Chapter 2.56
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Sections:
2.56.020 Police and Fire Civil Service System.
2.56.030 Civil Service Commission.
2.56.010 Established.
There is established the Airway Heights Civil Service Commission for City police and City firemen. (Ord. C-137, 1987; Ord. C-059, 1983)
2.56.020 Police and Fire Civil Service System.
The City Police and Fire Department Civil Service System is to be operated and governed in accordance with Chapters 41.08 and 41.12 RCW. Employees subject to Civil Service shall include all full-time employees of the Police and Fire Departments including the Chief of Police and Fire Chief. (Ord. C-493, 2002)
2.56.030 Civil Service Commission.
A. Creation. There is created a Civil Service Commission, which shall be composed of three persons. No person shall be appointed to the Commission who is not a citizen of the United States, a resident of the City of Airway Heights for at least three years preceding appointment and an elector of Spokane County.
B. Appointment/Replacement/Quorum. The Commissioners shall be appointed by the City Manager. The term for each Commissioner shall be six years. In the event a Commissioner shall resign, become disqualified or removed for cause, the newly appointed member shall complete the unexpired term. Two members shall constitute a quorum.
C. Compensation/Budget. Members shall serve without compensation. The City Council shall budget for the reasonable expenses of the Commission.
D. Organization. The Commission shall organize by electing a chair and establishing a regular monthly meeting time, date and place. Notice of the meetings shall be posted and delivered to the Clerk-Treasurer. The Commission shall conduct its business pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act. A secretary and chief examiner shall be appointed to keep all records, prepare reports and perform such other duties as required. The Commission may make rules and regulations to aid the performance of its duties under this chapter and state law. (Ord. C-989 § 1, 2022; Ord. C-493, 2002)
2.56.040 Powers and duties.
The Civil Service Commission shall perform the duties and exercise all the authority as provided in Chapters 41.08 and 41.12 RCW with the following exceptions:
A. The probationary period for all promotions and new hires shall be one year in length unless a collective bargaining agreement provides for a shorter period of time.
B. The Secretary shall maintain a selection list and certify to the appointing authority (City Manager or Police Chief or Fire Chief) the top three names of such list and the appointing authority shall select from such list of three.
C. No promotion certification shall be rejected except for reasonable cause and no promotional candidate shall be passed over except for reasonable cause. Reasonable cause for passing over a promotional candidate may include the following:
1. A candidate’s documented substandard work performance; or
2. A candidate’s documented prior disciplinary problem(s); or
3. Documented errors in a candidate’s judgment; or
4. Any other documented performance-related reasons.
D. Upon receipt of a rejected promotional certification, or a certification which passed over a promotional candidate, the Chief Examiner or Secretary shall without delay notify the eligible(s) in writing. A rejected uniformed promotional eligible or passed over nonuniformed promotional eligible shall have the right to petition the Commission within 10 calendar days from the date of said notification as delineated in Rule 3.09 of the City of Airway Heights Civil Service Rules and Regulations. The petition must be in writing and filed with the Secretary who shall then notify the City Manager. The Commission shall thereupon set a date of hearing in the same manner as provided by the Commission rules for appeals. (Ord. C-983 §§ 1, 2, 2022; Ord. C-573, 2004; Ord. C-493, 2002)
2.56.050 Staff support.
Administrative staff support to the Civil Service Commission shall be provided by the City Manager, Clerk-Treasurer or designee. In addition, the Commission, through its chair, may request formal opinions or memorandums from the City Attorney on any pending matter. (Ord. C-493, 2002)