DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL PERSONNEL SERVICES DIVISION City Council Sacramento, California Honorable Members in Session: CITY OF SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA APPROVED July 24, 1990 BYTHECITYCOUNCIL. JUL 2 4 OFFICE OF CITY C' 921 TENTH STREET SECOND FLOOR SACRAN1ENTO, CA 95814-2693 916-449-5726 DONNA L. GILES 1990 DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL THE SUBJECT: PROPOSED CHARTER AMENEMENT REGARDING RULE OF THREE StJMMARY This report recommends City Council approval to place a proposed City Charter amendment on the November ballot regarding the Ruleof three. The proposed amendment would continue the Rule of three for promotional civil service examinations and use the Rule of three ranks for other civil service examinations. BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS The Rule of three ranks method of certification from eligible lists would modernize and make the City's certification system comparable to other local civil service employers such as the County and the State of California. Under Rule of three ranks, scores are rounded to the nearest whole percent score, and all candidates with the same score constitute a rank. The three top ranks are certified for vacancies. To illustrate the difference between Rule of 3 and Rule of 3 Ranks, consider this array of scores: Rule of 3 Score Certified for 1 92 one vacancy 2 92 3 92 4 92 5 91 6 91 7 90 8 90 9 90 10 90 Rule of 3 Ranks Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3
City Council Page 2 July 24, 1990 Under Rule of 3, only the top three eligibles are certified - even though the top four had identical scores. However, under Rule of 3 Ranks, all 10 candidates in the example are certified. There are many reasons to Change to Rule of 3 Ranks: 1 - The Rule of 3 is antiquated. It does not allow for equal scores or for rounding of scores where differences are only 4 fraction of a point different or within a few points. - It makes a tremendous amount of sense from a testing standpoint. Tests cannot accurately predict differences in performance between candidates whose scores are within a few points. In the example given above, all 10 candidates are within two points of one another. Tests cannot tell us that the candidates with the score Of 92 will do a better job than the ones with a 91. Test scores for a candidate also will vary several points from one day to the next depending on how the candidate felt on a particular day, how lucky the Candidate was that day, and the reliability of the testing instrument, - Hiring authorities need greater Choice in filling positions. Tests give us candidates who will likely have basic knowledges, skills, and abilities. However, in making the match between a job and a candidate, a hiring authority has to tailor the candidate to the job. The Rule of 3 can require a "force-fit", whereas Rule of 3 Ranks allows more flexibility in making the best fit. We have given notice of the proposed amendment to recognized employee organizations. There is no opposition. FINANCIAL IMPACT None. POLICY CONSIDERATIONS The proposed amendment would modernize and make the City's certification system comparable to other public employers. MB/WBE IMPACT None.
City Council Page 3 July 24, 1990 REODMMENDNITON I recommend that the City Council approve placement on the November 6, 1990, ballot of the attached proposed amendment to Sacramento City Charter Section 84 regarding the Rule of three. Respectfully SuElnitted, Recommendation Approved: Donna L. Giles Director of Personnel Walter J. Sli City Manager Contact Person: John Worcester, Personnel Services Manager 449-5828! July 24, 1990 All Districts
RESOLUTION NO..90759 ADOPTED BY THE SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL ON DATE OF APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL JUL 2 4 1990 OFFICE OF THE CITY r"` 7-PK RESOLUTION CALLING A SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR NOVEMBER 6, 1990, IN THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL FOR THE AMENDMENT Of THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO; REQUESTING THAT THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS - CONSOLIDATE SAID ELECTION WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON THE SAME DATE; SUBMITTING SAID PROPOSAL TO THE ELECTORATE; PROVIDING FOR THE PLACEMENT OF SAID PROPOSAL ON THE BALLOT; REQUESTING SAID BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ORDER THE COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS TO PROVIDE SPECIFIED SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH SAID ELECTION, AND CANVASS THE ELECTION RESULTS. THEREAFTER; AND DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH SAID PROPOSED AMENDMENT AND TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTION AS REQUIRED BY LAW BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. It is the intention of the Council of the City of Sacramento to submit, and it does hereby submit on its own motion to the qualified electors of the City of Sacramento at a special municipal election to be held on Tuesday, November 6, 1990, the proposed amendment to the Charter of the City of Sacramento as set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference. 1 FOR CITY CLERK USE ONL RESOLUTION NO.: DATE ADOPTED:
SECTION 2. The measure to be placed on the municipal election ballot for November 6, 1990, by the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters shall be in the following words and figures: MEASURE Relating to Employees Shall the Charter of the City of Sacramento be amended to provide that appointment of City employees, except for promotional appointments, shall be made from among the eligible persons whose scores represent the three highest whole percentage score ranks on the eligible list? Yes No SECTION 3. For the purpose of submitting the foregoing measure to the qualified electors of the City of Sacramento, a special municipal election is hereby called to be held in the City on November 6, 1990. SECTION 4. The City Council hereby requests that the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors consolidate the special municipal election called for NoveMber 6, 1990, with the statewide general election to be held on the same date. SECTION 5. The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors is hereby, requested to order the County Registrar of Voters to render the following services to the City of Sacramento in connection with the conduct of the municipal election to be held; in the City of Sacramento on November 6, 1990: a. Precinct consolidation, establishment of Polling places, securing election officers, and preparing and mailing notices of appointment. b. To designate by letter or number the measures to be voted upon. c. Printing sample ballots, sample ballot envelopes, polling place cards, ballot arguments, charter amendments, and mailing to registered voters. 2 FOR CITY CLERK USE ONLY RESOLUTION NO.: DATE ADOPTED:
SECTION 6. d. Printing of official ballots. e. Purchase precinct supplies and absent Voter supplies. f. Provide for absentee voting, Office of the County Registrar of Voters. g. Cartage of voting booths, ballots, original books of affidavits, ballot boxes, and precinct supplies to precincts. h. Supervision and conduct of election. 1. Electronic tabulation of votes. j. Canvass and certify to City Clerk results of election. k. All things necessary or incidental to the above functions as may be requested from time to time by the City Clerk. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to certify to the due adoption of this resolution and to transmit a copy thereof so certified to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and to file a copy thereof so certified with the County Registrar of Voters. SECTION 7. The City Clerk shall proceed to publish, give notice and take such other action necessary and consistent with this resolution and in the manner provided by law for submitting these charter amendments and other proposals to the electors. MAYOR A 1 EST: CITY CLERK 3 FOR CITY CLERK USE ONLIY! RESOLUTION NO.: DATE ADOPTED:
EXHIBIT A MEASURE To amend Section 84 of Article VII of the Charter of the City of Sacramento to read as follows: 84 Examinations For the purpose of establishing eligible registers from which positions in the classified service shall be filled, it shall be the duty of the civil service board to conduct competitive examinations open to all persons who lawfully may be appointed to any position within the class for which such examinations are held, and who meet the minimum qualifications requisite to the performance of the duties of such position as established by the civil service board. Positions in the higher classes shall be filled, as far as is practicable and consistent with the best interests of the service, n by promotion following competitive tests of employees in lower classes holding permanent civil service status. The civil service board, shall, by rule, 'establish regulations for promotional eligibility, except that in the police and fire departments, all higher uniform positions in the classified service shall be filled from eligible registers established as a result of promotional examination only, and no such member shall be eligible for promotion to a higher class until that person has served at least three (3) years in such department and that in subsequent promotions the member must have held the rank from which that person is promoted for at least two (2) years. For the filling of one vacancy, the appointment shall be made from among the eligible persons whose scores, at the time of certification, represent the three highest whole percentage score ranks on the list. For the purpose of ranking, scores of eligibles on an eligible list shall be rounded to the next highest whole percent and a rank shall consist of one or more eligibles with the same score. However, in the case of an appointment from an eligible list resulting from a promotional examination, the appointment shall be made from the three candidates standing highest on the list. This measure, if approved by the voters, shall become effective on January 1, 1991.