City of Compton Reviews Temporary Exemptions for Key Municipal Positions

On January 15, the Personnel Board of the City of Compton held a public hearing at the Douglas F. Dollarhide Community Center to review requests to temporarily exempt several municipal positions from the City’s Classified Service system.

The hearing was conducted pursuant to Section 1101(a)(6) of the Compton City Charter, which allows the City to exempt positions from civil service classification for periods not exceeding six months. The exemptions, if approved, permit certain roles to be filled outside the traditional civil service process for a limited time.

The xempt position review requests originated within the City administration and were formally submitted through the formal Human Resources process for review by the Personnel Board, as required under the authority of the Compton City Charter. The notice itself did not attribute the requests to a specific individual or department and was issued and posted by the Interim Human Resources Director.

For transparency and public access, the official Notice of Public Hearing is available below for community review, allowing residents to examine the original document detailing the positions, dates, and procedural basis for the hearing.

Notice of Public Hearing - Exempt Positions - 1.15.26.docx

Download DOCX • 15KB

The positions brought before the Personnel Board included:

• Business License Inspector (Community Improvement)

• Project Manager (Grants Management)

• City Clerk Technician (City Clerk)

• Office Assistant II (City Clerk)

• City Controller

• Municipal Law Division Chief (City Manager’s Office)

• Reprographics Equipment Operator I (City Manager’s Office)

• Water Production & Distribution Supervisor

• Water Construction & Maintenance Supervisor

Each proposed exemption carried its own effective date ranging from late 2025 through early 2026.

During the hearing, city officers, employees, and members of the public were given the opportunity to be heard. Following the hearing, the Personnel Board is responsible for approving or denying the exemption requests. The notice did not specify when the Board’s decisions would be finalized or how they would be publicly reported.

Why This Matters to the Compton Community

These positions span several departments that directly affect daily life in Compton, including water services, finance, grants management, legal operations, and the City Clerk’s office.

How these roles are filled — and under what employment classification — can influence:

• How quickly vacancies are filled

• How projects and public services are managed

• How accountability and continuity are maintained within City departments

• How public funds and infrastructure programs are administered

For residents, this hearing represented a procedural step in how Compton manages its workforce and how critical services are staffed. It also highlighted the importance of public participation in municipal employment decisions, especially when exemptions from standard hiring processes are being considered.

While cities typically have operational reasons for requesting civil service exemptions, the published notice for this hearing did not specify the reasons for the individual exemption requests.

The Personnel Board’s decisions on these exemptions will shape staffing and operations in multiple City departments over the coming months.

What Does Exempting A Position From Civil Service Classification Mean?

In practical terms, exempting a position from civil service classification means the City is requesting permission to temporarily fill certain jobs outside the standard civil service hiring rules. Normally, these positions must follow formal processes such as testing, ranked candidate lists, and seniority protections. An exemption allows the City, for a limited period, to use a more flexible and expedited method to staff these roles.

Why Cities Sometimes Exempt Positions from Civil Service

Cities may temporarily exempt positions from civil service rules in order to:

• Fill urgent vacancies quickly when a role is critical to operations

• Bring in specialized expertise for short-term projects or compliance requirements

• Avoid service disruptions when retirements, resignations, or new mandates occur suddenly

• Manage transitional periods, such as department reorganizations or leadership changes

• Address grant-funded or time-limited programs that require immediate staffing

In these cases, exemptions are intended as practical tools to maintain continuity of services.

When Such Exemptions Become a Public Concern

Temporary exemptions become a concern when:

• They are used frequently or continuously rather than occasionally

• Exempt roles remain unclassified for extended periods

• Positions are filled without transparency

• The same roles are repeatedly exempted instead of permanently classified

• Exemptions appear to bypass fair competition rather than address legitimate urgency

At that point, exemptions can undermine the original purpose of civil service: fairness, merit-based hiring, and public trust.

How This Affects Job Seekers vs. Residents

For job seekers:

• Fewer opportunities to compete through open exams

• Hiring may become less predictable

• Short-term appointments may favor internal or direct selections

• Reduced access for applicants outside City networks

For residents:

• Services may be delivered faster when vacancies are filled quickly

• Specialized talent can improve project delivery

• But prolonged exemptions may reduce accountability and transparency in staffing decisions

• Ultimately, staffing practices influence how well city services are delivered and governed