Henry Sinopoli

Butler Civil Service Commission Chairman Henry Sinopoli was invited to speak to city council Tuesday about the council settling the grievance of the International Association of Firefighters Local 114 in April.

“I requested his presence and he was kind enough to oblige me,” said Mayor Tom Donaldson.

Firefighters had argued in the grievance that the civil service rules requiring promotion through testing were a violation of the IAFF Local 114’s collective bargaining agreement.

After the grievance was settled, Butler Fire Department firefighters James Kaufman and Donald McCoy were promoted without the civil service testing.

Sinopoli was asked a series of questions by Donaldson, who, along with councilman Richard Schontz, voted against the grievance settlement.

“To the best of my knowledge, the (council) did accept the rules of the Civil Service Commission on the fourth of September, 2015,” Sinopoli said.

Sinopoli went on to say that the rules include physical, written and oral testing, and that they cover hiring and promotions.

Donaldson asked if the civil service code was followed with the settlement agreement and promotions.

“Based on what the civil service passed and the (council) adopted, it would seem that there was some not following them,” Sinopoli said.

Sinopoli added, “As for a solution, I don’t think the Civil Service Commission should be put into a position to come up with a solution.”

Donaldson reacted to Sinopoli’s comments.

“I just want the public to be aware that the Civil Service Commission was aware that they put rules in, and they were aware that the rules weren’t followed by the council,” he said. “I want the public to understand that the rules weren’t made to be broken.”

Donaldson has not signed the settlement, calling it “illegal.”

Schontz also commented: “To be quite frank I felt all along that we passed an ordinance, and the police followed it, that if you are eligible for a promotion, that the (Civil Service Commission) had set up a structure, and you take the test,” Schontz said. “I think that takes a lot out of the hands of one person being blamed or rewarded for suggesting that these people get promoted and causing hard feelings.

“I feel the civil service structure was the best way to go. We passed an ordinance and when we voted on (the settlement agreement), I said, ‘We passed an ordinance, let’s stay to the ordinance.’”

Councilman Michael Walter, who voted in favor of the agreement, held a different view.

“That’s what the grievance was about,” he said. “And (the firefighters) disagreed with (the civil service testing). That’s just one side of it. You talk to the fire department, they’ll give you another side of it. That’s where the discrepancy was.”

Councilman Corey Roche, who also voted in favor of the agreement, had no comment. Councilman Kathy Kline, who voted in favor of the agreement, was absent from the meeting because of a prior obligation.