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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Civil Service Board - 06/20/2014 MINUTES 564th CIVIL, SERVICE; BOARD tI1E;ARINC 1201 I,EOI'ARD ST.,CITY HALL_, HUMAN RLSOIJRC ES CONFERENCE E ROOM ,June 20, 2014 BOARD MEMBERS 11RESENT: CITY STAFF' I'12I;`ENT: Susanne Bonilla, Chairperson � Sylvia GIL/man, f mployce lWations Manager Catherine 1AItz, Membcr for Yasmine Chapman, IIR Director Leslie. Vlisides, Member Janet Kellogg, Asst. City Attorney, Cinstavc) Gonzalez, Assistant City Manager Tina Belock, 11R Analyst Chairperson Bonilla called the 564th Civil Service Board (rearing, to order at 9:03 a.m. Chairperson Bonilla react agenda Item 41 and Item 92. Review and approve the minutes ofthe 563rd Civil Service Board hearing lield on June 6", 2014. ITEM #2 Review and consider the appeal filed by Sylvia Ayala, Management. Assistant with Wastewater Department, crti her termination. C"hairp€:rson Bonilla swore in the witnesses. Chairperson Bonilla asked if anyone wished to invoke the rule. City Attorney Janet Kcllo4.�g invoked the rule, witnesses were. sworn in by Chairman Bonilla, aricl they k�crc sent to the lobby to wait their turn to testify. Chairperson Bonilla asks the Board members if they have all reviewed the minutes (Item #1) from the 56 3r° CSB, and made I motion to approve. Minutes were approved. Chairperson Bonilla reads Agenda. Itern 42. Assistant City Attorney Janet Kellogg made her opening statement. Sylvia Ayala made her opening statement. Jariet Kellogg,calls the City's first witness: Gustavo Gorr/.alez, Assistant (:'ity Managcr. Mr. Gonzalez testifies states he has known Ms. Ayala since approx. 2008. Ms. Kellogg enters exhibits 1-6. Ms. Ayala objected to exhibit on demotion, which was allowed by Chairperson Bonilla. Ms. Kellogg asked witness if Ms. Ayala vas terminated for violation, lie stated yes. Witness explains the vendor process, states that mistakes were made by Ms. Ayala. Witness asked if Ms. Ayala was ever disciplined before. Witness stated yes, she had forwarded supervisor's eriiails to tier home, 16 times. In 2009, witness stated that Nls. Ayala was callliscled for inappropriate behavior and disruption of the office. Confidential inf'Irmation was also found in her car. City called witness Diana. Garza, and enters exhibits 7-11. Witness explains mistakes Ms. Ayala made, and stated employee was placed on a 1111). ,..(.,lie PIP evaluation in August showed that employee was making same. mistakes. Ms. Kellogg asks if'ernployee went to training. witness says no, she didn't sign up. Witness states employee doesn't react well to criticism, mixed up invoices, and make errors. They gave lier less work so she could f'acus and not make same mistakes. If they had done an evaluation for 2013, improvements would lime been included, Ms. Ayala crosses and asks vvhy there was no 2013 evaluation. Witness states termination before they had a chance to meet. Ms. Ayala states first time she's seen the incident report, and asks about it: it was verbal says witness. Ms. Ayala states on 1,x. 11, she used copy/paste. She asks for dates that she was told. Ms. Ayala said that JF1 worald correct mistakes. She admits to refusing training, stating she had already been. Member I,utz asks witness if there is a tinieframe to get evaluations done. Witness said yes, but in 2013 it was changed to a calendar year not fiscal year. Ms. Lutz asked iferiaployee input is optional, }es said witness. City calls Margaret C"astaneda. She explained the role. of Ms. Ayala. States that Ms. Ayala improved a little from the PIP, but the tell back into mistakes again. C.'ity enters exhibits 13-16, asks to skip ex. 12. Exhibit 13, example of P.O., Janet Kellogg asks about email from Wanda 'Trevino. Margaret explained that Sylvia bypassed steps, but Iorgot to take the "hold" off so thcy didn"t get paid. Another email shown and witness explains about an invoice not being paid. She had to create another invoice to pay thcili. Janet shows another example of a wrong code entered. Witness says that would throw off the budget. Next email shows problem with freight charges which shouldn't have been paid. .Janet. asks witness why she wasn't written up for mistakes. Witness said Sylvia had trust issues with management frorn got worse. didn't want toe�ause nior�trus�tdidn't iss�c� and well filt she ould help her i'iant and defensive s��aiitf 1 departments, g succeed. Break from 10:27, resumed at 10:40 10:4 1 back can record. City Calls Bob Carle. Janet Kellogg asked about purchasing equipment, and the process. Mr. Carl states that Ms. Ayala brought incomplete packets with lost information. Ile advised her of systtern to help her keep] on track. She didn't want his help. Ile states that he has been called by vendors for non-payment, and had vendors ask him to send the invoice directly to lmri for payment. Ms. Ayala crosses witness, and states the process back. to him, and states that sometimes invoices don't get sent by the vendor causing delay. City Rests. Ms. Ayala called first vvitncss Latifah Jackson,. and asks about processes for Jf.; for accounting errors. Ms. Jackson explains what W means. Sylvia asked it` there were any problems with PcopleSoft. Yes, when changing years. Sylvia explains that iftypo is made in comment section (as previously mentioned as ate error), does it affect the payment? Witness says no. Ms. Ayala called second witness Oscar 1Jrihe, and asks how long lie's worked with her on P.O's`? 10 years says witness. Same process since 2008? Yes. flow do we receive invoices, she asked witness. lie stated the process. Sylvia asked if everything had to be approved by Bob and Margaret. Witness said yes. Sylvia asked it. there were errors because of redundancies? Witness said yes, but better now. Sylvia asked if every year Bob's group was a problem. Witness said yes. Sylvia asked hini if lie ever misplaced paperwork, lie stated yes. She asked if paperwork was misplaced, how I would get a copy. I le explained it was easy to get a copy. Ms. Ayala shows exhibit and asks about FTA, and asks witness if she followed up with vendor? Yes. She explains that she brought up problems and issues but they went through Bob and Margaret, correct? Yes. Sylvia stated they were both told to keep doing it.that way even though it was against policy. Sylvia asked if plc thought she was overwhelmed, lie said yes. Janet Kellogg crosses witness, and asks about p-card process. Witness answered about process. Member Vlisides asked about when processes changed. Witness said when we merged with Water. Sylvia asked him if lie remembered I JIS acct. Yes he does, they charged freight, madc a mistake oil amount. Sylvia asks it' she brought that to Margaret's attention, who told her to pay it. Sylvia asked "did I pay it""r Witness said yes. Sylvia Ayala calls witness I',learlor° Sturdivant, who explains she works with Sylvia and is friends with her. She explained she is Sylvia's backup. Sylvia asks witness if everything was in order when she left her work. Yes, said witness, in order, emailed me, left notes, etc. Sylvia asks witness back in 2008 vvhcn I was deriiotcd, vvho trained you? I did, stated Sylvia. Witness states that after her denr(�tion she was mad at herself and not anyone else. Asks witness about process for- invoice approval, witness responded. Asks witness about Mtrrgar•ct's desk-messy said the witness. Sylvia asks witness would it be possible to missing paperwork could be in that stack`? Witness said "I guess". Sylvia asks about 110 section, and p-cards. Witness answcred about processes and that since Sylvia vvas overwhehricd she took over those, tasks. Sylvia asked if witness thought that work was distributed evenly, witness said no. Janet crosses witness, shows exhibit 9. Job duties of the three management assistants. Janet asks did the job assignments change in Oct. Witness said she never save the final duties. Janet asks if she took over the p-cards in October. Ycs. Janes asks for clarification on ex. I3 comment: field, witness says required by WW for tracking. Ex. #16 not allowed, Fx 17 admitted. Janet asks witness if Ms. Ayala's desk was organised. Yes says witness. Was Sylvia overwhelmed'? `r'es said witness. Did Margaret get you to help her'? Yes said witness. Janet asks witness if Sylvia was disrespectful to her when they worked together in Al'. Yes. Did you ever see her being disrespectful last year? No said witness, not really. MerIXber lAutr,asks for clarification on evahrations. Yes, she got one for 2013. Janet. Kellogg„calls Silvia Mendiola as rebuttal witness. Asked if she worked with Sylvia, ycs. Asked if she felt duties were equal? Not sure, says witness. Kellogg asks about October-2013, terrrp agencies. Witness said they were late by about 4 months, and were very disorganised. Missing paperwork, she had to call vendor for duplicates. Some paperwork vvas found 4amongst jcans/(rnifor•ms, Total disarray. 12:42 break 12:47 back on record Sylvia Ayala calls herself as witness. Says she was shocked at termination. She was overwhelmed.. had laser surgery for diabetes. She couldn't focus at times. Feels she shouldn't have to keep proving herself. Doesn'1. recall ever having a nnecting that said she was making too many mistakes, She went thro(rgh a divorce, surgery for her eyes, carne right back to work that day. Doctor said she could work, so she did. Janet crosses, and asks did you ask For help? Sylvia said yes. Did you work OT'? Very rare, said Sylvia. Janet asked did you ask for help with PO's. No, but they know what in\, duties are, said Sylvia. 1:18 off record until 1:24-back oil record. (,losing statements by the City and closing statements by Ms. Ayala, Chairperson Bonilla called closed session at 1:32 PM. 1:51 back on the record. Motion madc by Leslie Vlisides to reduce the termination to written reprimand. with back pay to the date of tcrmination. ('atherine huts seconded the motion. All in favor. 1:52 1 leasing is over, meeting,adjourned. Susanne I3c]n ill a�,�17air e�°sc>m� C rr ^ Nc:klc s( Member Civil Service Board Civil Service Board Paul C.xrivlcl�,� _ nnbe Yasmmc, B. Chapman, Secretary Civil Service Board Civil Service Board