1981-03-04 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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RESOLUTION N0. ~I-s WHEREAS, on Sunday, October 26, 1980, members of the La Porte Police Department announced in a front page article of the Bayshore Sun (copy attached) that they would circulate petitions on November 4, 1980,. to require the La Porte City Council to call a referendum election on the question of Police- men's Civil Service. WHEREAS, said petitions were duly filed with the City Sec- retary on December 8, 1980, and certified by her as containing the requisite number of signatures on February 4, 1981, the La Porte City Council as mandated by State Statute passed Ordinance Number 1250 on February 18, 1981, calling an election on April 4, 1981, to consider the creation of a Civil Service Commission to administer State Statute 1269M known as the Fire- men's and Policemen's Civil Service Act. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Porte have reviewed and studied the aforementioned State Statute in relation to the existing personnel policies, salaries and circumstances within the scope of City Service and have found, determined and by this resolution declare that the adoption of Civil Service for • our Police Officers is not in the best interest of the City. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE THAT the City Council by these presents hereby state their opposition to the adoption of the aforementioned Civil Service Statute for the following reasons, to wit: 1. The adoption of the Policemen's Civil Service Act will effectively remove personnel policy formula- tion from local control and vest it with the Texas Legislature. 2. The City of La Porte adequately compensates its Police Officers for their services (salary and benefit schedule attached) both in base salary and benefits. In addition, the City of La Porte operates under a uniform personnel policy duly adopted by the City Council that applies to all Municipal personnel equally. The adoption of the Policemen's Civil Service Act will establish b~ State Statute a set of personnel policies to administer for Police personnel that does not extend to all Municipal employees, thereby creating dissention within the Municipal organi- • zation. 3. Of the one hundred twenty-two (122). Texas cities over ten thousand (10,000) population according to the 1970 Federal census only fifty-two (52) are governed by the Firemen's and Policemen's Civil Service Act. Many of the employee organizations of the fifty-two (52) communities that are governed by the Act are associated with union groups that lobby the Texas Legislature for collective bargain- ing and unionization of public service employees. THEREFORE, by these presents the La Porte City Council hereby makes known its position of opposition to the passage and adoption of the Firemen's and Policemen's Civil Service Act; and do hereby • urge the citizens of La Porte to vote against the adoption of said Act in the April 4, 1981, referendum election.