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Helena council approves updated civil service act; personnel board election scheduled
Summary
The Helena City Council unanimously approved Resolution 02092026A to update the city's civil service act. Council and staff said the change clarifies an outdated law, staff will run nominations and an employee election for the Personnel Board, and a pending appeal will wait until reappointment is complete.
Helena’s City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 9 to approve Resolution 02092026A, which updates the municipal civil service act and initiates a process to reestablish the Personnel Board before an employee appeal is heard.
Mayor Billy Rosener told the Council in the preceding work session that the resolution is the same draft currently advertised in local legal notices and, after Council approval and a four‑week legal ad period, Representative Hulsey will be able to carry the changes to the Alabama Legislature. Rosener said the update will clarify an “outdated and ambiguous” civil service act and could save the city money over time. “This will be a good thing for the City and will save us money in the long run,” Rosener said.
Councilmember Jeff McDaniels moved to approve Resolution 02092026A; Councilmember Dennis Wilson seconded. The motion passed 5‑0.
Council and staff discussed an active employee appeal connected to Personnel Board membership. The Mayor and the city attorney advised that the appeal should wait until the board is properly reappointed. Madison Harris, City Clerk, said nominations for the employee‑chosen board seat will be solicited this week and that elections will be held next week so all shifts have a chance to vote; the Clerk will notify employees by email.
McDaniels asked that repeated references to a private HR firm appearing in the draft resolution be removed because they read like an endorsement; the Mayor agreed and asked the Clerk to update the resolution language before the council meeting.
The updated civil service resolution preserves the Personnel Board structure discussed in the work session: one member chosen by employees, one selected by the Mayor for Council approval, and a third selected by the first two members. The Council did not amend that structure during the meeting. The appeal tied to the Personnel Board will remain on hold until the board is lawfully reconstituted.
What’s next: the Clerk will finalize edits to the resolution language, complete the legally required ad period, and staff will run the Personnel Board nominations and employee election as announced.
