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HomeMy WebLinkAbout105th Special Meeting (April 26, 2013)105" SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION The 105° Special Meeting of the Civil Service Commission was held on Wednesday, April 26, 2013. The meeting was called to order at 4:06 p.m. Members Present: HarryC. Tatigian, Chairman Charlotte S. Mahoney, Commissioner Also Present: Scott Morgan, President, LPOA Derrick Washington, Personnel Analyst II Ben McDermott, Deputy Chief Robert Domenzain, President, LFFU Curtis Caid, Police Chief Robert F. Biga, Human Resources Director Mike Wilkinson, The Detroit News Jan Patterson, Personnel Clerk Dan McKeon, Police Lieutenant Vickie Wuerth, Personnel Clerk Mr. Biga stated that the City has had a large number of Police Officers of all ranks leave employment over the last couple of years. As quickly as people are hired, we lose more people to retirements. In order to address that circumstance and slow down the significant loss of experience and institutional knowledge, the administration has worked up a program with the Livonia Police Officers Association (LPDA) and the Lieutenants and Sergeants Association (LLSA) to attempt to slow the retirements. This is called a Police Retention Program. Originally, this was one program for all, which included all ranks from Police Officer all the way up to the Police Chief. However, the bargaining units wanted to have slightly different provisions. Therefore the program was separated into two (2) agreements; one agreement for Livonia Police Officers Association (LPDA), another for the Lieutenants and Sergeants Association (LLSA). Mr. Biga said a third one was needed for Police Command. Mr. Biga stated this proposal is the same for all the groups. Each has the same economic benefit included so everyone regardless of rank, is treated the same. Historically, in the Police department whenever there has been change in an economic item, it is transferred to all ranks and all bargaining units. Sometimes there are some slight variations, but essentially the programs are the same. Everyone has the same benefits, usually as a result of the collective bargaining process. The non -represented staff gets the same thing extended to them. Mr. Biga said the Retention Program has a sunset clause of November 30, 2014. The program can be extended through negotiations if the staffing circumstances in the department continue. Mr. Biga further stated that if the program needs to be continued, we would have to renegotiate it with the two bargaining units and we would also have to address whether there is a necessity at the Command level. Mr. Tatigian indicated he understood from Mr. Biga that the Police department requires a certain amount of man power needed to provide public safety to the community. Mr. Tatigian asked if he was overstating the situation. Ms. Mahoney asked if the staffing issue was by Charter. Mr. Tatigian said no, it is because of the circumstances that have developed by reason of employee turnover. Mr. Tatigian stated this is very unusual. Page 2 105th Special Meehng April20, 2013 Curtis Caid, Police Chief, stated that the circumstances were extraordinary. The department has found themselves in what he would describe as a "perfect storm." He has had significant budget decreases and he wanted to put things in perspective. Chief Caid thanked the Commissioners for taking their time on a Friday, first spring afternoon we have had. Chief Caid said this is how the perfect storm has come together. We all know that over the last three (3) to four (4) years there have been budget cuts in every City department and the Police department was not exempt from that. In 2010-2011 the Police Departments budget was reduced by 1.6 million dollars. Bob Stevenson was Chief at the time, Caid was Deputy Chief. Chief Caid said the department cut the budget. The only way to balance the budget was through elimination of positions. At that point, it was decided that the best way to proceed was to reduce staff through attrition. Chief Caid said they knew if we were going to lose employees, it would be awful for morale and terrible for the individuals involved to hire new employees and know that we are going to lay them off four (4) months down the road. Chief Caid said over time the staff level went from 182 to 160. Chief Caid said that going into the budget forecast for 2012, he was given the number of over four (4) million dollars to cut from his 2012 budget. That was going to result in reduction of forty (40) plus additional employees, which would be devastating to this organization. Chief Caid advised he has been an employee for ready thirty five (35) years and the department has always been a stand-alone police department, delivering in his view and that of probably everyone else in this room, the best police service in this region. A reduction of staff at that level would decimate that ability. Chief Caid said going forward he met with the Mayor and the projections were very grim, even going beyond 2012. The decision was to pursue a public safety millage, which was successful. When the grillage passed in August 2011, he spoke with Mr. Biga and Mr. Slater and was immediately given the green light to announce positions and begin the hiring process. Chief Caid staled the Commission knows that over the last year plus, he and the Civil Service staff have come to the Commission many times to tweak the system, and modify certain procedures so that we can expedite the process. Chief Caid advised that they have had great success and was thankful for that support. However, we hired twenty six (26) people last year. Some people didn't pass the training process, plus with other retirements that occurred we only retained five (5). Chief Caid said today even with all the hiring, training, and time we have invested, we are at the same level as we were in August 2011. Chief Caid said he is trying to manage the situation. He wants to provide the best sources to the community with the staff level budgeted. He is paying overtime nearly every day to provide services. It is not uncommon on a shift to go from run to mn to run. There is less time available to do proactive crime prevention activities. Every bureau - administration, intelligence, detective, special operations and patrol has been cut. Chief Caid stated the Department has had a significant number of retirements. Chief Caid advised Mr. Slater provided a review that, from the point that the millage was initially passed, August 2011, to April 2013, that we have had thirty three (33) employee separations. Ms. Mahoney asked if this was through retirement. Chief Caid replied these were through retirement, terminations or agreed upon separations, but most of which are through Page 3 105th Special Meeting April20, 2013 retirement. Chief Cad stated that some of those retirements are at the Lieutenant and Sergeant level, which results in openings throughout the department, because it creates a domino effect. Chief Cad said if the Deputy Chief or he were to retire there would be a domino effect, and it would go all the way down the line to a Police Service Aide (PSA), and affects the whole organization. Chief Cad said he has been the Chief for about eighteen (18) months and in addition to the thirty three (33) separations, he has promoted thirty seven (37) people. This is the first time he can remember exhausting the promotional eligible lists for both Sergeant and Lieutenant. He said he did not mean it to sound ominous or troublesome, but that it was just another signal of the stress when you have so many people retiring at such a rate. Chief Cad stated that Mr. Biga mentioned an aspect of this which is very troublesome. Chief Call said you have heard this tern, it is a good term, institutional knowledge. Chief Cad said it takes a long time for a police officer to work his or her way into the system, through their training, and their overall experience to become what he would characterize as an officer who is independent. Chief Cad said it takes time for an officer to be capable to do their job with very little supervision and handle a situation or scene on their own and be able to make good judgments and decisions. Chief Cad estimated that time to be about five (5) years. We have so many people going out the door who have investigative experience, patrol experience, interviewing experience that it takes time to replace these. Chief Cad said it takes time to develop them, and that you need a senior staff to help mentor staff and bring them along. Chief Call said we have lost a lot of that ability and are at risk of losing a lot more. Chief Cad stated that this program is narrowly focused. Currently there is a potential of thirty (30) participants. There is an expiration of November 30, 2014. This is an eighteen (18) month program. Chief Call said that when putting the program together and looking at the motivations for the retirement, two things were identified the health care cost in retirement and the defined benefit retirement systems. Chief Call said that when the defined benefit people reach their time, they have a motivation to leave immediately and lock in their healthcare benefits and pension. Chief Cad said if they choose to, and a majority of them do, they go find employment somewhere else. Chief Call said that was how the monetary figure was determined. The majority of our staff is going to work at a school system providing the schools with a private security force. He said it is a great win for the school system. Chief Call stated the schools are getting highly trained, college educated, professionals. The school system is getting a great reliable product, but that it is a detriment to him in managing this organization. Chief Cad said that the amount of payment is the same at all ranks. A sergeant isn't receiving more than a patrolman and a lieutenant isn't more than a sergeant. It is across the board equal for everybody, there is no more incentive for the Deputy Chief than there is for a patrolman. Mr. Tatigian asked if Chief Call thought during this period, with the sunset provision, that the program will provide him with sufficient time to bring in new blood. Chief Cad said that is obviously his hope and felt comfortable, otherwise he would not be here wasting the Commissions time. Chief Cad said he anticipates good success, but that he can't sit before the Commission or before Council or anyone else and make any promises that he is going to have a certain amount of people that will be retained, it is an individual choice. Ms. Mahoney Page 4 105th Special Meeting April20, 2013 stated employees will make their own decision. Chief Call said he met with the majority of staff that are targeted with this program. He explained the process, and how he came to these conclusions and asked for their input. Chief Cad said we have met with both the bargaining units LLSA and LPDA and discussed different concerns as Mr. Biga has mentioned. We've agreed on the necessity of a retention program. The plan was accepted essentially as initially presented with some very minor tweaking. Mr. Tatigian asked if he felt that he was going to be able to retain sufficient personnel with this program. Chief Call said he is estimating that 75% of the people will participate in this program, which was a level he never expected. He thought it would be more like 50%. Ms. Mahoney said that shows a loyalty to our City which is very impressive. Chairman Tatigian stepped down to second the following motion: Upon a motion by Ms. Mahoney, seconded by Mr. Tatigian and adopted, it was 13-60 RESOLVED, That having reviewed the letter of April 25, 2013, from Police Chief Curtis Cad, transmitting a letter dated April 24, 2013, from Gregory T. Schultz, Attorney regarding the Livonia Police Retention Program, as set forth in the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Livonia and the Livonia Police Officers Association (LPOA), establishing a Police Retention Program, the Civil Service Commission does hereby adopt the retention program and forwards the same to the City Council for its review and consideration. Chairman Tatigian stepped down to second the following motion: Upon a motion by Ms. Mahoney, seconded by Mr. Tatigian and adopted, it was 13-61 RESOLVED, That having reviewed the letter of April 25, 2013, from Police Chief Curtis Cad, transmitting a letter dated April 24, 2013, from Gregory T. Schultz, Attorney regarding the Livonia Police Retention Program, as set forth in the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Livonia and the Livonia Lieutenants and Sergeants Association (LLSA), establishing a Police Retention Program, the Civil Service Commission does hereby adopt the retention program and forwards the same to the City Council for its review and consideration. Chairman Tatigian stepped down to second the following motion: Upon a motion by Ms. Mahoney, seconded by Mr. Tatigian and adopted, it was 13-62 RESOLVED, That having reviewed the letter of April 25, 2013, from Police Chief Curtis Cad, transmitting a letter dated April 24, 2013, from Gregory T. Schultz, Attorney, describing a police retention program for the police command classifications of Captain, Deputy Chief and Chief, which contains the same provisions as contained in the Memorandum of Understanding with the Livonia Lieutenants and Sergeants Association, the Civil Service Commission does hereby adopt the retention program and forwards the same to the City Council for its review and consideration. Page 5 105th Special Meeting April 26, 2013 Upon a motion by Mr. Taligian, seconded by Ms. Mahoney and adopted, it was RESOLVED, That the special meeting be adjourned at 4:30 p.m. Vickie Wuerth, Personnel Clerk Harry C. Tatigian, Chairman Charlotte Mahoney, Commissioner