[Printable PDF Format]
Deirdré L. Webster Cobb, Chairperson
Dolores Gorczyca
Daniel W. O’Mullan
Diomedes Tsitouras
SEPTEMBER 22, 2021
*******************************************************************
A regular meeting of the Civil Service Commission was held on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., in Trenton, New Jersey.
PRESENT: Deirdré L. Webster Cobb, Chairperson, Members Dolores Gorczyca, Daniel W. O’Mullan and Diomedes Tsitouras; Pamela Ullman, Deputy Attorney General; Allison Chris Myers, Director, Division of Appeals and Regulatory Affairs. All individuals listed participated via teleconference.
In accordance with L.1975, c.231, the Secretary to the Civil Service Commission opened the meeting with the following statement:
Notice of this meeting was filed with the Secretary of State and sent to the Trentonian, Trenton Times, Courier-Post and Star Ledger on December 2, 2020, and posted at the Civil Service Commission, 3 Station Plaza, Trenton, New Jersey.
All actions were by unanimous vote unless otherwise specified.
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES
Submitted for adoption are the Civil Service Commission minutes of its meeting of September 1, 2021.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission adopted the minutes of its meeting of September 1, 2021.
DISMISSAL FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR
The Civil Service Commission dismissed the following cases without prejudice for failure to appear at the scheduled hearing before the Office of Administrative Law:
Shenequa Taylor, Human Services Assistant, New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home – Vineland, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, release at the end of the working test period.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission noted the dismissal of appeals without prejudice.
SECTION A – HEARING MATTERS
A-1 SETTLEMENTS
Thomas Bethune
Woodbine Developmental Center
Department of Human Services
Resignation not in good standing
Rema Grant
New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home - Vineland
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Removal
Semeena Pittman
Northern State Prison
Department of Corrections
Suspension
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission acknowledged the settlements.
A-2 LATERA GRIFFIN – CSC DOCKET NO. 2019-1831
Latera Griffin, County Correctional Police Officer, Hudson County, Department of Corrections, removal effective September 12, 2018, conduct unbecoming a public employee, neglect of duty and other sufficient cause.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Uphold the removal.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-3 TYRELL MARTIN – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-1445
Tyrell Martin, Senior Correctional Police Officer, New Jersey State Prison, Department of Corrections, removal effective April 1, 2020, on charges of conduct unbecoming a public employee and other sufficient cause.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Uphold the removal.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-4 WAYNE PEARSON – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2021-1250
Wayne Pearson, Senior Correctional Police Officer, Bayside State Prison, Department of Corrections, removal effective February 24, 2021, on charges of conduct unbecoming a public employee and other sufficient cause.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Modify the removal to a six-month suspension.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission rejected the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge and upheld the removal.
VOTE: Deirdrè L. Webster Cobb (Recuse)
Dolores Gorczyca (Yes)
Daniel W. O’Mullan (Yes)
Diomedes Tsitouras (Yes)
A-5 JESUS PEREZ - CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-178
Jesus Perez, Laborer 1, City of Trenton, Department of Water and Sewer, removal effective July 6, 2020, on charges of inability to perform duties, conduct unbecoming a public employee and other sufficient cause.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Uphold the removal.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-6 STEVEN PINKNEY – CSC DOCKET NO. 2020-1091
Steven Pinkney, Assistant Administrative Analyst, City of Jersey City, Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce, removal effective August 16, 2019, on charges of insubordination, conduct unbecoming a public employee, neglect of duty and other sufficient cause.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Dismiss the appeal for failure to appear.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-7 SAM WILLIAMS – CSC DOCKET NO. 2020-2353
Sam Williams, Police Officer, City of Hoboken, Police Department, removal effective September 18, 2019, on charges of conduct unbecoming a public employee and other sufficient cause.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Uphold the removal.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
SECTION B – MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
B-1 J.H. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-102
J.H. appeals his rejection as a Correctional Police Officer candidate by the Department of Corrections and its request to remove his name from the eligible list for Correctional Police Officer (S9988A) on the basis of psychological unfitness to perform effectively the duties of the position.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be dismissed for lack of pursuit.
B-2 KEVIN BOYLE AND JOHN STONE – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2021-1924 AND 2022-203
Kevin Boyle appeals his score and rank on the Supervisor, Public Works (PM2204B), Pennsauken Township, eligible list. In addition, John Stone requests that Kevin Boyle’s name be removed from the eligible list.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that these appeals be denied.
B-3 ALBERT GONZALEZ, JR. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-1884
Albert Gonzalez, Jr., represented by Marc A. Calello, Esq., appeals the decision to remove his name from the Fire Fighter (M1844W), Jersey City eligible list on the basis of an unsatisfactory background report.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-4 JESSICA HAMILTON – CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-7
Jessica Hamilton appeals the decision to remove her name from the Correctional Police Officer (S9999A), Department of Corrections, eligible list on the basis of an unsatisfactory driving record.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be granted.
B-5 D.M. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-1076
D.M. appeals the remove of his name from the Correctional Police Officer (S9999U), Department of Corrections, eligible list on the basis of an unsatisfactory background report and for falsifying his employment application.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be granted.
B-6 ALEXANDER RICHMAN – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-1772
Alexander Richman, represented by Edward H. Kerwin, Esq., appeals the removal of his name from the eligible list for Fire Fighter (M1874W), Trenton on the basis of an unsatisfactory driving record and failure to meet the residency requirement.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-7 DEPUTY MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR (M0272W), CITY OF NEWARK – CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-237
The City of Newark requests permission not to make an appointment from the March 4, 2019 certification for Deputy Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator (M0272W), City of Newark.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission granted the appointment waiver and assessed selection costs in the amount of $2,048.
VOTE: Deirdrè L. Webster Cobb (Yes)
Dolores Gorczyca (Recuse)
Daniel W. O’Mullan (Yes)
Diomedes Tsitouras (Yes)
B-8 JESUS CASTRO – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-1420
The City of Paterson appeals the decision of the Division of Agency Services which found that Jesus Castro’s position is properly classified as Senior Housing Inspector/Zoning Officer. It seeks a Housing and Zoning Inspector job classification.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-9 STEVEN CENTI – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-1128
The Town of Kearny, represented by Kyle Trent, Esq., appeals the decision of the Division of Agency Services which found that Steven Centi’s, position is properly classified as Senior Mechanic. It seeks a Mechanic job classification.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-10 STEPHANIE ORABONA – CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-144
Stephanie Orabona appeals the decision of the Division of Agency Services which found that she did not meet the experience requirements for the promotional examination for Supervisor, Criminal Information Records (PC2490C), Ocean County.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be granted.
B-11 JOSEPH PEPPARD – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-1154
Joseph Peppard appeals the removal of his name from the Police Officer (S9999A), Brick Township eligible list on the basis of an unsatisfactory background report.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-12 JASMINE HARDEN – CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-208
Jasmine Harden appeals the decision of the Division of Agency Services which found that she did not meet the experience requirements for the open competitive examination for Senior Personnel Technician (M0004C), Newark School District.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-13 STEPHANIE RASMUSSEN – CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-197
Stephanie Rasmussen appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services that she did not meet the experience requirements for the promotional examination for Principal Account Clerk (PC0551C), Ocean County.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be granted.
B-14 POLICE LIEUTENANT (PM4118C), CITY OF JERSEY CITY – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2022-369 AND 2022-414
The City of Jersey City and Jozip Soliman appeal the determination of the Division of Agency Services, which denied Jersey City’s request to reduce the one-year service requirement in the title of Police Sergeant to the completion of the working test period for the promotional examination for Police Lieutenant (PM4118C), Jersey City.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that these appeals be denied.
B-15 BENJAMIN DANIELS – CSC DOCKET NO. 2021-1466
Benjamin Daniels, a Correctional Police Lieutenant with the Department of Corrections, appeals his reassignment.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-16 EDWIN DYE – CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-404
The City of Passaic, represented by Joseph P. Horan, II, Esq., requests a stay of the Civil Service Commission decisions in In the Matter of Edwin Dye (CSC, decided March 24, 2021) and In the Matter of Edwin Dye (CSC, decided June 30, 2021), pending its appeal to the Appellate Division.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be denied.
B-17 P.T. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-200
P.T., a Construction Management Specialist 2, appeals the decision of the Assistant Commissioner, Division of Developmental Disabilities, Department of Human Services, which was unable to substantiate her allegations that she was subject to discrimination in violation of the State Policy Prohibiting Discrimination in the Workplace.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-18 AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 - CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-505
The Division of Agency Services seeks Civil Service Commission approval to make temporary unclassified appointments to various career service titles in order to allow expedited staffing related to funding received pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be granted.
B-19 POLICE CAPTAIN (PM3447C), CITY OF JERSEY CITY - CSC DOCKET NO. 2022-593
The City of Jersey City, represented by Arthur R. Thibault, Jr., Esq., appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services, which denied Jersey City’s request to reduce the one-year service requirement in the title of Police Lieutenant to the completion of the working test period for the promotional examination for Police Captain (PM3447C), Jersey City.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-20 OMAR DIAZ, ET AL., PROMOTIONAL POLICE TITLES, NEWARK - CSC DOCKET NOS. 2022-388, ET AL.
The Division of Agency Services, on behalf of the City of Newark, requests retroactive regular appointments for various employees to the titles of Police Captain, Police Lieutenant, and Police Sergeant.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that these requests be granted.
B-21 NY’YAH CORNICK AND SHERICE LOTT – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2021-1887 AND 2021-1943
Ny’yah Cornick and Sherice Lott appeal the determinations of the Division of Agency Services that they did not meet the experience requirements for the open competitive examination for Early Childhood Specialist (M0633B), Newark School District.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that these appeals be denied.
B-22 STACEY FALCONE AND FRANK TIMEK – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2017-149 and 2017-252
Stacey Falcone, represented by David J. Azotea, Esq., and Frank Timek, represented by Louis M. Barbone, Esq., appeal the bypass of their names on the July 14, 2016 certification of the Police Lieutenant (PM0922S), Atlantic City eligible list.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that these appeals be dismissed.
PUBLIC PORTION
No comments.
There being no further business before the Civil Service Commission, the meeting was adjourned to convene on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., at 3 Station Plaza, Trenton, New Jersey.
