8D
Date: October 7, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Civil Service Commission
Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
By: Jennica Chaparro, Senior Human Resources Analyst | [email protected] Subject: Civil Service Commission and City Manager/Civil Service – Accept and File the 2024-2025 Civil Service Commission Annual Report. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the Civil Service Commission and the City Manager/Civil Service Manager that City Council accept and file the 2024-2025 Civil Service Commission Annual Report.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
The Annual Report for July 2024 through June 2025 as prepared by the Civil Service Commission is attached for your information and review. The Commission approved this report at its meeting on August 11, 2025, and moved to request that it be accepted by the City Council.
ATTACHMENT
1. 2024-2025 Civil Service Commission Annual Report
1 City of Torrance
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT
for July 2024 to June 2025
Purpose of the Commission
The Civil Service Commission is a seven-member governing body with authority over Civil Service positions. The Commission approves testing plans to fill positions for City employment; reviews new and revised classifications (job descriptions); and serves as an appellant board on matters regarding the employee selection process, appeals of below standard performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions. A sub-committee of the Commission, the Employee Relations Committee (ERC), assigns newly created positions to employee representation units.
The Civil Service Commission is regularly scheduled to meet on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. and on other Mondays as required. All meetings are open to the public except for those portions related to personnel issues that under law may be considered in closed session. The meetings for July 2024 to June 2025 were held in LeRoy J. Jackson Council Chambers.
Membership of the Commission
The following Commission members served on the Civil Service Commission between July 2024 to June 2025:
MEMBER OFFICE APPOINTED OR
REAPPOINTED
Cinda Herring Chair 2024
David Zygielbaum
(resigned 11/25/24)
Vice Chair / ERC Chair
(through 11/25/24) 2022
Hana Sasaki Vice Chair / ERC Chair
(appointed 4/28/25) 2021
Marianne Hamada Member 2021
Jean Adelsman Member 2023
Julie Kohus Member / ERC Member 2023
Laura Lohnes Member / ERC Member 2024
Mia Kartsonis Member 2025
Meetings
The Civil Service Commission met on the following dates:
July 8, 2024
July 22, 2024
August 5, 2024
August 12, 2024
August 26, 2024
September 9, 2024
September 23, 2024
September 30, 2024
October 7, 2024
October 14, 2024
November 18, 2024
November 25, 2024
December 9, 2024
January 6, 2025
January 13, 2025
January 27, 2025
February 10, 2025
February 14, 2025
February 24, 2025
March 3, 2025
March 5, 2025
March 10, 2025
March 24, 2025
March 31, 2025
April 14, 2025
April 28, 2025
May 12, 2025
May 19, 2025
June 9, 2025
June 23, 2025
2 ATTACHMENT 1
The Employee Relations Committee met on the following dates: July 22, 2024, December 9, 2024, February 10, 2025, and April 28, 2025.
Summary of Annual Activities
The Civil Service Commission held 30 meetings, during which a total of 40 examinations were approved.
Administrative Matters
The Civil Service Commission approved the revised class specification for the following classifications: Deputy City Clerk I, Park Services Manager, Fire Prevention Manager/Fire Marshal, Fire Prevention Specialist, Fire Prevention Supervisor, Police Chief, and Senior Fire Prevention Specialist.
The Civil Service Commission approved the title change for Assistant Building Regulations Manager to Building Official and approved the revised class specification for Building Official.
The Civil Service Commission approved the title change for Administrative Assistant to Administrative Assistant I/II and approved the revised class specification for Administrative Assistant I/II.
The Civil Service Commission approved the proposed class specification for Information and Technology Manager – Public Safety, Engineering Services Manager, Senior Planner, Waste Management Coordinator, and Accounting Supervisor.
The Civil Service Commission approved the reclassification of one incumbent to Senior Administrative Assistant, and one incumbent to Deputy Fire Chief.
The Civil Service Commission appointed the Civil Service Commission Chair, Civil Service Commission Vice-Chair, and Members of the Employee Relations Committee for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
The Civil Service Commission appointed the Civil Service Commission Vice-Chair and Members of Employee Relations Committee for Remainder of Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
Appeals
The Civil Service Commission heard an appeal of removal from the eligible list for Maintenance Worker on February 14, 2025, and granted the appeal.
The Civil Service Commission heard a protest of the eligible list for the position of Fire Engineer on February 24, 2025, and denied the protest.
The Civil Service Commission heard a protest of the eligible list for Associate Engineer on June 9, 2025, and approved the protest.
The Civil Service Commission heard a protest of the eligible list for Recreation Supervisor on June 9, 2025, and denied the protest.
An appeal of a performance evaluation of an Assistant Engineer was approved on June 23, 2025. 3 Hearings
Appeals of discipline of three (3) Police Officers were denied on the following dates: October 07, 2024, January 13, 2025, and March 31, 2025.
An appeal of discipline of a Police Officer was upheld on April 28, 2025.
An appeal of discipline of a Reprographics Specialist was upheld to the level of discipline determined by the Committee of the Civil Service Commission on March 5, 2025.
There are four (4) ongoing appeals of discipline for Police Officers. One (1) hearing for a Police Officer has been continued to a date to be determined. One (1) hearing for a Police Officer has been delegated to a hearing officer. Two (2) hearings for Police Officers are scheduled to continue August 25, 2025. Additionally, there is an ongoing appeal of discipline of a Police Sergeant, which has been delegated to a hearing officer.
4