Commission approves practice to redact candidate names from posted removal lists

City staff proposed and the commission adopted a change in practice to limit personal information in publicly posted candidate-removal materials. Nicole Grama, the HR manager, said the recommendation is to present removal items publicly using candidate numbers, then provide identifying details and reasons for disqualification only in an executive session. "Our recommendation is to have regular, executive sessions... the public record just reflects candidate numbers, which are attached to, their applications in our in our system," Grama said.

Staff and the city attorney explained the move is meant to balance candidate privacy with the commission’s statutory authority to consider applicant qualifications. The chair and attorney cited RCW exemptions allowing closed sessions to evaluate applicants for public employment; the change is effective with the current agenda packet, and commissioners were told the civil service rule requiring motion and approval of removals remains in force.