1981-03-04 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minutes - Regular Meeting, March 4, 1981, Page 10 L~ been involved in communities that were under 1269M and I have seen where it led, in some communities, from 1269M to collective bargaining. An example of that, they tried collective bargaining in Deer Park last year, which failed. Jacobs: Yes, but you've got to look at the problems that Deer Park had and why the officers went that way. They had no communications with their Chief of Police. I feel we can walk in Chief Freeman's door any time if we've got a problem. We've got two lieutenants and Assistant Chief and we've still got an open door policy with him. Civil Service won't take away from that. Hudgens: And you have an open door policy with me. We have an established procedure in our personnel policy. If there is any grievance there's a method to air it and getting it resolved without 1269M and I think that's what Councilman Tomerlin is saying. If there's some difficulty with the way something is done there are other methods to take care of it other than abdica- • tion of the policy for personnel to the State Legis- lature. So it's not a matter of not supporting the police department, we do. We have a basic philosophical difference of what's best for our department, because I do not feel 1269M is good for our department, the City organization or this City as a whole. Jacobs: O.K. You're using the word, a policy and procedures. All the agencies I have talked to under 1269M, their City still sets their policy and procedures. Granted, there is some input from 1269M into it, such as the longevity pay, such as officers under 5 years, 3 weeks paid vacation instead of 2; such as if they get hurt out here in the line of duty the City of La Porte, after 6 months can stop it. I'm not saying you as a Council will, but under 1269M if I get shot out here tonight on the midnight shift, in 6 months, you know, you all can say to heck with it. Under Civil Service I have got a minimum of one year. You know, what we are trying to look for is the benefit package in here. To better us. To help us out as officers and there's also some things in there that are going to help the citizens of La Porte, which will insure, the way the promotion structure is now, it's the senior man, he moves up. • Simons: Sam, let me stop on that point right there. I came on board in '76. Did I not try to implement promo- tions by test?