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Tumwater Civil Service Commission OKs multiple police and fire eligibility lists, extends firefighter/paramedic eligibility to November 2026
Summary
The Tumwater Civil Service Commission approved several police and fire hiring eligibility lists and voted to extend eligibility periods for firefighter and paramedic classifications through November 2026 to align recruitment on a once-yearly cycle. Commissioners approved each motion during the meeting.
The Tumwater Civil Service Commission voted to approve new and updated eligibility lists for police officers, a police lieutenant, lateral paramedic firefighters and paramedic firefighters, and to extend firefighter and paramedic eligibility periods to November 2026.
Michelle Sutherland, the commission’s secretary/examiner, told the commission the police officer entry-level list had three names added and one removed after a failed chief’s interview and requested approval of that list. The commission approved the list by motion.
Sutherland also presented a lateral paramedic firefighter list with five candidates (reported scores between 74 and 90) and a paramedic firefighter list based on an October 2025 examination that had four names added and four removed (three of those removed were hired). Both lists were approved, and Sutherland said the paramedic firefighter list will be effective from November 2025 to November 2026.
On a separate, added agenda item, Sutherland said testing for police lieutenant occurred the previous day and a list was made available that morning. She said, “We did have 1 internal candidate that did qualify, and pass that, eligibility process for police lieutenant.” Commissioners approved placing the internal candidate on the lieutenant eligibility list; Chief Jay Mason confirmed the assessment center passing score is 70%.
The commission also approved a request from Sutherland to extend eligibility periods for lateral firefighter, lateral paramedic and entry-level paramedic candidates so all related lists expire in November 2026. Sutherland said the extension—up to 11 months—is intended “so that they can continue to consider these candidates for upcoming vacancies” and to align with a transition to a once-yearly recruitment cycle. Deputy Fire Chief Sean Kermit explained the new scheduling: “Our entry level firefighter processes will be every January, February…our promotional processes…in the spring…and our lateral firefighters and our lateral paramedics and our paramedic processes will be now in the fall.”
Each motion to approve lists and to extend eligibility periods was moved and seconded on the record and passed during the meeting. Meeting minutes will be corrected to show the prior minutes date as 10/09/2025, per Pat Schneider’s observation.
What happens next: the commission’s approved lists and the extended eligibility periods let Tumwater’s police and fire departments consider the named candidates for current and upcoming vacancies under the new annual recruitment schedule.
