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Majority leader backs practical exam for city painters; DCAS says examination process complex
Summary
Resolution 8—0 asks DCAS to develop a practical skills exam for municipal painter civil service candidates to complement existing written testing. District Council 9 and other union representatives supported the resolution; DCAS said exam development is complex and declined to comment on the resolution itself at the hearing.
Majority Leader Farillas presented Resolution 8—0, which calls on the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and testing authorities to include a qualifying practical exam in the civil service testing process for municipal painters.
The resolution, supported by District Council 9 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, would maintain the existing written exam but require candidates who pass it to complete a practical skills evaluation. Advocates asked that the practical exam include a minimum passing score (the resolution recommends 70 percent), a formula for converting part‑time experience into full‑time equivalents, and recognition of graduates from apprenticeship programs for credit toward experience.
Devon Lomax, political director at District Council 9, testified that a two‑stage process is necessary because "education and experience are important for background information of a candidate, they do not fully qualify a candidate for the specific role of civil service painter without proper vetting and testing." Lomax told the committee that the practical exam would verify hands‑on competency for work in public schools, hospitals and city facilities and would improve fairness and public confidence in hiring.
Katrina Porter of DCAS said the agency "administers our bridge exams" and manages many hiring-related systems but that the examination process is complex. DCAS declined to take a formal position on the resolution at the hearing and requested additional time to assess operational steps and legal requirements associated with adding a practical exam.
Committee members urged continued engagement with DCAS on practical exam design and flagged the resolution as a measure to improve public‑facing services by ensuring trades workers meet hands‑on standards. No formal committee vote was recorded at the hearing.
