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Civil Service Commission debates seniority scoring for APD promotions, moves to executive session
Summary
The Alliance Civil Service Commission discussed whether seniority credit for police promotional exams should cap at 7 points (past practice) or 10 points (as argued by some), debated whether the measure is points or percentage points, and voted to enter executive session to consult legal counsel and address regrading and recertification of the APD lieutenant promotional exam.
The Alliance Civil Service Commission spent much of its July 28 special meeting debating how seniority credit should be calculated for police promotional exams and moved into executive session to consult legal counsel and consider regrading and recertification.
Law Director Caity Weyer told commissioners she reviewed grading records back to 2005 and found a historical maximum of seven seniority points applied through 2022, not 10, and said the commission needs to correct calculations after discovering inaccurate hire dates supplied by the police department. "I went back and never saw more than 7 seniority pts. awarded," Weyer said, noting the rules' statutory citations appear consistent but that the local rule language should be updated.
Stephen Minich (APD) disagreed with that characterization and argued the system involves percentage points rather than flat points. "It shouldn't be 10 pts — it is percentage points," Minich said, pressing that first-year employees should not receive seniority credit if they are ineligible to take a promotional test in year one.
Safety Service Director Mike Dreger distributed a handout and said his calculations show a maximum of 10 points can result when written and oral scores are combined and a seniority multiplier is applied. Dreger also told the commission that statutory guidance has shifted in how candidate lists may be certified, noting the Ohio Revised Code currently allows selecting from the "top 25% or the top 10 candidates" for entrance exams.
Commissioner John Gross and Sgt. Jones questioned timing and accrual, asking whether the cap should occur at year 14 or year 15 and citing other departments' stepped schedules (for example, awarding 4 points after 10 years and smaller increments thereafter to reach a 10-point maximum).
Commissioner Matt Mohr moved to enter executive session for legal guidance and regrading matters; Gross seconded and the motion carried by unanimous voice agreement. Law Director Weyer agreed to remain for legal counsel during the closed session. The executive session began at 5:15 p.m.; the public record notes legal counsel was consulted and lists "Regrading/Letters" and "APD Lieutenant Promotional Exam Recertify" as items discussed.
No formal action on the seniority calculation was recorded in open session. The commission set its next meeting for Aug. 19, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. and adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
