McComb’s Civil Service Commission has sent a letter to the city board objecting to the employment of the Delkin Group, a consulting firm hired to review the city’s employee handbook, among other duties.
The letter, signed by Chairman Don Lazarus, argues that filtering applicants for the city’s vacant police chief position through the Delkin Group without full openness in the process prevents the Civil Service Commission from being able to properly certify that all eligible candidates have been OK’d.
Civil Service Commission Rule 6.1.4 requires that “no person shall be debarred from certification who meets job minimum requirements.”
The commission is stating that it is unable to guarantee that without receiving all applications.
No action has been taken by the city board regarding permanent appointment of a police chief.
Longtime officer Mark Anderson has been filling in as acting chief.
However, a civil service hearing on former acting chief Greg Martin on Wednesday concluded with the commission ruling that Martin should be reinstated.
Lazarus has pointed to an Oct. 17, 1990, attorney general’s opinion suggesting the civil service commission may be able to seek an injunction in chancery court to have its order enforced.
McComb Mayor Zach Patterson has said the commission is overstepping its bounds.
Interim City Attorney Angela Taylor Miller has said the commission does not have jurisdiction to conduct such a hearing.
