Panel waits for word from law director

The city hasn't given the commission a legal opinion on abolishing the two positions.
WARREN -- The Warren Civil Service Commission has again delayed a decision on abolishing two police sergeant positions, saying it needs a legal opinion from the city's law department.
At Wednesday's meeting, commission members discussed whether to abolish the two positions at the request of William D. Franklin, public service and safety director, who has said the positions are not needed.
Gary Cicero, the city's director of human resources, told the commission it doesn't need to make the decision now but should do it by the time the current promotion eligibility list expires June 2.
The commission had deferred action on the issue in December. Afterward it sent a letter to Jim Ries, deputy city law director, asking for legal advice, but it had not heard back from him and will send another letter, commission members agreed.
Another matter
Similarly, the commission said it needs a legal opinion from the law department on whether it can abolish a position in the city's water treatment plant that the city feels is no longer necessary.
Cicero said Warren City Council asked that the position of maintenance mechanic 4 be eliminated because it was no longer needed. Cicero said he believes the reason council asked for the position to be abolished is because it doesn't trust the administration to leave the position empty.
Civil service commission Chairman James A. Fredericka said he believes the city has the authority to determine whether to fill certain jobs, but the commission might not have the authority to eliminate a position, so a legal opinion is necessary.
The commission did vote to provide the names of the top two people on the entry-level eligibility list to replace two retiring Warren firefighters. It also approved giving the name of the top-ranking officer on the sergeant eligibility list, officer Greg Hoso, to the city to use as a provisional appointment.
Hoso would be needed to fill in for a sergeant who is taking some time off, Fredericka said.