Item 1 - MCSC DRAFT Meeting Minutes - July 14, 2025 — original pdf

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MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Monday, July 14, 2025 MEETING MINUTES MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, JULY 14, 2025 The Municipal Civil Service Commission convened in a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, July 14, 2025, at the Human Resources Department, Learning & Research Center (LRC) 5202 E. Ben White Blvd., Suite 500, Austin, TX 78741. Commissioners in Attendance: Kavita Gupta, Vice Chair Melissa Rogers Ayo Akande Commissioners Absent: Kevin Mullen, Chair John Umphress Staff in Attendance: Nathan Brown, Assistant Director, HRD Matthew Chustz, M&CS Manager, HRD Abby Varela, MCS Coordinator, HRD Sylvester Martin, Jr., MCS Coordinator, HRD Cyndi Gordon, CS Coordinator, HRD Meca Thompson, CS Coordinator, HRD Oscar Gonzales, IT Systems Admin., HRD CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Kavita Gupta called the Commission meeting to order at 9:14 AM. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes from the Municipal Civil Service Commission regular meeting on March 24, 2025. The minutes from the meeting of March 24, 2025, were approved on Commissioner Rogers’ motion, Commissioner Akande’s second on a 3-0 vote. 1 MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Monday, July 14, 2025 MEETING MINUTES PUBLIC HEARING 2. Conduct a hearing in open session or closed session, pursuant to 551.074 of the Texas Government Code (personal exception), on the appeal filed by Sean Fresch regarding their Discharge from the Watershed Protection Department. A hearing was conducted on the appeal filed by Sean Fresch regarding their Discharge from the Watershed Protection Department. 3. Deliberate in open session or closed session, pursuant to 551.074 of the Texas Government Code (personnel exception), on the appeal filed by Sean Fresch regarding their Discharge from the Watershed Protection Department. Vice Chair Gupta recessed the Municipal Civil Service Commission meeting to go into closed session at 2:50 PM. The Commission deliberated in closed session on the appeal filed by Sean Fresch regarding their Discharge from the Watershed Protection Department. Closed session ended, and Vice Chair Gupta called the Municipal Civil Service Commission meeting back to order at 3:15 PM. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Action and approval on the appeal filed by Sean Fresch regarding their Discharge from the Watershed Protection Department. The motion to deny Sean Fresch’s appeal and uphold the decision made by the City of Austin in the Discharge of Sean Fresch was approved on Commissioner Rogers’ motion, Commissioner Akande’s second on a vote of 3-0. STAFF BRIEFING 8. Briefing from Human Resources Department staff regarding the pilot program and temporary waiver of the Munipal Civil Service Rules, including Rule 4.03, to exempt specific Positions from Posting or application requirements, while maintaining provisions of the Competitive Process to allow conditional offers based on Merit and Fitness. Rebecca Kennedy, Deputy Director of the Human Resources Department, provided a briefing regarding the pilot program and temporary waiver of the Munipal Civil Service Rules, including Rule 4.03, to exempt specific Positions from Posting or application requirements, while maintaining provisions of the Competitive Process to allow conditional offers based on Merit and Fitness. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Discussion and approval of the 2025 Municipal Civil Service Commission Annual Review and Report. The motion to approve the 2025 Municipal Civil Service Commission Annual Review and Report was approved on Commissioner Rogers’ motion, Commissioner Akande’s second on a vote of 3-0. 2 MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Monday, July 14, 2025 MEETING MINUTES 6. Discussion and action regarding the election of Vice Chair of the Municipal Civil Service Commission. The motion to elect Kavita Gupta as Vice Chair of the Municipal Civil Service Commission was approved on Commissioner Rogers’ motion, Commissioner Akande’s second on a vote of 3-0. 7. Discussion and action to approve future meeting dates, times, and locations. Discussion was held regarding future meeting dates, times, and locations. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Vice Chair Gupta and Commissioner Rogers requested a future agenda item to discuss future meeting dates, times, and locations. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Gupta adjourned the meeting at 3:36 PM without objection. 3