Civil Service Commission upholds hearing officer recommendation, rejects Parks employee discipline

The El Paso Civil Service Commission on March 13 accepted a hearing officer's recommendation to reject a disciplinary suspension for Hiram Samaniego, an employee of the Parks and Recreation Department.

The commission's chairman, Victor Vasquez, said there was a recommendation from the hearing officer "to reject the discipline of Hiram Samaniego." At the meeting Samaniego told the panel, "No. I agree with the recommendation." Mary Wiggins, chief human resources officer for the City of El Paso, told the commission the city "does not object. The city, is going to accept Miss Palafox's recommendation." The commission then voted to accept the hearing officer's recommendation.

The vote was taken by roll call after Commissioners Woodrow Baer, Carlos Gonzales and Elsa Borrego voted in favor and Commissioner Homero Lucero recorded an abstention; Commissioner Larry Bordas was absent. The chair announced, "Okay. So it's 3 to 1, it passes."

The hearing officer's written recommendation concluded the hearing record supported rejecting the city's proposed discipline. Because both the employee and the city did not object to that recommendation, the commission moved to accept it without additional testimony.

By accepting the hearing officer's recommendation, the commission did not impose the proposed suspension; the commission recorded the formal motion to accept the recommendation and completed a roll call vote to document the outcome. The record reflects the commission's role as final decision maker after a hearing officer's fact-finding and recommendation.

With the vote recorded, the commission closed that agenda item and proceeded to the next matter on the regular agenda.