Tumwater Civil Service Commission approves candidate lists, reclassification and deputy chief exam plan

The Tumwater Civil Service Commission on April 2026 approved a set of personnel and classification actions affecting the city’s police and fire departments, including two entry-level eligibility lists, a reclassification of a fire administrative role, a deputy police chief exam plan and an extension of an acting deputy police chief appointment.

Michelle Southern, the commission’s secretary examiner, presented the police officer entry-level eligibility list for April 2026 and asked that Taurean Whetstone be moved from the removed list to the added list. Southern said the list contained 17 candidates, with 10 newly added. She described routine removals for candidates who have advanced to background investigation, those who failed the chief’s interview and one who withdrew. Commissioner Ed Schneider asked why candidates in background check are removed from the public list; Southern and Acting Police Chief Carlos Keelas explained that once a candidate advances to a conditional offer and background investigation they are removed from the eligibility list because they are either hired after clearance or disqualified during the background process.

The commission voted to approve the police officer entry-level list after a motion by Chair Blake Chart and a second by Commissioner Ed…