R-01-04-12-14A1 - 4/12/200104 \ 1013OCS \RESOLD I \R10412u.WPO /eie
RESOLUTION NO. R- 01- 04- 12 -14A1
WHEREAS, on Saturday, May 5, 2001, the citizens of Round Rock
will go to the polls to decide whether or not to adopt Chapter 143 of
the Local Government Code (the "Civil Service Law ",)'and
WHEREAS, the Civil Service Law was first adopted in 1947 in
response to abuse under the "spoils system" under which police officers
and fire fighters owed their jobs to local politicians, and
WHEREAS, the City of Round Rock has never hired, promoted, or
fired firefighters on the basis of their relationships with City
Councilmembers, and
WHEREAS, the City of Round Rock has a long, proud tradition of
promoting and compensating all city employees on the basis of job
performance and merit, and
WHEREAS, under the Civil Service Law, recruitment, selection, and
promotion must be done on the basis of a written exam, with no
consideration for outstanding job performance or merit and no provision
for special consideration for female or minority applicants, and
WHEREAS, under the Civil Service Law, the best, hardest working
firefighters make the same as the worst firefighter in the City, and
WHEREAS, because the Civil Service Law prohibits rewarding
outstanding employees on the basis of merit, it promotes mediocrity in
the workplace, and
WHEREAS, under the Civil Service Law, benefits such as sick leave
and vacation exceed benefits available to other city employees, which
raises issues of equity among fellow employees, and
will no longer answer to the Fire Chief, the City Manager, or the City
Council, but to professional arbitrators who do not have a personal
stake in the community, and
WHEREAS, if adopted, the administration of the Civil Service Law
will cost the taxpayers of Round Rock hundreds of thousands of dollars
each year with no added benefit, Now Therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK, TEXAS,
That the City Council opposes the adoption of the firefighters
civil service law and urges the citizens of Round Rock to vote
"Against" on the proposition in the upcoming election.
The City Council hereby finds and declares that written notice of
the date, hour, place and subject of the meeting at which this
Resolution was adopted was posted and that such meeting was open to the
public as required by law at all times during which this Resolution and
the subject matter hereof were discussed, considered and formally acted
upon, all as required by the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551, Texas
Government Code, as amended, and the Act.
RESOLVED this 12th day of April, 2001.
ATTEST:
WHEREAS, under the Civil Service Law, the City's firefighters
d9E - min, City Secr y
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2
City of Round Rock, Texas
DATE: April 6, 2001
SUBJECT: City Council Meeting — April 12, 2001
ITEM: 14.A.1. Consider a resolution concerning the election to adopt the fire
fighter civil service law.
Resource: Bob Bennett, City Manager
History: N/A
Funding: N/A
Cost:
Source of funds:
Outside Resources: N/A
Impact: N/A
Benefit: N/A
Public Comment: N/A
Sponsor: N/A