAX 515.725.3527 WWW.G OV ERNOR.IOWA. GOV
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Senate File 311
AN ACT
RELATING TO CITY CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES AND RELATED PROCEDURES
AND INCLUDING EFFECTIVE DATE PROVISIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 364.3, Code 2025, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 20. A city with a civil service commission
established under chapter 400 shall not adopt, enforce, or
otherwise administer an ordinance, motion, resolution, or
amendment, or use any other means, to establish a board or
other entity for the purpose of citizen review of the conduct
of officers as defined under section 80F.1, subsection 1,
paragraph "f-.
Sec. 2. Section 400.1, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended
to read as follows:
1. In cities having a population of eight thousand or over
and having a paid fire department or a paid police department,
the mayor, one year after a regular city election, with the
approval of the council, shall appoint three civil service
commissioners. The mayor shall publish notice of the names
of persons selected for appointment no less than thirty days
prior to a vote by the city council. Commissioners shall hold
office, one until the first Monday in April of the second year,
one until the first Monday in April of the third year, and one
until the first Monday in April of the fourth year after such
appointment, whose successors shall be appointed for a term
Senate File 311, p. 2
of four years. In cities having a population of more than
ocvcnty fifty thousand, the city council may shall establish,
by ordinance, the number of civil service commissioners at not
less than three five but not more than seven.
Sec. 3. Section 400.12A, subsection 3, Code 2025, is amended
by adding the following new paragraph:
NEW PARAGRAPH. c. This section shall not be construed
to change the maximum number of persons on the hiring list
referenced in section 400.11, subsection 1, paragraph -a -, for a
position to be filled to be greater than forty.
Sec. 4. Section 400.18, subsections 1 and 3, Code 2025, are
amended to read as follows:
1. A person holding civil service rights as provided in
this chapter shall ftet- only be removed, discharged, demoted,
or suspended arbitrarily, but may be removed, di3charged,
with just cause and upon a finding by a preponderance of the
evidence that an act or failure to act by the employee that is
in contravention violation of law, city policies, or Standard
judgment of the person
having the appointing power ao provided in thi3 chapter, or the
to ohow that the employee is unsuitable or unfit for employment
rules, or that the employee is physically or mentally unfit as
determined under guidelines established pursuant to section
400.8A. This subsection shall not be construed to modify the
rights, requirements, or procedures provided in section 400.8A
or other rights, requirements, or procedures provided by law.
3. The city shall have the burden to prove that the act or
failure to act by the employee was in contravention violation
of law, city policies, or otandard operating procedures, or is
surzz-ci-e-i₹t—t6 9-rre'y7—that the —ei₹pl-B-y-e-e i9 unsuitable er unfit f-eT
employment department rules not in conflict with any collective
bargaining agreement or law. For purposes of this chapter,
the city shall establish each element of the charges specified
under section 400.22 by a preponderance of the evidence. The
city shall have the burden to prove that the punishment imposed
upon the employee is proportionate, reasonable, and just in the
totality of the circumstances under the factors provided in
Senate File 311, p. 3
section 400.27, subsection 1, paragraph -b -.
Sec. 5. Section 400.19, Code 2025, is amended to read as
follows:
400.19 Removal Peremptory removal, discharge, demotion, or
suspension of subordinates.
The person having the appointing power as provided in
this chapter, or the chief of police or chief of the fire
department, may, upon presentation of reasonable and just
grounds for such action to the subordinate in writing,
peremptorily remove, discharge, demote, or suspend a
subordinate then under the person's or chief's direction
due to any act or failure to act by the employee that is in
contravention violation of law, city policies, or otandard
chief department rules, and is oufficicnt deemed reasonably
anticipated to be detrimental to ohow that the employee 13
unsuitable or unfit for employment public. This section
shall not be construed to modify the rights, requirements,
or procedures provided in section 400.8A or other rights,
requirements, or procedures provided by law.
Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 400.22A Exculpatory evidence.
A person shall not knowingly withhold exculpatory evidence
from an employee subject to a written specification of charges
filed under section 400.22.
Sec. 7. Section 400.23, Code 2025, is amended to read as
follows:
400.23 Time and place of hearing.
Within ten days after such specifications are filed, the
commission shall fix the time for a hearing, which shall be not
less than five nor more than twenty days thereafter, and the
place for hearing the appeal and. The commission shall notify
the parties in writing of the time and place so fixed, and the
notice shall contain a copy of the specifications so filed.
Hearings under this section shall be held during normal city
business hours unless otherwise agreed to by the parties and
the commission. The commission in its discretion may grant a
continuance or stay of a hearing upon request.
Sec. 8. Section 400.24, Code 2025, is amended to read as
follows:
Senate File 311, p. 4
400.24 Oaths — books and papers — procedures.
1. The presiding officer of the commission or the council,
as the case may be, shall have power to administer oaths in the
same manner and with like effect and under the same penalties
as in the case of magistrates exercising criminal or civil
jurisdiction.
2. The council or commission shall cause subpoenas to be
issued for such witnesses and the production of such books and
papers as either party may designate. Issuance of subpoenas
shall be consistent with the Iowa rules of civil procedure.
The subpoenas shall be signed by the chairperson of the
commission or mayor, as the case may be, or by an attorney
representing a party before the commission. The council or
commission shall provide a copy of each subpoena to both
parties upon issuance. A party, or an attorney representing
a party, shall provide copies of any material produced in
response to a subpoena to the opposing party upon receipt of
such material.
3. Those employees who are defined as an "officer - under
section 80F.1, subsection 1, paragraph -f -, shall have the
right to request documents, records, and any other evidence
in the possession of the appointing authority relevant to the
determination of cause and proportionality of discipline not
otherwise in violation of chapter 80F.
Sec. 9. Section 400.26, Code 2025, is amended to read as
follows:
400.26 Public trial.
The trial of all appeals shall be public, and the parties
may be represented by counsel or by the parties' authorized
collective bargaining representative. However, upon the
request of the employee, the deliberations of the commission
in a city with a population of less than two hundred thousand
shall be held in closed session.
Sec. 10. Section 400.27, subsections 1, 2, and 3, Code 2025,
are amended to read as follows:
1. a. The civil service commission has jurisdiction to hear
and determine matters involving the rights of civil service
employees under this chapter, and may affirm, modify, or
reverse any case on its merits.
Senate File 311, p. 5
b. If the commission determines that the city proved the
employee committed the charge as specified, the commission
shall determine whether the removal, discharge, demotion, or
suspension of the employee was with just cause based upon
the totality of the circumstances. For the purposes of this
subsection, the commission shall consider factors including
the nature of the conduct at issue in the circumstances, the
proportionality of the punishment to the conduct at issue,
the employee's work history, whether the employee reasonably
could comply with the policy or rule in the circumstances and
whether the employee's conduct was objectively reasonable in
the circumstances, the employee's defenses or justifications,
any mitigating or aggravating factors, whether the punishment
is reasonably calculated to correct the employee's behavior or
conduct, if the punishment is necessary to protect the public
interest, whether the city, its employees, or the appointing
authority acted in accordance with the law, city policies,
department rules, or standard operating procedures, or if the
policy failed in the circumstances. The commission shall only
consider, order, or impose discipline upon the employee for
charges proven by the city.
c. The commission shall reverse the city's decision and
dismiss a specific charge with prejudice if the city fails to
meet its burden of proof as to that charge.
d. The final decision of the commission shall be based upon
a majority vote of the commission, shall be made in writing,
and shall include findings of fact and conclusions relied upon,
and reasoning or rationale for the decision, separately stated.
The commission shall render and serve its final decision upon
the parties by certified mail within thirty days of the close
of the record or trial unless the parties consent to a later
date in writing or on the record. The final decision may be
served upon an employee by electronic mail with the consent of
the employee.
2. a. T#e Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the city attorney or solicitor shall be the attorney for the
commission or when requested by the commission shall present
matters concerning civil service employees to the commission,
except the commission may hire a counselor or an attorney
Senate File 311, p. 6
on a per diem basis to represent it when in the opinion of
the commission there is a conflict of interest between the
commission and the city council. The counselor or attorney
hired by the commission shall not be the city attorney or
solicitor. The eity shall pay the eests ineurred by the
oe s s i e n in empleying an atze r- n ey under this e t; .
b. Upon the filing of a notice of appeal pursuant to section
400.21, a city attorney, assistant city attorney, or solicitor
who represents or has represented the commission shall not
represent the city or its officers or employees in an appeal
pending before the commission unless the employee waives the
conflict of interest in writing or on the record. If the
commission is required to hire a counselor or attorney that
is not a city attorney, assistant city attorney, or solicitor
as provided in this subsection, the city shall pay the costs
incurred by the commission in employing a counselor or attorney
under this section, and the commission shall independently seek
and retain such an attorney.
c. A counselor or attorney who represents the commission
in an appeal before the commission shall be fair and impartial
toward the parties. The counselor or attorney representing the
commission may provide advice and counsel to the commission
on matters before it and assist the commission with its
proceedings and trial as may be necessary or requested.
3. The city or any civil service employee shall have a
right to appeal to the district court from the final ruling or
decision of the civil service commission. The appeal shall be
taken within thirty days from the filing service of the formal
decision of the commission. The district court of the county
in which the city is located shall have full jurisdiction
of the appeal. The scope of review for the appeal shall be
limitcd to a trial de novo appellate revicw without a trial or
additional cvidcncc.
Sec. 11. Section 400.27, Code 2025, is amended by adding the
following new subsections:
NEW SUBSECTION. 2A. The commission shall provide for the
production of evidence and exchange of exhibits in advance of
trial. The city shall mark its exhibits with numbers. The
employee shall mark its exhibits with letters.
Senate File 311, p. 7
NEW SUBSECTION. 6. In addition to any other remedies
and relief, upon application, the district court may award
reasonable attorney fees, expert fees, and costs to those
employees who are defined as an "officer" under section 80F.1,
subsection 1, paragraph -f -, and only when such employee meets
any of the following criteria:
a. The employee is fully reinstated from a termination
without discipline imposed.
b. The employee's suspension has been reduced by over fifty
percent.
c. The employee's demotion was reversed.
Sec. 12. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect August 16,
2025.
AMY SINCLAIR PAT GRASS
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the Senate and
is known as Senate File 311, Ninety-first General Assembly.
W. CHARLES SMITHSON
Approved 2025
Secretaiiv of •e Senate
KIM RE
Governor