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A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SOUTHLAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO ADOPTION AND IMPOSITION OF THE STATE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY OF SOUTHLAKE; COMMITTING THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT A COMMUNITY INFORMATION CAMPAIGN TO OPPOSE SAID ADOPTION; EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CURRENTLY IN PLACE; ACKNOWLEDGING THE SUCCESS AND COMMUNITY VALUE OF MAINTAINING LOCAL CONTROL OF POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL SELECTION, PROMOTION, EVALUATION, AND PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES; AND ENCOURAGING ALL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERS AND CITIZENS OF SOUTHLAKE TO VOTE TO REJECT THE ADOPTION OF THE STATE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM FOR THE SOUTHLAKE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS
WHEREAS, The Southlake Chamber of Commerce, in keeping with its long history of supporting the Police and Fire Departments within the City of SOUTHLAKE, Texas, reaffirms its continuing support of those departments, and
WHEREAS, The Southlake Chamber of Commerce recognizes that the personnel in the Police and Fire Departments represent some of the finest police and fire fighters in the State of Texas, and
WHEREAS, The Southlake Chamber of Commerce commends the members of each department who willingly risk their personal safety and lives on a daily basis to protect the citizens of our City, and
WHEREAS, The Southlake Chamber of Commerce believes that the current structure and management of each department contribute significantly to the excellence of personnel and to the efficiency of that department, and
WHEREAS, There is pending before the City of Southlake, Texas, an election to adopt the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments, thereby converting the current policies and procedures regarding hiring, promotion and discipline of police and fire personnel to certain statutorily mandated statewide processes, and
WHEREAS, The Southlake Chamber of Commerce opposes the adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments because it limits local authority to govern the City, and
WHEREAS, The Southlake Chamber of Commerce believes adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments will result in increased costs to operate the personnel system without any increased community or employee benefit due to the cost of paying for hearing examiners, attorneys, and arbitrators imposed by state legislation without any accompanying funding from the legislature, and
WHEREAS, Adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments will severely impact the ability of City to hire and promote employees who meet the high standards of the Southlake community, and
WHEREAS, Adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments will reduce the authority of the Police and Fire Chiefs to manage day to day operations of their respective departments, and
WHEREAS, Adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments will severely restrict the ability to appropriately discipline employees, and
WHEREAS, Adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments will result in a two-tiered personnel system wherein police officers and firefighters are under the State-mandated civil service system and other Police and Fire civilian employees and other City employees are regulated by the local personnel rules and regulations, and
WHEREAS, Adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments will mandate the use of a tenure-based pay system which will discourage productivity and eliminate the City’s progressive performance-based system that has produced quality Police and Fire Services for Southlake.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT:
Section 1. The Southlake Chamber of Commerce reaffirms its recognition of, and its continued support for, the excellent Police and Fire Departments in the City of Southlake, Texas, and the members who comprise those departments.
Section 2. The Southlake Chamber of Commerce opposes the adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments due to the negative impact specified above.
Section 3. The Southlake Chamber of Commerce opposes the adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments because the current personnel system provides for a more appropriate employment, promotion, and disciplinary system.
Section 4. The Southlake Chamber of Commerce opposes the adoption of the State Civil Service System for Police and Fire Departments, which would impose a tenure-based pay system instead of a progressive, results-oriented performance-based pay system.
Section 5. The Southlake Chamber of Commerce believes that local Police and Fire Departments should be compensated appropriately and that local control of said compensation must be preserved.
Section 6. The Southlake Chamber of Commerce believes in and supports local control of all City employment and employee management issues as critical components of local decision making.
Section 7. The Southlake Chamber of Commerce is opposed to the adoption of the State Civil Service system for the reasons set forth above.
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