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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/16/22 Civil Service CommissionAgenda Civil Service Commission Wednesday, March 16, 2022 2:30pm City Manager's Conference Room City Hall 410 E Washington St Iowa City, IA Certification of hiring list for the position of Fire Chief If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this program/event, please contact Karen Jennings, Human Resources at 399- 356-5025 or karen-iennings(a7iowa-city org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. .jlup' CITY 4F IOWA CITY ,. � ; �� = P�� MEMORANDUM Date: March 10, 2022 To: Civil Service Commission and City Council From: Geoff Fruin, City Manager Re: Approval of Fire Chief Appointment Introduction: In anticipation of the February 11, 2022 retirement of Fire Chief John Grier, the City Manager's Office launched a recruitment process in the fall of 2021. The recruitment and hiring process was approved by the Civil Service Commission at its September 21, 2021 meeting, In the coming days, the Civil Service Commission will be asked to certify Mr. Scott Lyon as qualified for the position of Fire Chief in accordance with the Commission approved recruitment and hiring process. As required by the City Charter and assuming Civil Service Commission certification, I am also seeking the City Council's approval of my appointment of Mr. Scott Lyon to the Fire Chief position effective April 4, 2022. Recruitment Process: The first step in the recruitment process involved updating the job description and drafting the position announcement. The full position announcement was posted on the City's website and can still be viewed at https://www.icgov.org/city-clovernment/departments-and-divisions/fire- depailment/fire-chief recruitment. Application materials were disseminated in September 2021, and the position was advertised through the following outlets: • Firehouse • Iowa Fire Chiefs Association • International Association of Fire Chiefs • Women in Fire • Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) • University of Iowa HireaHawk • GovDelivery (City of Iowa City news release) • Iowa Department of Human Rights • ICAD • NAACP • Iowa Vocational Rehab • ICR Talent Recruiter • Iowa Office for Persons with Disabilities and Native American Affairs • Facebook • Linkedln • NextDoor • Twitter • Craigslist March 10, 2022 Page 2 Application materials were received from twelve candidates by the original November 12, deadline. Due to the lower -than -expected number of applicants, the application deadline was extended approximately three weeks. In total, eighteen applications were received by the revised deadline of December 31. With the assistance of the Human Resources Administrator and Deputy City Manager, I reviewed all the application materials (resume and cover letters) and determined nine candidates warranted further consideration based on the recruitment profile and the necessary qualifications. Next, each of the nine candidates received a short questionnaire. During this phase of the process, one candidate voluntarily withdrew from further consideration and one failed to respond to the questionnaire. The Human Resources Administrator, Deputy City Manager and I reviewed the remaining seven candidates and I selected five to advance to the semifinalist interview phase. Each of the five semi-finalist candidates participated in virtual interviews. Joining me on the interview panel was Police Chief Dustin Liston, Deputy City Manager Redmond Jones and Johnson County Emergency Management Coordinator Dave Wilson. At the conclusion of the five interviews, I decided to advance three candidates to the finalist stage of the process. The names of the candidates were released publicly on Wednesday, February 91. The finalist stage took place in Iowa City on February 17t' and 18th and included a public meet and greet session, as well as a second formal interview, meet and greet with Fire Department employees, and an informal meeting with area public safety executives. City Councilors Janice Weiner and Laura Bergus joined me on the second formal interview panel. I would like to specifically thank Coralville Fire Chief Orey Schwitzer, North Liberty Fire Chief Brian Platz and Johnson County Ambulance Director Fiona Johnson for dedicating a half day to meet each of the candidates in the public safety executive component of the finalist visit. The week following the finalist activities, I received feedback from participants in the process, including Fire Department staff members that took advantage of the two meet and greet opportunities, After final reflection, I commenced the background and reference check on Mr. Scott Lyon. A conditional offer of employment, pending approval by both the Civil Service Commission and City Council was accepted by Mr. Lyon on March 2, 2022. Recommendation: The appointment of a City Department Director is arguably the greatest responsibility that a City Manager holds. I take this task seriously and consider each appointment to be a direct reflection on my ability to successfully serve this city, which I am so fortunate to call home. After an extensive search process, it is without any hesitation that I recommend the Civil Service Commission certify, and the City Council approve, the appointment of Mr. Scott Lyon to the position of Fire Chief, effective April 4, 2022. Mr. Lyon currently serves as an Assistant Fire Chief in the community of Urbandale, Iowa. He has worked for the rapidly growing Urbandale community since 2014 and currently serves as the Accreditation Manager in addition to overseeing multiple facets of departmental operations. He has extensive experience working in a regional environment, including fostering automatic and mutual aid agreements and participating in regional emergency management efforts. Prior to working in Urbandale, Mr. Lyon served the City of Clive from 1998-2014. From 2005-2014 he served that community as Deputy Fire Chief and Training Officer, Mr. Lyon completed paramedic training at Mercy College of Health Sciences, He studied Fire Sciences at the Des Moines Area Community College and has a Bachelor Degree in Fire Service Administration from Waldorf College. In 2017, Mr. Lyon received a Master Degree in Organizational Leadership from Waldorf College. Additionally, Mr. Lyon has pursued numerous professional certifications and specialized trainings that have helped him develop into a very well-rounded fire and emergency service professional. March 10, 2022 Page 3 Mr. Lyon clearly articulated his strong belief that the Fire Department is an extension of the community. He has successfully demonstrated his commitment to an external facing department that aims to build trust and understanding through intentional relationship building and an unwavering commitment to serving all persons with the highest levels of respect and professionalism. This community relations approach to operations will serve the Iowa City Fire Department well and aligns with our increasing focus on community risk reduction. Mr. Lyon is recognized as a collaborator and I expect he will help forge new partnerships with the community, other . City departments and regional public safety organizations. He understands the City's .commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and stands ready to advance efforts in the Fire Department to further this strategic objective of the City Council. Lastly, it is very evident he cares deeply for his staff, both as professionals and as people. He will care for their physical and mental health and ensure they are adequately prepared to face the challenges of the job. am confident that Mr. Lyon will enjoy the support of the Iowa City Fire Department staff. Through this process, I have heard many words of encouragement from staff as they welcome a new chapter in the storied history of the Iowa City Fire Department. They are eager to continue to grow as a team and embrace the many challenges that lie ahead. They will find My. Lyon to be an accessible leader that will set high expectations and support each and every person to achieve the City and Department strategic goals. I want to thank the staff that has been patient through this recruitment process. Times of transition can be very difficult and numerous individuals have stepped up to ensure the service demands from the public continue to be met with a high degree of professionalism and a strong desire to serve this community. I would like to specifically thank Deputy Chief Eric Nurnberg for his leadership as Interim Fire Chief. I look forward to answering any questions you have about the process or my appointment of Mr. Scott Lyon.