* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. WE OF GARLAND CIVIL [00:00:01] SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING. UM, OUR FIRST ITEM, OR I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND UM, NUMBER TWO IS THAT WE CONSIDER ADOPTION OF OUR AGENDA. I MOVE IT, WE CONSIDER ADOPTION SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. OKAY, SO OUR AGENDA IS ADOPTED. UM, NUMBER THREE IS TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE COMMISSION MEETING ON APRIL THE 18TH, 2023. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THAT. THE MINUTES. I SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AND I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER, DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE? DID EVERYONE? YES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE? AYE. OKAY. SO THE MINUTES FROM THE COMMISSION MEETING OF APRIL THE 18TH, 2023 ARE APPROVED. NEXT, WE ALSO NEED TO, UM, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON SEPTEMBER THE 22ND. 2023. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES. SECOND. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER THE 22ND. 2023. AYE, AYE, AYE. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS TO REVIEW LETTERS OF APPRECIATION AND, UH, COMMENDATIONS RECEIVED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LETTERS ARE REALLY THICK. THIS, THIS GO ROUND . THE, THIS ONE LETTER, UH, I WAS NOT SHOCKED AT ALL TO RECEIVE. UM, CAPTAIN WOOTEN IS OUR, UH, OFFICER OF THE YEAR FROM LAST YEAR, AND HE IS DESERVEDLY SO. HE IS PHENOMENAL LEADER, UH, MENTOR AND SERVANT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THIS GUY, UH, IS A GIANT OF A MAN. SO HE CAN COME ACROSS AS KIND OF INTIMIDATING. OH, , RIGHTFULLY SO. HE IS BLACK BELT AND JUUJITSU, SO, UH, WOW. BUT HE IS, UH, LEADING HIS CREW THAT COLBY BRUIN IS A ROOKIE AND THEN AARON V HAS BEEN WITH US FOR A WHILE AS A PARAMEDIC ON HIS CREW THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN AARON WITHOUT A SMALL MM-HMM. SO RECEIVED THIS LETTER AND I WAS VERY THANKFUL THAT THE, THE, THE RESIDENT TOOK THE TIME TO WRITE IT UP AND THE MAIN ISSUE WAS AN AC PROBLEM. BUT IT JUST SHOWS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOW UP AND WHEN YOU WOW. SAY ALL THE TIME WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, YOU CALL 9 1 1 AND WE SHOW UP AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. SO, NICE. THAT'S WHAT OUR CREW DID. AWESOME. I WAS EXTREMELY PROUD OF THEM AND THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHY OF BEING INCLUDED IN, UH, THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M SORRY, UH, CHIEFS, CAN BOTH OF Y'ALL MAKE SURE YOUR MICS ARE ON AS WELL? YEP. THANK YOU. IT PROBABLY HELPS IF I POINT IT TOWARDS MY MOUTH. . SORRY ABOUT THAT. VERY GOOD. VERY NICE. SO, UM, NUMBER SIX ARE THE LETTERS OF APPRECIATION AND COMMENDATIONS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WELL, SINCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TALK SO LONG ABOUT THEIR ONE LETTER , I, OUR FOLKS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OUT THERE, EXCUSE ME. UM, AND WE DO RECOGNIZE OUR OFFICERS MONTHLY AND THEN WE HAVE A YEARLY AWARDS BANQUET. BUT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF. VERY GOOD WORK THAT BOTH DEPARTMENTS DO. UM, NUMBER SEVEN IS TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF ELIGIBILITY LIST FROM THE POLICE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION CONDUCTED ON OCTOBER THE 21ST, 2023. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE LIST. I SECOND THAT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? A. AYE. OKAY, SO THAT LIST IS APPROVED FROM THE EXAMINATION ON OCTOBER THE 21ST. AND THEN MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE LOCAL RULE. UM, 1 41, I'M SORRY, 1 43 0.025. ONE OF THE CITY OF GARLAND, TEXAS FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION RULES AND REGULATIONS. SEAN, DO YOU WANNA WALK THEM THROUGH OR YOU WANT ME TO WALK THEM THROUGH THE CHANGES? I CAN IF YOU LIKE, THAT'S FINE. OKAY, SURE. SO THIS, THIS RULE AMENDMENT IS REMOVING, UM, THE SECTION DISCUSSING THE MERIT INCREASE, THE EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE COMPENSATION FROM PARAGRAPH FIVE. AND THE REASON THEY'RE DOING THAT [00:05:01] IS, UH, THE, THERE'S AN ORDINANCE THAT GETS SIGNED EVERY YEAR THAT CLASSIFIES THE POSITIONS FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONS AND SETS OUT THE PAY SCALE FOR THOSE. AND WITHIN THAT ORDINANCE THEY INCLUDE WHAT CERTIFICATE PAYS OR EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE PAYS OR OTHER INCENTIVE PAYS ARE PAID. IN THAT ORDINANCE, IT SAYS UPON DULY SWORN FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOT UPON THE ENDING OF THE PROBATION. SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE THE TWO CONSISTENT AND WE'RE GONNA LEAVE IT IN THE ORDINANCE. SO WE'RE MOVING IT OUT OF OUR LOCAL RULES. OKAY. SO WE'RE DOING AWAY WITH THIS, THE NUMBER FIVE ITEM, UM, ON THE, THE FIRST VERSION OF IT, IT GIVES YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. NOW ON THE SECOND VERSION, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A, THE, THE, THE PART OF THE SENTENCE THAT'S BEEN REMOVED DEALT WITH JUST THE INCENTIVE PAY. OKAY. THERE'S A CURRENT LOCAL RULES AT THE TOP, SO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE IS CURRENT STATE VERSUS THE CHANGE. BUT BASICALLY, UM, CHIEF BRIAN FOR TO HELP WITH ATTRACTION, UM, PURPOSES, UM, MADE SOME MODIFICATIONS SO WE CAN GET THOSE INCENTIVES PAID SOONER. AND SO THIS IS JUST CLEANING UP THE LOCAL RULES TO MAKE SURE BOTH OUR RETURNING OFFICERS AND LATERAL OFFICERS HAVE ACCESS TO THAT BENEFIT AT THE SAME TIME. OKAY. OKAY. DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS? NO, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE. FINE. OKAY. SO I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, UM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. I SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS APPROVED. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENTS TO LOCAL RULE 1 43 0.026 OF THE CITY OF GARDEN TEXAS FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION RULES AND REGULATIONS. AND SAME FOR THIS ONE, IT'S, IT'S CLEANING UP. SO ONE IS FOR RETURNING OFFICERS, ONE IMPACTS LATERAL OFFICERS, BUT IT'S THE SAME, UM, IT'S THE SAME OUTCOME. JUST MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE INCENTIVES AT THE SAME TIME. OKAY. OKAY. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE IT. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER NINE IS APPROVED. UM, AND ITEM NUMBER 10 IS TO CONSIDER ANY PENDING FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION APPEALS FROM THE EXAMINATION CONDUCTED ON NOVEMBER THE 17TH. AND THERE ARE NONE. THERE ARE NONE. THERE ARE NONE. OKAY. WONDERFUL. ITEM NUMBER 10, CONSIDER ANY PENDING FIRE. UM, ASSISTANT CHIEF PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION APPEALS FROM THE EXAMINATION CONDUCTED ON NOVEMBER THE 17TH. YES, THAT'S THE SAME ITEM. AND THERE, THERE ARE NO APPEALS. OKAY. UM, UM, THERE WERE NONE SUBMITTED. SEAN, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IF, IF WE'VE ADDED THE ITEM AND THERE IS NO ACTION, HOW SHOULD MARISOL CLOSE THAT ONE OUT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE? I, I SAY WE JUST MOVE ON. THERE IS, THERE'S NO ACTION. THERE'S NOTHING. OKAY. OKAY. NOTHING TO CONSIDER BECAUSE NONE OF THE APPEALS CAN OKAY. OKAY. POSTED ON THE AGENDA AHEAD OF TIME. SO IT'S THERE. OKAY, WONDERFUL. SO THERE'S NOTHING TO CONSIDER ON ITEMS 10 AND 11. SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH IS JUST INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. SORRY, NUMBER 11? NUMBER 11. THERE IS, YES. OH, THERE, I'M SORRY. OKAY. I, SO IT WAS THE, UM, SO 10 WAS TO CONSIDER APPEALS IF WE HAD ANY AND THERE WERE NON-IT AND 11 IS THE ADOPTION OF THE, THE LIST. OKAY, I GOT CONFUSED. OKAY, GOTCHA. ALL RIGHT. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. SO ON NUMBER 10 THERE WAS NOTHING TO CONSIDER. NUMBER 11 IS TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE ELIGIBILITY LIST FROM THE FIRE ASSISTANT CHIEF PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION CONDUCTED ON NOVEMBER THE 17TH, 2023. I MOVE ACCEPTANCE. I SECOND THAT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OKAY, SO ITEM NUMBER 11 IS APPROVED. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH IS INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. MM-HMM . AND I JUST ADDED THESE, JUST SO YOU'ALL KNOW. WE HAVE TWO ACADEMIES COMING UP ACTUALLY ON THE SAME DAY, BOTH FOR POLICE AND FIRE, BUT THE MAIN REASON I ADDED IT WAS TO GIVE CHIEF RYAN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT HOW LARGE THE POLICE CLASS IS. OH WOW. FINALLY, . FINALLY. SO ALL OUR EFFORTS SEEM LIKE THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMING TO WHAT WE WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD DO. AND WE'RE LOOKING TO START AROUND 30 TO 35 OFFICERS OR RECRUITS IN THE NEXT POLICE AC ACADEMY. IT'LL BE ONE OF THE LARGEST POLICE ACADEMIES WE'VE HELD SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. WOW. SO THAT'S GREAT NEWS. THAT'S GOOD NEWS. THAT [00:10:01] IS AWESOME. VERY GOOD. SO ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THE COMMISSION, ALL THE LOCAL RULES CHANGES, ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES AND ACCESS POINTS. UH, AND ALL OF THE TESTS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING ARE, YOU KNOW, FINALLY STARTING TO COME TO FRUITION. SO IT'S GREAT. YEAH, THE CHANGES FOR THE LATERAL EXAM, WE'RE EXPECTING HALF THE ACADEMY TO BE LATERALS FROM OTHER AGENCIES. SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST, AND I TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT, BUT ALMOST A THIRD OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT STARTED SOMEWHERE ELSE AND CAME TO GARLAND AND WE HAVE VERY FEW THAT LEAVE GARLAND. SO I THINK IT TALKS A LOT ABOUT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ABOUT OUR CITY, BUT I APPRECIATE IT. VERY GOOD. YES. GREAT. JUST, JUST A QUESTION CHIEF OF THE APPLICANTS THAT'S, I MEAN, IN THIS CLASS, ARE THEY FROM THE, THE SOUTH REGION OR FROM ALL OVER STATES? THEY'RE FROM ALL OVER. WE ACTUALLY SOMEHOW HAVE TAPPED INTO DETROIT, AND SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT FIVE OR SIX LATERALS COMING IN FROM DETROIT. SO WE'RE HOPING, YOU KNOW, YOU TAP INTO THAT VEIN AND THEY CALL HOME AND SAY, COME ON. SO, UH, SO WE'VE TAPPED INTO THAT. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT COMING FROM DETROIT. UH, WE'VE GOT SOME COMING FROM CALIFORNIA AND THEN OF COURSE A LOT OF LOCAL, LOCAL. AWESOME. THANK YOU SIR. MM-HMM . ONLY A FEW FROM LOUISIANA THOUGH, IN THAT CLASS CHIEF, HOW MANY ARE LIKE, OR DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW HOW MANY ARE LIKE FROM GARLAND THAT ARE ACTUALLY LIKE, GREW UP HERE, WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL HERE? UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WE HAVE THREE THAT CAME UP THROUGH THE GARLAND BOXING GYM. OKAY. SO WE STARTED, UH, ONE OF THE CHANGES WE MADE WAS, UH, IS IN LIEU OF, UH, COLLEGE. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING 60 HOURS OF COLLEGE, YOU COULD WORK FOR US FOR TWO YEARS, WE WOULD TRAIN YOU IN THE JAIL. AND SO WE WANTED A PATH FOR FOLKS WITHOUT COLLEGE DEGREES. AND SO WE HAVE THREE THAT CAME UP THROUGH THE BOXING GYM THAT WORK FOR US IN THE JAIL AND THAT ARE NOW GONNA BE POLICE RECRUITS. SO I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER EXACTLY. WONDERFUL. UH, WE STILL HAVE TO FINALIZE, WE'RE GONNA DO SOME MORE, UH, THIS AFTERNOON. UH, BUT I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU NEXT TIME. OKAY. NO, THAT'S FINE. SO IS THAT THE FIRST GROUP THAT'S TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT CHANGE? THE VERY FIRST ONE. MM-HMM . AS FAR AS THE COLLEGE HOURS SURE IS. OKAY. WELL, VERY GOOD. CHIEF LEE, HOW, HOW LARGE IS THE FIRE ACADEMY? UH, 24. UH, AND WE WILL HAVE THEM STARTING FIRST PART OF JANUARY AS WELL. UH, THERE'S, UH, ONE OF THE KIDS, UH, CAME THROUGH THE FIRE ACADEMY. WE WOULD DO THROUGH GISD. UH, HE DID NOT COMPLETE IT. HE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE TO COMPLETE IT. HE, THE ACADEMY STARTED WHEN HE WAS A JUNIOR, SO HE WENT, HE GOT TWO YEARS OF IT IN, BUT HE KNEW THAT HE WANTED TO COME GARLAND WHENEVER HE GOT OUT OF COLLEGE AND STUFF. SO WE WE'RE PICKING HIM UP. UH, THERE'S OTHERS, THERE'S A COUPLE OTHERS THAT, UH, GOT GARLAND TIES, UH, THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND STUFF LIKE THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY, THEY LIVE ELSEWHERE NOW. OH, WOW. PRETTY COOL TO, TO SEE THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE ALL PUT INTO THIS AND THE RECRUITING SIDE AND THE, UH, ADVERTISING SIDE, UH, HAS ALL COME TO FRUITION. WE'RE GETTING SOME REALLY GOOD CANDIDATES. GREAT NEWS. YEAH. WONDERFUL. CITY MANAGEMENT HAS ALSO, YOU KNOW, BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE AND, UH, PAY INCREASES AND, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE HELPED TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL POSITIONS. SO I KNOW, YOU KNOW, OUR MEETINGS ARE SHORT AND Y'ALL MAY NOT SEE ALL OF THE, THE BENEFIT OF, OF THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE HERE, BUT IT DEFINITELY HAS HELPED A LOT WITH, UH, RECRUITING AND, UH, RETENTION. SO IT'S GREAT. AND OF COURSE IT HELPS THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS THE FORMER CHIEF, RIGHT? ? YEAH. ONE THE CITY MANAGERS. YEP. IT DOESN'T HURT. MM-HMM . YEAH. THAT'S NICE. WONDERFUL. SO DO WE HAVE A MO A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. SO THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALLALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COULD OH OKAY. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.