HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-03-27city council minutesSPECIAL MEETING
MARCH 27, 2003
5:00 P.M.
The Meeting was called to order by Mayor Nancolas.
The Roll of the City Council was called with the following members present: Hopper, Ozuna,
Wells, Blacker, and Callsen. Absent: Dakan.
NEW BUSINESS
(CLARIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF NEPOTISM POLICY)
Mayor Nancolas noted that this was a Special City Council Meeting for the City of Caldwell.
There was only one item on the Agenda which was to discuss the clarification of the Nepotism
Policy as pertains specifically to the Fire Department. This was an issue that was brought to light
during the last round of hiring because one of the person on the top of the list was a relative of one
of the Firefighters. The current Policy refers to nepotism obviously from standards standpoint that
you cannot supervise because of raises, promotions and etc. This was a standard policy in any
community. There were certain rules and regulations with regard to the elected officials. In our
Policy, it has a very good statement, but it was more of a broad statement. We discovered a
potential problem in the Fire Department so we began discussing as to how it would work. We
met with the Fire Chief and research has been done with the City of Nampa as to what their Policy
was. The Mayor stated that he has visited with several of the Caldwell Firefighters, with
Councilman Callsen and we do recognize that there was a tradition within the Fire Fighters where
family members follow their fathers, grandfathers in that profession. In most cases with a four
platoon system, chances of one person in the family supervises another in that family were
probably slim. The only thing they were concerned about was emergency response or critical
response kind of situation. What Council has before them was a Policy that has been written with
the approval of the City Attorney and after discussing this with the Fire Chief, he believed we
have something here that we could present to Council.
Monica Jones, the Human Resource Officer, commented that she and the Mayor discussed with
the Fire Chief and the parties who could be affected by this Policy. The first part of the Policy
was actually in their handbook at this time. The Fire Chief put together this information and
presented it. We did not want to make an exception to our Policy, but rather what the Fire
Department intends to do to comply with our existing Policy. In order to address those concerns,
this Policy was how they could make it work in their Department to be sure they were in
compliance and there would not be any conflict of interest. She was comfortable with what was
being presented to the Council and she believed the Mayor was as well. The City Attorney has
reviewed the Policy.
There was considerable discussion by the Council Members. During the discussion, the Mayor
noted the arrival of Councilwoman Ozuna. During that discussion, the Mayor stated that the
Policy was clarification of the existing Policy as it would pertain to the Fire Department. This
states what it would take to comply with the City's Policy.
The Nepotism Policy was presented as follows:
The City of Caldwell permits the employment of qualified relatives of employees as long as
(a) No person shall become employed in a department or a division of a department
where a related employee serves in a supervisory capacity over a relative of the
second degree;
(b) Such employment does not, in the opinion of the Mayor, City Council, or Human
Resource Director create actual or perceived conflicts of interest; and
(c) The individual is not an immediate family member of an appointed official, or a
relative of the second degree to the Mayor or City Council (immediate family is
defined in Section VI — I of the Personnel Handbook).
Employees working in the same department or division who become married to each other and no
longer comply with this nepotism policy must take action to comply. Before the employees
become married one of the two employees may either apply for or receive a transfer to another
department or division if an opening exists and the employee meets the minimum qualifications or
one employee must resign from City employment.
To comply with the City's nepotism policy, the Fire Department personnel must understand and
agree to the following terms. Family members employed or seeking employment at the City that
are affected by this policy agree to these terms:
1. Members shall not be assigned to work on the same shift at the same station for any
reason.
2. Members shall not be assigned to the same shift where such assignment would place
one in a position to supervise the other.
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