Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce And Human Resources topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Civil service board reports increase in examinations and new lateral police eligibility rule
Summary
The Civil Service Board reported a 42% increase in examinations from 2023 to 2024, adoption of a lateral-transfer eligibility rule (Rule 7A) for police hires, and continued candidate no-shows for tests.
The Lima Civil Service Board presented its annual report to City Council, saying examinations increased 42% from 2023 to 2024 and noting a new lateral-transfer eligibility rule for police recruits.
Deb Vobe (spelled in the agenda as presented to council) said the board worked with the administration and the police department to adopt Rule 7A, which allows lateral transfers of police officers from other departments in the state; the board received five lateral-transfer applications in 2024. Vobe said the bulk of the board’s work is administering competitive, noncompetitive and promotional examinations; entry-level exams for communications operator, firefighter, park ranger and police officer are provided through the National Testing Network on a continuous schedule.
Councilors and the mayor thanked the board for its work and raised a recurring concern about candidate no-shows for scheduled tests. Vobe said the board sends reminder emails but acknowledged the problem persists and noted the board was monitoring scheduled tests to see turnout.
Why it matters: The lateral-hire rule could speed filling vacancies in the police department; a rise in examinations shows a heightened hiring and promotional workload tied to retirements and resignations.
Next steps: The Civil Service Board will continue administering exams and work with the administration on recruitment and turnout strategies; councilors offered to collaborate on outreach to improve test attendance.
