HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-11-03 Civil Service CommissionAgenda
Civil Service Commission
Monday, November 3, 2025
8.15 a.m.
Helling Conference Room
City Hall
410 E Washington St
Iowa City, IA
1. Election of officers
2. Certification of promotional lists for Fire
Lieutenant, Fire Captain and Fire Battalion
Chief
If you will need disability -related accommodations in
order to participate in this program/event, please
contact Karen Jennings, Human Resources at 319-
356-5025 or karen-iennings d( iowa-city.orq. Early
requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient
time to meet your access needs.
LATE HANDOUTS - THE
FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS
WERE DISTRIBUTED AT
THE MEETING
Karen Jennings
From: IAFF L610 President <president.local610@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 2, 2025 10:04 AM
To: Karen Jennings
Cc: Scott Lyon
Subject: Civil Service Promotion Process
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RESK
**This email originated outside of the City of Iowa City email system.Please take extra care opening any links or
attachments.**
This message is from an external sender.
Karen -
You are listed as the official staff contact for the Civil Service Commission, and there is no available
direct contact information for Civil Service on the Iowa City website, please forward this to Chairperson
Wyss prior to Monday morning's(11/3/25) Civil Service Commission meeting.Thank you.
Civil Service Commissioner Wyss-
My name is Brandon Pflanzer and I am writing to you as the President of the Iowa City Association of
Professional Firefighters union. On behalf of IAFF Local 610, 1 want to inform you that an official
complaint has been filed by a member regarding the recent promotional process.This complaint is
impactful to the certification results and given the time sensitive nature of the matter;we respectfully
request the Commission to review the 2025 Battalion Chief promotional process prior to certification of
the eligibility list.
This request is made to ensure compliance with the merit requirements of Iowa Code Chapter 400 and to
preserve confidence in the fairness and defensibility of the City's promotional system.With three
vacancies expected to be filled exclusively from this list,the outcome is likely career-defining and
permanent.
Local 610's has heard concerns that center on two issues, specifically in the Battalion Chief promotional
process.
1. Lack of objective evaluation measures
This year's processes relied on interview-only scoring. Prior Battalion Chief cycles incorporated
practical/operational assessment of job-related competencies such as command leadership
and emergency decision-making. Removal of objective tools increases the risk that perception
alone determines outcome.
2. Appearance of influence across multiple promotional decisions
Two individuals who recently participated in a non-disciplinary personnel review concerning a
candidate served as scoring panel members in the 2025 Battalion Chief process. In addition,
one non-scoring participant verbally interjected during the closing of a candidate's Battalion
Chief interview in a manner that could be perceived as influencing panel impressions.
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A formal complaint regarding the latter incident has been filed by our member with the Iowa City City
Attorney office. Local 610 is not alleging improper motive; our concern is transparency.There is an
appearance of influence and the absence of safeguards that objective scoring provides has been
questioned.With the process results being released Friday, and the certification process scheduled for
tomorrow(Monday) morning,there has been no time to allow for the transparency that was promised or
to answer the pertinent questions on the process from our membership.
We are asking you as the Chair and your fellow Commissioners to:
o Temporarily withhold certification of the Battalion Chief list pending review and conclusion of the
complaint that has been filed
o Determine whether evaluator participation created an appearance of conflict that warranted
recusal/mitigation
Identify any corrective action appropriate before certification of the Battalion Chief promotional list
Feel free to contact me at(262)391-1032 or via email at President.Local610@gmail.com.
Respectfully,
Brandon Pflanzer
Brandon Pflanzer
President-Iowa City Assoc. of Professional Fire Fighters I.A.F.F. Local610
Secretary/Treasurer- Iowa Professional Fire Fighters
Preside nl.Loca[610@gmaiL.com
(262) 391-1032
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