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Tumwater Civil Service Commission approves police eligibility lists and reclassifies fire department position
Summary
The commission approved multiple police eligibility lists — including entry-level, certified, administrative manager and lateral lists — and reclassified a fire department assistant to an administrative assistant role with an estimated annual budget impact of about $6,648.
The Tumwater Civil Service Commission voted to approve several police eligibility lists and a reclassification in the fire department during its June 2026 meeting.
Chair Blake Chard opened the session and commissioners moved, seconded and approved the minutes from the May 14 meeting before taking up personnel items. Staff presented updates for a range of civil service lists and requested formal approval for items on the agenda.
On personnel lists, staff said the police officer entry-level list contained 15 candidates as of June 2026; four candidates were added this month and three were removed (two failed the chief's interview and one was removed for being in background). Commissioners discussed two candidates who remained on the list despite not advancing after chief interviews — one because she was not yet 21 and the commission encouraged her to reapply in a few years — and the entry-level list was approved.
The commission also approved the certified police officer list (staff reported four candidates added and one removed after failing a chief's interview) and the police administrative manager list (three candidates newly placed on the list). A lateral police officer list with one new candidate — a lateral from the Nisqually tribal police — was approved as well.
The commission voted to reclassify a Fire Department position from "department assistant 2" to "administrative assistant," explaining that the department has grown since the position was created in 2003 and that the change would allow the fire administrative manager to focus on higher-level projects such as managing a planned fire impact-fees RFP. Staff estimated the budget impact at approximately $6,648 per year and said the cost could be covered within the current budget or through a budget amendment, with half-year impact for the remainder of 2026 and full-year budgeting to be handled in the next biannual process.
In other business, staff reported recent hiring activity: chief's interviews for entry-level firefighter candidates produced conditional offers, several police recruits are in various stages of academy or background checks, and Sergeant Bond announced plans to retire after 31 years. Staff also said a permit was approved for a mobile structure at the planned North Station and final design work is nearing completion; they expect to break ground in early 2027.
Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes (May 14, 2026): approved by voice vote. - Police officer entry-level eligibility list (June 2026; 15 candidates; 4 added, 3 removed): approved by motion. - Certified police officer list (continuous): approved by motion; staff noted out-of-state candidates do not carry in-state test scores. - Police administrative manager list (3 newly placed candidates): approved by motion. - Lateral police officer list (1 newly placed candidate): approved by motion. - Reclassification of department assistant 2 to administrative assistant (Fire Department): approved by motion; budget impact ~ $6,648/year, funding to be covered through current budget or amendment and biannual budgeting.
The commission confirmed its next meeting for July 9, 2026 and adjourned the session.
