[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6250345,"mediaKeyId","3202965-f2d60bb4f563ec91ac2a0f9bbb80e659","parentId",3202965,"title","Civil service examiner appointed; commission approves draft rule changes on rehire, ranks and meeting time","audioSeconds",238,"startMs",469225,"endMs",707600,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3202965-f2d60bb4f563ec91ac2a0f9bbb80e659&start=469&end=707","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3202965-f2d60bb4f563ec91ac2a0f9bbb80e659/thumbnail_469225.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6250345/Lacey/Thurston-County/Washington/Civil-service-examiner-appointed-commission-approves-draft-rule-changes-on-rehire-ranks-and-meeting-time","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250345-97b12d23d24aadfc63867148c8b79141/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191420&Signature=FHTgOlHoD5QkB8q1Tbf0UsFr1pIUB3F51TTxFIoKnURvTUi0MktdQPSKqcx9kyA-w6R0X8ztNg9GYLtv5GVk9whuIXqfcE0rAd-cPez9ZYyeQIt-umbSziPXj7es4Bb4vPk4LLHI2XrM0jJLzeuNj-6ViLx05-wsAPmAEkdrKs6p7SAjZJaJe1OdzHC8UZ-3TrhXWmaFzEUWGAydTuJSSajCKL2hMBhmBtPNkrDEAgbK~pmfOj-esTioLeAZiRVy5IwqvOr4ijBIy~R~S5cT4HE2tCBbCmuKjmPob~Mnu238oRGTrJmEfSgMeymGapC46CIysxs55XxP7~QzPfpW1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lacey, WA","date","2025-05-05T19:33:41Z","article","The Lacey Civil Service Commission on Tuesday moved to appoint a civil service examiner/secretary who will begin performing eligibility and examination sign-offs after a June 1 promotion, and it reviewed draft changes to civil service rules covering rehiring, rank listings and meeting start times.

Human Resources Director and civil service chief examiner Leilani Suway presented the personnel and rule items to the commission and described the intended administrative changes. Suway said the promoted HR analyst has been in training nearly a year and would take over duties as the civil service examiner and secretary after the June 1 promotion.

A motion was made and seconded to appoint the candidate identified in the meeting (name uncertain in the transcript) as the commission’s civil service examiner and secretary effective June 1, 2025; the motion passed. The transcript records the motion language and the affirmative voice vote but does not provide a clear, consistent spelling of the appointee’s name in the recorded audio. The commission will complete administrative sign-offs under the new examiner once the promotion takes effect.

Suway also outlined draft rule changes for the commission’s consideration and union review. The proposed amendments would:

- Move the commission’s regular meeting start time from 12:15 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. beginning after the August meeting, to align with other city meetings and reduce Zoom-related delays.
- Update eligibility-list language to remove the commander rank that will no longer exist after 2025 and replace it with lieutenant where applicable.
- Replace the term \"reinstatement\" with \"rehire\" in the leaves and resignation rule and add explicit language about benefits restoration for rehires. Suway read the draft language: \"the former employee shall have the pay and any benefits as required by law restored that were held upon separation...the longevity date will reflect the former service that accrued prior to separation...the calculated longevity or years of service determination will be referenced with the current collective bargaining agreement vacation hours article to determine the restored vacation accrual.\" She said the wording mirrors how the department handled two rehiring cases this past year.

Suway said the draft would be sent to the affected unions for review and returned to the commission for formal approval in August if no substantive feedback is received. Commissioners voted to approve the draft for distribution to unions during the meeting.

The meeting record shows the commission approved the appointment and the draft changes; detailed roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript excerpt provided.

The commission adjourned after the business; commissioners expressed interest in ride-along opportunities with the police department as an informal follow-up.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Civil Service Commission - May 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Lacey Civil Service Commission voted to appoint a new civil service examiner/secretary to take effect June 1 and reviewed draft rule changes that would replace the term \"reinstatement\" with \"rehire,\" remove the commander rank from eligibility lists after 2025, and move future meeting start times to noon pending final approval.","taxTitle","Lacey, Thurston County, Washington","taxId",4615,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6250350,"Lacey police validate new written test; hiring portal to reopen but state $100 million hiring grant unlikely to help",165,216335,381395,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3202965-f2d60bb4f563ec91ac2a0f9bbb80e659&start=216&end=381","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3202965-f2d60bb4f563ec91ac2a0f9bbb80e659/thumbnail_216335.jpg","/articles/6250350/Lacey/Thurston-County/Washington/Lacey-police-validate-new-written-test-hiring-portal-to-reopen-but-state-100-million-hiring-grant-unlikely-to-help","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250350-97d8e98e5bd124062655bc3bcd7b5c31/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191420&Signature=OskniPF7tj3pZu2prXY4S3TCQN1vP13ZvGfo2yYXCCa4RjP~rC0mwG~mH2ZqrcF1vZumQXGrLZaL9a2vKoaHvEZeJIDopUN~ujShSRH~llxTmJ6VvKTmebXJk8U2XBdulVQvfyFdNnwgV0zqyvHFaCi9ulUzNIbSJus2fVkafn~etwffEMXVLnjmegNMoWeQ1LE49vxP8glvMAeT-vS0H9ZGHqN9oBMFRXXpNk-xIKdLa9ZmMVITIwo~PgTyI1je8-DeEAGs9N7mwWVk9so9bdShC88gacr60tk1OlZ~5z1AKu683r0xexecGdyw38TD2DW1SNA33zwa52PCqnaa3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lacey Civil Service Commission heard Tuesday that the police department has validated a new written exam and expects to reopen its applicant portal in the coming days, while a proposed $100 million state grant for officer hiring is unlikely to be immediately available.

Chief Robert Almoda, Lacey’s chief of police, told the commission that public safety staff “did indeed validate” a new written test and that “the new written test has been put into service.” He said the department updated job descriptions and expects the hiring portal to reopen either by the end of the week or within the next couple of weeks.

The announcement matters because the department plans to resume oral boards and candidate selection after the portal reopens. “We will be running oral boards for hire at the end of the month,” Human Resources Director and civil service chief examiner Leilani Suway said, noting eligibility sign-offs would transition to the staff member being promoted to the examiner role.

Commissioners asked whether state legislation included in the governor’s budget would provide immediate help. Chief Almoda said the bill and related budget proviso that would create a $100,000,000 grant program for hiring new officers include multiple prerequisites that the department cannot yet meet. “There are numerous stop gaps in that build up that prevents anyone from really actively being able to apply for that grant,” he said. “It’s based on training that hasn’t been developed yet. It’s based on hiring approval process that has yet to be determined. There’s no funding aspect to the bill itself…so the ability for anyone to apply for any part of that grant is a is effectively nil.”

Almoda also told the commission the legislation’s implementation depends on separate rulemaking and legislative work that has not yet occurred; he said the item has been labeled a low legislative priority at present.

The police chief’s report also listed personnel changes: a swearing-in ceremony for Lieutenant Jamie Newcomb and promotions for Sergeant Aaron Crudeta and Corporals Jimmy Williams and John Kobayas. The chief said one trainee was recently separated from training after failing to meet standards and that a department member identified as Mac is slated to retire May 31; the retiree will be recognized at an upcoming city council meeting.

Suway described operational timing: when the portal reopens the department will accept lateral and entry postings and run oral boards. She said the HR office has updated exam plans in the portal and expects the promoted civil service examiner to formally sign eligibility lists after their June 1 promotion.

No formal motion or policy change on hiring was taken at the meeting; the items were reported and discussed during Chief Almoda’s report and in follow-up questions from commissioners.

The commission adjourned after handling the department’s report and other agenda items. The next civil service commission meeting remains scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m. until the commission formally approves a start-time change later in the year.","The Lacey Civil Service Commission heard a police update that the department validated a new written test and expects to reopen its hiring portal soon; Chief Robert Almoda said language and process gaps make a proposed $100 million state hiring grant effectively inaccessible to the department now.","actionData","errors"]

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Civil service examiner appointed; commission approves draft rule changes on rehire, ranks and meeting time

Lacey police validate new written test; hiring portal to reopen but state $100 million hiring grant unlikely to help