The Lima Civil Service Council is discussing low turnout for exams

LIMA – In resolving issues related to filling existing positions in the city, the issue, as heard by the Lima City Council at its regular meeting on Monday, is not just the lack of candidates, but the lack of performance of these candidates.

The Lima Civil Service Council presented its annual report for 2021 on Monday and described what it recognized as low participation in civil service exams.

“Since we took the exams last year, we have noticed that we have trouble attending our exams,” Pilate Bradley Jr., a member of the Civil Service Council, told board members. “So the information is coming out. We have a lot of applicants and candidates who apply, but they just don’t come to the testing session. “

Bradley cited several exams that took place on January 1, all of which had no candidates:

• Fire Exam: 49 candidates, out of 15 not on the exam (31 percent)

• Park Supervision Exam: 10 candidates, seven were not on the exam (70 percent)

• Parking employee exam: three candidates, two failed the exam (67 percent)

• Police exam: 25 candidates, out of 10 not on the exam (40 percent)

• Admission exam: 57 candidates, out of 28 not on the exam (49 percent)

Depending on the exam, a board member said, exams can run from a few days to a week to 10 days after the application period, depending on what test materials are available or that need to be ordered. Bradley noted that the board sent reminders to candidates before exams, and when asked what feedback the board received from candidates who did not participate in the exam, Bradley noted that there were not many.

“It’s a rare case that we get an answer from a candidate if he doesn’t leave,” Bradley said. “It’s usually due to an emergency or something.”

One of the potential solutions identified by the council during the meeting is to hold a 30-40 minute information session for candidates before the test date to better inform them of vacancy requirements and expectations, especially for candidates for firefighters and police.

While the council hopes to increase attendance at exams, Council President John Nixon does not see attendance as relevant, given his experience in the private sector.

“From what I see in the private industry, 66 percent of them showed pretty weird,” he said. “I’m not strongly denied these numbers.”

Contact Craig Kelly at 567-242-0391 or Twitter @ cmkelly419.