Board approves personnel report amid public grievances and calls to table multiple items

Trustees approved the personnel report during the Feb. 25 meeting after a public commenter asked the board to table several line items that the commenter said were subject to grievances or to contract posting requirements.

A community speaker who identified himself as Mr. Castillo asked the board to table line item No. 8 because he said an involuntary transfer had advanced to pre-arbitration. He also requested that line items Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7 and Nos. 9 and 10 be tabled because those positions are union-held and, he said, the collective bargaining agreement with SEIU Local 73 requires postings for 14 calendar days to allow seniority bidding. He cited “article 6, section 1 and 2” of the contract.

During board discussion, Trustee Gomez asked the district attorney to address the claims. Attorney McCain (board counsel) said he had not previously heard of these specific grievances and would need to study them. Human-resources personnel (Dr. McJackins/McJunkin — recorded in the transcript with variant spellings) responded that the full-time custodian positions were posted internally and that Mr. Castillo had applied. Chief Finance Officer Mrs. Simmons also confirmed administration had been involved in the process.

Trustee Smith moved to pull the disputed personnel items pending HR clarification; that motion was later withdrawn. After further discussion and public comment, the board took a roll-call vote on the personnel report. The roll call recorded Trustee Gomez and Trustee Rodriguez as voting no and Trustee Smith, Trustee Taylor and President Gibson King voting yes; the personnel report passed by a 3–2 vote.

Why it matters: Public commenters alleged the administration had not complied with the SEIU Local 73 collective bargaining agreement’s posting requirements, and they asked the board to delay action while grievances advanced. The board did not table the overall personnel report but heard the grievance claim and asked HR and counsel to follow up.

Clarifications and next steps: Board counsel said he would review the grievances and advise the board. HR stated that at least some positions had been posted internally and that the most senior applicant had been selected for at least one listed position; the board requested additional clarity from HR. The board did not specify which individual assignments in the personnel report would be re-opened for further action.

Ending: The personnel report was adopted 3–2. Trustees asked for follow-up from counsel and HR to clarify the posting process and any outstanding grievance matters.