Rebel Media: City hiring process questioned...again

Rebel Media: City hiring process questioned...again

3 months, 1 week ago by Bob Gough

The City of Quincy has pared down its employment rolls over the last two years, using an early retirement incentive to drop from 348 employees in 2009 to 317 currently.

But one recently filled position has people inquiring about how the process was conducted.

There was a vacancy in the City’s Water Department. People who currently work for the City are allowed, under labor agreement, to “bid” on the position. That means people who work at lower-ranking positions in city government can attempt to move up if they choose to do so and the City does that based on seniority.

So once that happened earlier this year, an entry-level position at Central Services became open.

The person who got that job is Tom Flaiz. He is married to Michelle Flaiz, who is the administrative assistant to Doug Olson, the City’s Human Resources Director.
This set off some people in and around City government who believed Tom Flaiz was given the job just because of who he is married to.

Both Olson and Director of Administrative Services Gary Sparks discussed the hiring when asked about it on Friday.

Sparks explained the process and how needing someone with a commercial drivers license was a priority.

Olson said this job was not posted, but that is because the City always accepts applications and currently has a backlog of them.

Two things that Olson said stood out: Tom Flaiz has had his name in the city’s applications file for about two years and he was not the first choice when this latest position opened up, another person declined the job. Olson also said he didn’t believe who Tom Flaiz was married to should make him ineligible for the position.

Olson said he has dealt with these types of hiring issues for years in the public and private sector, citing his previous experience at Moorman’s.

Olson also said two alderman involved with the City’s Personnel Committee, Tony Sassen (R-4th Ward) and  Jack Holtschlag (D-7th Ward) were made aware of the hire.

Now, if the City really wants to avoid people complaining when hires are made, posting all new entry-level positions that come open would go a long way toward that.

Especially in cases like this where a family connection already exists.