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514 <br />P. M. Thursday February 11, 1999, City Council Chambers, City Hall, Paris, Texas. <br />City Manager Malone told the City Council that the citizens of the City of Paris, <br />through an election adopted the Ordinance governed by the State Civil Service law <br />and both the Paris Police Department and the Paris Fire Department are Civil Service <br />Departments of the City of Paris. They are governed by the state law as amended <br />as well as the local rules that are adopted by a locally appointed Civil Service <br />Commission. City Manager Malone said on our Civil Service Commission members <br />at this time are Mr. Philip Cecil, Ms. Melba Harris, and Dick Amis. The basis of the — <br />civil service law is to give competitive examinations for the entry level position, as <br />well as examinations for promotional within those two departments. City Manager <br />Malone said recently there was hiring in the Fire Department for the addition of six <br />new positions in that department. City Manager Malone said there are a lot of people <br />that make application and take the test. City Manager Malone also said there are age <br />restrictions that apply which are governed by the state law and there is a written <br />test along with a physical agility test involved once a list is established based on the <br />testing that is done. The hiring proceeds in order of the highest score working down <br />the list unless there are disqualifying factors. City Manager Malone said the city <br />continues to work to see that these positions are known throughout the community. <br />The original advertisement for the notice of the Paris Fire Department entry <br />examination ran on August 30th 1998 for the last examination announcing that on <br />December 1, 1998 there would be an examination for entrance into the Fire <br />Department. The City of Paris announced the Fire Departments' entrance <br />examination much earlier than it ever had. The City's advertisement stated that the <br />City of Paris desires a workforce that reflects the demographics of it population and <br />accordingly, minority individuals were strongly encouraged to make application for <br />the fire service. City Manager Malone said that all applicants including minorities <br />who were interested in a career in the fire service should apply as soon as possible. <br />City Manager Malone advised the City Council that Fire Chief Burgin appointed <br />Deputy Fire Chief, Ronnie Grooms, to-pursue the recruitment of minorities for this — <br />test. A brochure was produced by and distributed though out city. The brochures <br />were placed at the NAACP office, it was handed out in churches, and it was handed <br />out at the Lamar County Fairgrounds during the annual fair. City Manager Malone <br />said the brochures were sent to the Texas A &M Fire Academy in Commerce, the <br />Kilgore Fire Academy, the Texas A &M Fire Academy at College Station, and the Fire <br />Academy in Collins County. The brochures and information was also sent to <br />Prairieview College encouraging minorities to come forward for applications. City <br />Manager Malone said twelve black applicants applied and one showed up to take the <br />test. The Texas Workforce Commission was contacted in September of 1998, and <br />sent job information throughout the state. TCA Cable was notified and ran a public <br />information advertisement for the city prior to the test and there were additional <br />