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Civil Service Commission excuses member, approves amended minutes and updates police and firefighter certified lists
Summary
At its Jan. 8 meeting, the Delaware City Civil Service Commission excused an absent commissioner, approved amended minutes and accepted updates to the police and firefighter certified lists; officials reported recent hires and noted ongoing paramedic shortages.
The Delaware City Civil Service Commission on Jan. 8 excused a member from the meeting, approved amended minutes from Dec. 4, 2024, and accepted updates to the police officer and firefighter certified candidate lists.
The actions matter because they maintain the official hiring rosters the city uses to fill public-safety vacancies and record procedural changes to commission minutes. Commissioners also heard staffing updates showing recent hires, training enrollments and continuing shortages of certified paramedics.
Commissioners voted to excuse Commissioner Mister Hurley from the Jan. 8 meeting and to adopt an amended version of the Dec. 4, 2024 motion summary that removes the pledge of allegiance from the minutes as moved and seconded on the record. The commission then accepted the January 2025 update to the police officer certified list and the January 2025 firefighter certified list as presented.
On the police list, commission staff reported that the list remains at 13 candidates after the rolling off of one candidate for reaching one year on the list, a disqualification for failure to comply with service rules (the candidate did not respond to follow-up contact), and the addition of two new candidates. "We had communication with the candidate up into a point and then just no more communication," Chief Warren said, describing the disqualification as a matter of nonresponse. Commissioners noted the department has about six to seven vacant positions as the calendar entered 2025.
On the firefighter list, staff reported two hires in December that reduced the certified list to six candidates. Fire Chief Dan said the department is "currently fully staffed in terms of positions," but added that a shortage of roughly 20 certified paramedics is limiting some programs. "We have started today, total 10 people in medic school at the same time," Dan said, noting staggered end dates for the training cohorts and additional personnel awaiting school start dates.
Commissioners discussed staffing trends over 2024. One commissioner summarized changes in onboard staffing rates, saying the fire department's filled-rate rose from 77% on Jan. 31, 2024, to 88% on Dec. 30, 2024, and that the other public-safety department rose from 86% to 91% over the same period. The commission also reviewed personnel transactions during 2024, with roughly 24 transactions in the fire department and 21 in the police department, which a commissioner said reflected retirements, resignations, promotions and other separations.
No members of the public attended, and the commission reported no emails, letters or petitions on file for the meeting. The meeting lasted about nine minutes and concluded with adjournment.
Votes at a glance: Excuse absence of Commissioner Mister Hurley — approved (mover: Mister Ripka; second: not specified). Approve amended Dec. 4, 2024 motion summary (remove pledge of allegiance) — approved (mover/second not specified). Accept January 2025 police officer certified list — approved (mover/second not specified). Accept January 2025 firefighter certified list — approved (mover: Miss Sanchez; second: Mister Ripka).
