Tumwater civil service panel approves extension for provisional deputy chief appointment

The Tumwater Civil Service Commission voted to approve an extension that allows Lieutenant Quiles to continue serving provisionally in the deputy chief role while the city conducts an external recruitment and testing process.

Commission Chair Blake Chatham presided over the June meeting where Administrative Services Director and commission secretary Michelle Sutherland asked the commission to waive Civil Service Rule 14.02 and extend the provisional appointment beyond the four-month limit to allow time for an external recruitment and exam plan.

Sutherland said the department has no internal candidate for the deputy chief role and requested an additional period of up to six months to complete an external hire. "We are requesting that you would waive the civil service rule 14 o 2 regarding provisional appointments and allow Lieutenant Quiles to stay in this position for up to an additional 6 months," Sutherland said. Police Chief Jay Mason said the position is technical and that an external recruitment and testing process will take time.

Commissioners asked for clarifications about timing and staffing impacts. Officials said Lieutenant Quiles was provisionally appointed March 1 and that the initial four-month appointment expires June 30. Staff characterized the requested extension as effectively about five additional months from the meeting date, noting the goal is to fill the role as quickly as possible while ensuring a robust recruitment and testing process. Officials described a "cascading" staffing effect when a supervisor is elevated, with other employees moved to fill downstream vacancies.

Pat Schneider moved to approve the extension request and Wendy Moudy seconded. The motion passed by voice vote; the transcript records Aye votes during the roll call. The commission’s recorded action waives the four-month limit under Civil Service Rule 14.02 and approves the provisional extension for Lieutenant Quiles while the city completes recruitment and the civil-service exam plan.

The vote does not set a specific hire date; staff said they will return with an exam plan for the deputy chief once recruitment details are finalized.