Contact UsCivil Service Commission
The Civil Service Commission consists of 3 members appointed by the Mayor for terms of four years. Established by state law, the commission must follow guidelines and mandates set forth in that law.
The Civil Service Commission oversees the testing, hiring, and appeal of discipline for various positions within the City of Bettendorf. Current Civil Service Commissioners are Ralph W. Heninger, Matthew DeBisschop, and Jean Z. Dickson.
The Civil Service Commissioners will meet as needed for job openings within the City of Bettendorf.
Employees Governed by Civil Service
Chapter 400 applies to permanent full-time police officers and firefighters in cities having a population of more than eight thousand, and to all appointive permanent full-time employees in cities having a population of more than fifteen thousand except:
- The City Clerk, Deputy City Clerk, City Attorney, Assistant Attorney, City Treasurer, Finance Director, Assessor, Auditor, professional or civil engineers, and health officer.
- The City Manager, Assistant City Manager, administrative assistants to the City Manager, and any department heads except Police and Fire Chiefs who are subject to sections 400.13 and 400.14, Code of Iowa.
- Secretary to the Mayor, City Manager, or department heads.
- Employees of boards of trustees or commissions established pursuant to state law or city ordinances, including the clerk to the civil service commission.
- Employees whose positions are funded by state or federal grants or other temporary revenues, except positions which will be maintained for at least one year after expiration of the grants or temporary revenues.
Civil Service Examinations
Civil Service examinations shall be practical in character and shall relate to matters which fairly test the mental and physical ability of the applicant to discharge the duties of the position to which the applicant seeks appointment. A fair examination shall explore the competence of the applicant in the particular field of examination. (Iowa Code 400.8)
The Human Resources Department may prepare or select the examination, administer the examinations, hire persons with expertise to do so, and/or hire persons with expertise to consult in the preparation of such examination with the approval of the Commission.
Open-competitive examinations may be administered periodically as the needs of the City require and may include a written test, oral test (interview prior to the commission establishing a certified list), performance test, physical agility test, or other selection procedures as deemed appropriate by the Commission.
A candidate’s score in any examination shall be the combination of the scores on each competitive part of the examination. In some examinations, failure of any part of the examination may be grounds for declaring such candidate as failing the entire examination or as disqualified for subsequent parts of the examination.
Efforts are made to score the examinations as quickly as possible in order to advise applicants of whether they are still being considered.
Veterans Preference
The Veteran’s preference provides for five (5) percentage points to be added to the passing scores of eligible veterans. Eligible veterans are honorably discharged veterans from the military or naval forces of the United States in any war the United States has been engaged in as described in section 400.10 of the Code of Iowa. In applying Veteran’s preference points, five (5) percentage points will be added to the final or composite passing score. Five (5) percentage additional points shall be added to the score if the veteran has a service-connected disability or is receiving compensation disability benefits or pension under laws administered by the Veterans Administration. (Iowa Code 400.10)
Veterans wishing to claim preference must submit Form DD 214 no later than the application deadline. Veterans claiming preference on the basis of disability must present official Veterans Administration documents verifying disability status.
Veterans' preference is not applicable in the case of promotion or appointment to Chief of the Fire Department or Chief of the Police Department. (Iowa Code 400.10)