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Charter reviewers press staff on city manager authority and personnel appeals
Summary
Committee members asked how checks on the city manager’s hiring authority work and whether council can override personnel decisions. Assistant City Manager Tamara Benz said most staff (about 327) are union-covered, appeals go to a personnel board, and only four positions are unclassified.
Committee members raised questions June 24 about who can check or override the city manager’s authority to hire or fire staff and where appeals are heard.
"The city manager does have the overall oversight as far as staff administration and the city manager is appointed by the council in the city of Compton," Assistant City Manager Tamara Benz said. She told the committee that roughly 327 employees are covered by bargaining units and that appeals are handled by the personnel board. Benz said four positions are unrepresented/unclassified: the city manager, two assistant city managers and the HR director, and noted the controller is appointed by the council but is covered by a union contract.
Members asked whether the charter provides adequate checks and balances if the council or community objects to a hire. Staff responded that hiring for most positions is administered by human resources (with oversight and collective-bargaining protections) and that the personnel board is the statutory avenue for employee appeals.
Why it matters: Questions about hiring authority and oversight surfaced as the committee considers whether charter language about administrative service (section 602) needs revision to better describe council oversight, appeals processes, and where personnel authority legally resides.
Next steps: Staff said they will confirm specifics (including which positions are unclassified) and have the HR director attend the July 6 meeting to provide detailed information about bargaining units and employee appeal processes.
