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Home My WebLink About1976 03-24 Park foreman test valid, council told THE REVIEW Page 14 Wed.,March 24,1976 THE REVIEW Park foreman test valid, council told by Scott Carlson A test used as a screening device in because it centered on specifics of the considering applicants for the position of park foreman position.And it has been park foreman in Maplewood"was valid," used by several other cities,she added. according to JoAnn Christensen, city "This test is very valid,"Christensen personnel officer. said. Christensen's comments came at last City Manager Mike Miller said Thursday night's city council meeting in Maplewood will be attempting to use response to Councilman John Greavu's validated tests for openings with all jobs charge that using a test to determine except assistant department heads and which applicants were qualified for the department heads. job was unfair. Three engineers hired last year were Greavu pointed out that the city em- not given tests because no valid tests were ployees who applied for the position were available, Christensen said. However, not given enough time to study up for the tests for secretaries and an apprentice test. "There wasn't proper notice," he mechanic have been administered in the said. lastyear,she added. Ina heated exchange with ether council But Greavu contended that testing,or members,Greavu said that the test had an individual's amount of education,are not been given before even though the city not valid criteria for hiring. "I had a adopted an affirmative action policy a buddy who went to college and didn't year ago. know a damn thing,"Greavu said."... "All of a sudden we do it," Greavu .Just because somebody has a piece of exclaimed. paper doesn't mean he has the answers." But Christensen felt the test was valid Councilman Donald Wiegert and Miller, both college graduates,agreed. Miller pointed out that out of 70 ap- plicants for the position of park foreman 19 of them were college graduates who failed the test. Twenty-five people passed the test but only to of those individuals had proper work experience and out of that number only one was a Maplewood employee, Miller said. The test was designed so that it assessed what the individual knew about the specific functions of being a park foreman,Miller said. After finishing its discussion, the council voted to establish notification to all employees that in the future hiring for all city jobs will include tests, as procedure in screening applicants,where applicable.