The Civil Service Commission announced Mayor Taylor can hire anyone she wants.
No Schnitz? What about the whole "City Charter" angle?
Don't know. It was just announced on KRMG.
Here is the KRMG story...
Civil Service Commission Backs Mayor
A win for Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor. The Civil Service Commission rules the mayor doesn't have to hire Tulsa's new police chief from within the department. An attorney representing three rejected candidates indicates he will seek an injunction in an effort to block the mayor from moving ahead.
The Civil Service Commission is basically a committee, so don't worry, it's not over yet, unfortunately. I'm sure they will seek an injunction again. In the end, I'm pretty confident the Mayor will prevail, I just hate that it has to go this way. I'd like to see a new chief hired, hopefully with new ideas and skill to run the department. Instead, legal battles will rage on and I bet it will be months before a new chief is named. Makes me sad.
"An attorney representing three rejected candidates indicates he will seek an injunction in an effort to block the mayor from moving ahead."
^ You have got to love the American legal system... It's not over until it's over.... No matter what the "Fat Ladies Singing".......
[}:)]
OOoh, ooooh. DIBS
I totally call the job of police chief. I have no law enforcement experience let alone tenure on this force. But I called it.
The TIA gave the great plains deal a thumbs up, too. How'd that work out? There's still much to unfold in this saga. Da Mare can celebrate this pyrrhic victory if she wants, but it is really meaningless.
I don't know the legal parts of this decision, but I am kinda surprised that the civil service voted unanimously for the Mayor.
The civil service commission almost always votes for the employee side. I remember a few years ago when a past Mayor fired an employee who had been stealing fire hydrants and selling them for scrap metal. The employee was caught with a backyard full of hydrants, but the civil service commission made the city give him his job back with back pay.
I think the city needs the best candidate possible and I am glad the civil service commission decided we could get just that.
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
I don't know the legal parts of this decision, but I am kinda surprised that the civil service voted unanimously for the Mayor.
The civil service commission almost always votes for the employee side. I remember a few years ago when a past Mayor fired an employee who had been stealing fire hydrants and selling them for scrap metal. The employee was caught with a backyard full of hydrants, but the civil service commission made the city give him his job back with back pay.
I think the city needs the best candidate possible and I am glad the civil service commission decided we could get just that.
RM- I'd buy the best candidate thing, if I wasn't so suspicious of cronyism at some level on this deal. I just have a feeling she had someone hand-picked as Been's successor before she ever re-instated him.
I also have an incredibly poor attitude toward our city fathers and mothers looking outside the city so often for consulting, engineering, marketing, and key personnel, etc. ad nauseum. (http://www.vanmega.com/photos/emoticons/barf.gif)
I agree with you. The Police Chief is special because of the internal problems within the department, but Tulsa does seem to contract for services outside of itself way too often.
I remember thinking the same thing when LaFortune was all giddy about hiring Pelli to design the Arena. I think the local guys could have done a fine job designing such an arena and it would have such a big boost for the lucky firm selected.
I also was concerned when he insisted that Tulsa farm out the management of the Convention Center and Arena to a Philadelphia company. I was a fan of the local folk and think they had done a great job booking the PAC and an adequate job booking the Convention Center considering the condition of the building.
The Mayor LaFortune disagreed and gave all the work to an out-of-state firm. The local folk were shown the door.
At least with the police situation, nobody is losing their job.
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
I don't know the legal parts of this decision, but I am kinda surprised that the civil service voted unanimously for the Mayor.
The civil service commission almost always votes for the employee side. I remember a few years ago when a past Mayor fired an employee who had been stealing fire hydrants and selling them for scrap metal. The employee was caught with a backyard full of hydrants, but the civil service commission made the city give him his job back with back pay.
I think the city needs the best candidate possible and I am glad the civil service commission decided we could get just that.
I'd be interested in seeing your stats that say the Civil Service Commission "almost always votes for the employee side."
And it should be no surprise to anyone that Civic Service voted for the Mayor. Is the Civil Service Commission not all appointed by the Mayor?
As I've said before, I really don't have a problem with the outside look for a chief. But citizens of this city should be more concerned about their Mayor not complying with open records related to the police chief search. By saying a private firm is handling the search is a bunch of crap and simply a cop-out (pardon the pun) to avoid having to produce a list of candidates. I know for a fact not all candidates who applied were even contacted, let alone considered. Her openness of government sucks!
And where has the Tulsa World been regarding the openness of the search. How many short months ago was it the World ran a week long series on dealing with the open records act? And now they don't even care? Who is in who's pocket?
The civil service commission is appointed by the Mayor, but Mayor Taylor has only reappointed one member. The remainder were appointed by previous mayors.
^
I see.... just as I suspected "LaFortuna" is just behind the scenes.... Still calling the shots.....
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/rico2/Conspiracy.gif)
Watch your back hombres.... [}:)]
Obviously she has someone in mind on the outside. Can't wait to see what her brilliant efforts give us this time. lol [B)]
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
I know for a fact not all candidates who applied were even contacted, let alone considered.
The Travesty!
I can't even count the number of jobs I was qualified for according to published requirements but never even got contacted for. It's over 100. And I'm not that old.
It sounds, at least on the surface, that this position is being handled like any other job on the planet. TPD (actually their union) seems to want some extremely high level of disclosure not seen in any other job opening.
I'm not a member of the "pro-taylor" camp but it seems there is a "worst case scenario" assumption of everything she does in this matter while the department that makes it in the news constantly for conflict and controversy is trying to take act like the victims of a tragedy that hasn't even happened.
I'm a pretty big fan of the Tulsa Police, especially those members who aren't acting like drama queens.
Where were these people when the court ruled that even though the amended charter call for the strong mayor to provide a police department, the court could see no irreversible harm. The public is being shown [ including the councilors] what a strong mayor weak council means as cited in the municipal codes.
The duties of the council is to meet twice a month and recite "approved" to all programs the mayor lays out. Any council member that disagrees can be called up on the carpet to explain why he disagrees individually.
The mayor initiates ordinances and the budget for them to stamp " Approved"
If I were taking bets it would be only 10% that the TPD will prevail in the instant disagreement.
I always wondered why the Chief was not elected by the voters like the Sheriff. Probably a good reason for it but I have always been curious. The Sheriff has to answer to the people and the County Commission correct?
Per Today's World.......!
The three internal candidates will not seek an injunction to stop the Mayor from hiring outside the Department.
The amending of the charter, which was so scrambled the normal citizen did not have time to read or understood, provided that the elected police commissioner [Bob Dick] position was eliminated and his duties transferred to the chief of police who was appointed by the mayor.
This was to increase representation of citizens in having a voice in their government.