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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2501-1 Resolution Reccomending an Amendment to Resolution Establishing Merit Board for The Jeffersonville Fire Dept. STATE OF INDIANA BEFORE THE CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE FIRE MERIT COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO.2025-01 RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING AN AMENDMENT TO RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING MERIT BOARD FOR THE JEFFERSONVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHEREAS,pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-4-6-2,the City of Jeffersonville Common Council (hereinafter the"Council") is the legislative body of the Jeffersonville City government; and, WHEREAS,pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-2-3,the City of Jeffersonville has established, maintains,and operates a fire fighting and fire prevention system and provides facilities and equipment for that system(hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Department"); and, WHEREAS,pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-10,the duly appointed City of Jeffersonville Fire Merit Commission(hereinafter the"Commission")adopted the City of Jeffersonville Fire Merit Commission Rules and Procedures (as amended from time-to-time by the Commission,pursuant to amendment procedures set forth in the City of Jeffersonville Fire Merit Commission Rules and Procedures)(hereinafter the"Rules"); and, WHEREAS, pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-12,the Commission is responsible for the establishment of an applicant eligibility list for new hires as member vacancies become available within the Department; and, WHEREAS,the Commission continues to work in conjunction with the Department's administration,to efficiently,and in a cost-effective manner, administer the Rules in hiring new members to the Department; and, WHEREAS, due to concerns regarding expansion of the Department and potential human-resource shortages resulting from vacancies and newly created positions within the Department,the Department administration has requested the Commission re-evaluate the hiring procedure, in order to provide a mechanism for the hiring of experiences officers,who can be placed on the line in a shorter time-frame than the new recruit, in the event of such vacancies; and, WHEREAS,the Commission lacks statutory authority to create a separate hiring procedure, absent an amendment or addition to the merit system by ordinance of the Council, pursuant to the provisions of Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-1(g),which provides as follows: (g)This chapter does not prevent a township or other unit that has adopted a merit system under section 3 of this chapter from later amending or deleting any provisions of the merit system contained in this chapter. However,the merit 1 system must include a provision under which the commission has at least one- third( '/3)of its members elected by the active members of the department, as set forth in section 8of this chapter and a provision that incorporates the requirements of section 6(b)of this chapter. This subsection does not require the legislative body to establish a new merit system when it exercises its power to amend under this subsection. WHEREAS, in consideration of the time and expense of training new recruits when member vacancies occur within the Department, and the resultant risk to community safety in the absence of adequate human resources available for assignment to duties within the Department, the Commission has determined that the creation and use of an"Experienced Officer List,"to be utilized in the event of vacancies with the Department,will provide for adequate human resources in the event of such vacancies; and, NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED,as follows: The Commission hereby recommends that the Jeffersonville Fire Merit System, and all enabling resolutions and/or ordinances,be amended and/or added to, in order to authorize the Commission to create and use an"Experienced Officer List," separate and apart from the Applicant Eligibility List currently authorized pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-12 and any enabling resolutions or ordinances, and the City of Jeffersonville Fire Merit Commission Rules and Procedure (hereinafter the"Rules"), in the event of vacancy of a member(s)of the Department. SO RESOLVED THIS �rd DAY OF A , 2025 MEMBERS VOTING "YEA": MEMBERS VOTING "NAY": <A741144-- Thomas Spalding Thomas Spalding • Samuel Smith Samuel Smith Brooke Thomas Brooke Thomas 2 Donovan Sims Donovan Sims 21 Troy McCormick Troy McCormick 3