Job Descriptions Enter Computer Age

New Haven’s Civil Service Commission OK’d updating the official definitions of five government jobs — including one that was last written before crime analysts used computers or cell phones.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the updates after hearing from representatives of five city departments during its monthly meeting Tuesday at 200 Orange St. Some of the jobs under discussion have remained defined the same for decades, even as the nature of the work changed.

Commissioners heard Assistant Police Chief Achilles ​“Archie” Generoso describe how his department’s crime analyst position had last been defined 30 years ago.

“Things have changed in 30 years,” he said. ​“We have cellphones, computers.” Thirty years ago the analysts ​“used to work with charts and slide rules.” Under the new definition — which requires ​“major” college course work in ​“criminal justice, geographic information systems, social science, geography or related fields”; ​“prefers” a ​“graduate degree plus three years of experience in data collection, statistical analysis and mapping”; and expects ​“working and/or academic knowledge” of GIS applications and investigative software — the next crime analyst will provide ​“real time” data to beat cops and detectives in the field. Working out of a planned new ​“crime center” within the department, the analyst will tap into research gathered in the cops’ anti-gang-violence Project Longevity effort about suspects’ social networks and gang-related beefs, Generoso reported. The position is currently vacant.

Similarly, the city had last defined its tax analyst position in 1978, according to Deputy Tax Collector Michelle Carfora. She presented an updated definition for the currently vacant position to include knowledge of applications like those in Microsoft Office Suite.

In the Engineering Department, changing technology and work demands created the need for a new ​“project coordinator” to replace a phased-out executive secretary position, City Engineer Giovanni Zinn told the commission. He doesn’t need an old-fashioned secretary to do routine tasks like make calls, Zinn said. But the department needs someone who can track the flow of $88 million a year of project budgets that come from a complex mix of funding sources, including the state and federal governments, he said. The person holding the job will handle grant applications and reports for infrastructure projects, ​“prepare and submit bid documents, change orders, and invoices,” and ​“administer the insurance recovery and revenue fee accounts,” among other duties, according to the approved description.

The Harp administration has requested Board of Alders approval to create the $84,026 position in the new city budget set to take effect July 1. Zinn sought the civil service approval so the department can begin the process of hiring someone if the alders approve the position. He said his department found the money to cover the new position by eliminating the currently vacant $60,276 executive secretary position as well as a $36,203 ​“other contractual” line item.

City Librarian Martha Brogan said she rewrote the job description for a buildings superintendent because the previous definition failed to attract enough candidates. The job, which includes overseeing custodial care and maintenance of the system’s five buildings and grounds, has been vacant since the previous occupant retired in August. The city found only one applicant qualified for the job, then didn’t come to terms with the person. Brogan said she believes the revised version — which removes confusing language and welcomes job-seekers without HVAC licenses as long as they know how to work HVAC systems — will attract a great pool of qualified applicants. She also revised the required years of work experience to three from five to seven (still including at least one year in a supervisory position).

Finally, acting Commission on Equal Opportunities (CEO) chief Angel Fernandez-Chavero convinced the commissioners to approve a new job description for the position of ​“utilization monitor” — someone who checks out work sites to make sure government-funded contractors comply with goals for hiring black and Latino workers. Fernandez-Chavez said the previous description contained errors, for instance describing the work as seeking compliance with goals for hiring minority-owned and female-owned businesses. The work involves monitoring the hiring of workers, not the hiring of companies, he said.

Afterward, AFSCME Local 3144 President Cherlyn Poindexter, who attended the meeting, criticized Fernandez-Chavero for not hiring one of three utilization monitors whom CEO laid off last year.

Fernandez-Chavero said civil service rules require testing for the new position, which will be paid out of the general fund budget. The former employees were paid under a special funds budget. The last two employees’ funding ended when the school system was done building new schools for now, he said.

Poindexter said Fernandez-Chavero should have temporarily hired the former employees in the new position until the tests took place. She noted that the Harp administration has done this before — for instance, when former economic development staffer Jackie James was moved from a special funds-supported position to a newly created general operating budget-funded position.

“I’m following the rules,” Fernandez-Chavero responded.

Earlier Wednesday, Commissioner John Cirello appeared on an episode of WNHH radio’s ​“Dateline New Haven” program, during which he discussed the larger goals and challenges of the civil service system. That segment of the program begins at the 29:20 mark; click on the above audio file to listen.