The El Dorado Civil Service Commission wrapped up the 2020 spring testing cycle for the police and fire departments Tuesday and began making tentative plans for another round of civil service exams in the fall.
Written and oral exams/interviews were administered Monday and Tuesday for promotional and entry-level candidates in both departments and commissioners certified the results after completing oral interviews Tuesday afternoon.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the civil service commission modified the testing process and instituted safety guidelines, including moving the exam site from the El Dorado Police Department training room to the Activity Building at the Union County Fairgrounds to allow more space to practice social distancing.
Toddy Pitard, chairman of the commission, said the fire department also conducted temperature screenings and provided face masks for those who entered the building.
“Chief (Chad) Mosby was all over that and he made sure that everything was taken care of. I was very pleased with the turnout,” Pitard said.
Added Mosby, “I’d like to thank (Union County Fair manager) Mr. Van Dumas and the Union County Fair folks for allowing us to use that facility. It worked out great. We set up computers and printers and had a small office out there. Very few things come up that we couldn’t handle quickly. Everything worked smoothly.”
Written exams began at 6 p.m. Monday and on Tuesday, commissioners arrived at 7 a.m. and started oral exams an hour later for entry-level and promotional positions within both departments.
Pitard said the oral interviews wrapped up at approximately 4 p.m. and after test results were certified, commissioners convened for a regular meeting.
Pitard noted that the civil service commission had not met in regular session since January.
Of the 20 candidates who signed up for entry level exams for the fire department, 15 showed up for testing and eight passed, Mosby said.
Fourteen firefighters took and successfully completed promotional exams for positions of lieutenant, captain and battalion chief.
Mosby said “battalion chief” is a term that is now being used within the EFD to describe shift commanders. The term, which is commonly used in the fire service industry, replaces the old EFD “assistant chief’s” title.
He pointed out that a new command vehicle, an SUV, that the fire department purchased earlier this year bears the name “Battalion 1.”
“It was called ‘Battalion 1” to reflect that it was the battalion chief’s vehicle. It’s parked at Central Station,” Mosby said. “We’re just trying to get more of an industry-standard nomenclature. I told the civil service commission that I’m in the process of updating the fire department’s policies and rules and regulations to update that name change.”
Pitard said that while the police department did not have as many candidates to take promotional and entry-level exams, the percentages for those who passed the tests were high.
Four entry-level candidates passed written and oral exams.
With six vacancies within the police department, Pitard said the commission immediately set about scheduling the next round of testing for October.
Specific exam schedules will be set at a later date, Pitard said.
“We want to make sure that we’re staying on top of this and that we’re doing everything we can to get everybody staffed,” he said.
Mosby said there are two vacancies within the fire department and once the EFD’s interview panel signs off on the top two entry-level candidates, the candidates will then undergo physical agility tests to be considered for job offers.
PAT schedules were also modified due to COVID-19.
Mosby said new hires then receive in-house training, which is coordinated with the schedule of the Arkansas Fire Training Academy in Camden, where new firefighters will be sent for further training.
Candidates who pass civil service exams remain on the eligibility lists until March 31.
Mosby said that if the EFD eligibility list is exhausted before then, the department will participate in civil service exams that are planned for fall 2020.
Entry-level candidates for the police department took physical agility tests prior to written and oral exam.
Civil service test results and rankings for the police department include:
Entry level
• Guy Wallace, 1.
• Thomas Hoskins, 2.
• Penny Mathis, 3.
• Matthew Finney, 4.
Sergeant
• Zach Rowland, 1.
• John Sullivan, 2.
• Logan Owens, 3.
• Brandon Morgan, 4.
• Anthony Ross, 5.
Lieutenant
• Trey Phillips, 1.
• Dallas Smith, 2.
• Scott Snell, 3.
Captain
• Andrew Russell, 1.
Results for the fire department are:
Entry level
• Trenton Bailey, 1.
• Amber Belin, 2.
• Matthew Kelly, 3.
• Shane Huggins, 4.
• Kaitlyn Kelly, 5.
• Nicholas Ellis, 6.
• Patrick Finley, 7.
• Brodey Stanley, 8.
Lieutenant
• Colt Thompson, 1.
• Brent Smith, 2.
• Jesse Lewis, 3.
• Time Hearnsberger, 4.
• Matthew Peace, 5.
Captain
• Justin Tolan, 1.
• Kyle Jones, 2.
• Randy Gilmore, 3.
• Justin Green, 4.
• Matt Freeman, 5.
• Trey Sewell, 6.
• Chris Eckhoff, 7.
Battalion Chief
• Clay Doherty, 1.
• Nena McGaugh, 2.