SAN BENITO — Former Fire Chief Raul Zuniga might still be wearing his badge if the city had a policy barring employees from bidding at fire department auctions.
Now, city commissioners are considering policy changes that include prohibiting workers and their relatives from participating at auctions held by the city.
Meanwhile, the city might started drug testing employees involved in car accidents resulting in injuries.
Earlier this month, commissioners approved the first readings of the proposed changes to the city’s personnel manual and so-called ethics ordinance.
On Tuesday, the board is expected to consider approving the second and final readings.
“Both the policy and ordinance are designed to strengthen the city’s ability to govern and how to deal with personnel-related situations,” city spokeswoman Martha McClain stated yesterday. “They are guidelines to decision-making that helps keep the system as fair and unbiased as possible.”
The proposed change to the personnel manual would require city employees to be tested for substance abuse if they are involved in car accidents resulting in injuries or more than $500 in property damage.
Most businesses have these kinds of policies.
The proposal does not stem from an incident in which an employee had an accident, City Commissioner Esteban Rodriguez said yesterday.
“The city has to protect itself,” Rodriguez said. “It covers the city in case there’s a situation where an employee gets in an accident that could put the city in a bad position.”
The proposed changes would be made under the personnel manual’s drug testing policy.
“Whenever a city employee is involved in an accident resulting in any personal injury or resulting in property damage estimated to exceed $500, the employee is subject to a urine, breathalyzer and/or blood testing as soon after the accident as possible, particularly if the accident has resulted in damage or injury to persons,” the proposal states.
Another rule
Meanwhile, a proposed change to the ethics ordinance stems from the case in which Zuniga’s bidding at a city auction apparently led to his demotion to a captain’s rank last September.
However, the city’s ethics ordinance did not prohibit employees from bidding at city auctions.
As a result, the city’s Civil Service Commission overturned Zuniga’s five-day unpaid suspension in February.
Rodriguez said the city needs to amend the ordinance to prohibit employees from bidding at city auctions.
“We have to have something like this to stop the city from getting into a further problem,” Rodriguez said.
The proposed change would also prohibit employees’ spouses and relatives from bidding at city auctions.
“Neither a city official nor anyone related to the city official with the first degree by affinity or consanguinity may purchase or acquire a bid or offer for the purchase or acquisition of any surplus property offered for sale by the city to the public,” the proposal states.
– Proposal to drug test employees in car accidents
– Proposal to prohibit employees and relatives from bidding at city auctions
