No Classes for Columbus in 2009?

[MaizenBlue]

I am looking for comments or opinions about the mayors proposal to have no classes for fire or police during the entire year of 2009. Good idea? Bad idea? Will it last? Dont forget that the police and fire contracts are not signed yet.

[JKralC104]

Its not good at all but I'm sure as hell glad there are no police or fire layoffs in the making.

[bill198483]

A friend of mine that works for CPD said the safety director actually recommended laying off the current academy class but it was shot down by the Mayor.

[cmsd380]

Words can't discribe how ****ed I am right now. I wasted my time with there entire process and now their not going to hire. I took the test in november of 2007, will my list expire in november of 2009 or will they still consider me next time they hire in 2010?

[Jsosenk1]

so are they for sure not going to hire in 09???

[cmsd380]

so are they for sure not going to hire in 09???

The Safety Director recommended to lay off the current academy but the Mayor shot it down..That tells me that hiring new officers 2009 is the last of their worries. It looks like their not hiring in 2009!

[cmsd380]

I would like to know if the November 2007 list i'm on will expire or will they use it next time they hire?????????

[Jsosenk1]

its looks pretty bad. this article makes it sound like there won't be any hiring in 2010 either if new money isn't found. looks pretty bleak.


http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/11/10/daily36.html

[uanick]

Don't feed into all of this just yet...first, it's a PROPOSAL, and secondly there has to be approval by city council. Also they are going to hold at least two public hearings on the budget cuts so mabey the people of columbus will show their support for emergency workers.

I as well as a few of my friends are in their process right now. One guy just had his in home interview, supposedly they MAY be projecting a Febuary class and possibly one in the summer time. Just a thought. But please by all means if you've given up on them, I'll take your spot!!! haha just kidding....but seriously.

Also to the person who's been on the list since 2007, they place you in a pool with everyone else that has tested and gone through the process since then. So there is a good possibility that someone that scored higher on the B-Pad overridded your scores.

Don't let coleman scare you with his big scary proposals. there are quite a few cuts that he's wanting to make that I dont think people in COlumbus will look to kindly at.

[sprinter124]

Where is the $700 billion bailout for the city's and states who can't afford to hire police or firefighters anymore?

[JKralC104]

Keep the faith. If you think the city is out of money you are mistaken. The public safety department accounts for over 70-some% of the cities operating budget. Naturally with it being a contract year, the city has a lot at stake as far as paying salaries goes. This is a fairly common tactic used by places to keep negotiations quiet but on the other hand, the economy hasn't been this "bad" during such events.

As far as the bailout money is concerned, I tihnk that is doing more harm than good but that is a whole other topic.

[cmsd380]

Don't feed into all of this just yet...first, it's a PROPOSAL, and secondly there has to be approval by city council. Also they are going to hold at least two public hearings on the budget cuts so mabey the people of columbus will show their support for emergency workers.

I as well as a few of my friends are in their process right now. One guy just had his in home interview, supposedly they MAY be projecting a Febuary class and possibly one in the summer time. Just a thought. But please by all means if you've given up on them, I'll take your spot!!! haha just kidding....but seriously.

Also to the person who's been on the list since 2007, they place you in a pool with everyone else that has tested and gone through the process since then. So there is a good possibility that someone that scored higher on the B-Pad overridded your scores.

Don't let coleman scare you with his big scary proposals. there are quite a few cuts that he's wanting to make that I dont think people in COlumbus will look to kindly at.

I'm not sure where your getting your information uanick but the Mayor proposed to not hire police for 2009. This means Febuary and summer class is all BS. I finished the entire process in May of 2008 and my BI told me its up to the Mayor's budget.

[uanick]

That's just what my friend's BI told him two weeks ago, so whether it was true or not, I can't say.

[MaizenBlue]

If what your friends BI told him is true, Im sure that will wait to be approved until two things happen. 1. The budget has to be approved by city council. 2. The contract needs to be signed. I had heard that the president of the F.O.P. is of course pushing for a class to go through being that 25% of the police force HAS to retire in 2011. Although it does not sound good right now and the budget PROPOSAL was not what a lot of us wanted to hear nothings is guaranteed. Dont allow yourself to get too discouraged yet. Until the budget is finalized, and the contract is signed. It is all just proposals, and ideas!

[semperfiguy131]

I work for CPD. How I understand it is that they "May Freeze" the 2009 classes. That does not mean that they will throw out the lists, candidates, ect... and start all over from scratch in 2010. I would imaging that they would not want to lose the money already invested in you guys. You may have to be put on a holding pattern for a year or so but stick it out. A new contract will be signed and we are going to have mass retirements. We need you guys bad. Your day will come. Stay focused and positive. Your not applying to Walmart (No offense to Walmart people) If you truely want to become part of the Division, you will. Stay will your current job for now and if you can, keep knocking out college courses if you don't have a degree yet. Good Luck!

[sgtbambam]

My understanding of civil service rules is that when the current test expires then the list will be no good. Everyone on that list will need to retest. Don't forget that this isn't the first time that they haven't had a recruit class. The state (OSP) hasn't had one in quite awhile. My brother in law works at CFD and says they will be severly hurt if there are no fire classes next year. I guess that there's a large amount of firefighters in the D.R.O.P. program that will be leaving soon.

[bill198483]

There are other agencies in central Ohio hiring, Gahanna, Whitehall, and Dublin all have openings

[avalonearth]

FYI - Gahanna & Dublin are not hiring. Also the Whitehall position is a maximum age of 34 (verified with their HR as maximum).

[bill198483]

Gahanna is hiring two to three now and will be able to hire two to three next year with the scheduled retirements. I know Dublin has two to three open patrol slots for their next test.

[cmsd380]

Does anyone know when the final 2009 budget will come out?

Also, spoke with civil serivice today and they said a list is good for two years from the day they give the test results.

[FiremanMike]

FYI Whitehall does not have an opening, they are giving a test. Also for the record, there's not been a Whitehall list that they haven't hired off of for many many years.

And yes the above is correct, there is a max age, and they do not make any exceptions for previous service in the military or police and fire pension fund.

[IllTaCTiCz]

In terms of OHIO LE jobs my advice would be to GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!

[IllTaCTiCz]

I got out and spent 2000.00 doing so only get get rejected because of a hiring freeze. Now getting out might be good and I am still looking here in Ohio and outside of it. However, you task a larger risk in some places than others.

Believe me I feel your pain. My only reason for moving to CO was for the CPD. It was frustrating feel like I ****ed a year of my life away testing and waiting, but I just got proactive and found other departments that were hiring. Columbus is a GREAT department though so I am let down to have to leave. I've been working with the DC Metro Police now and am in the last phase of that process, but I can tell that their dept. is not nearly as good as CPD, but hey... I [I]gotta[I] follow my dreams!

You'll fine something soon, CPD is not going to be on a freeze forever anyway. I talked with a sergeant yesterday, he said there will be no classes in 09, but there will be about 70 officers retiring so they are going to have to make some moves soon.

Good Luck to you and keep your head up!

[ess286]

My understanding of civil service rules is that when the current test expires then the list will be no good. Everyone on that list will need to retest. Don't forget that this isn't the first time that they haven't had a recruit class. The state (OSP) hasn't had one in quite awhile. My brother in law works at CFD and says they will be severly hurt if there are no fire classes next year. I guess that there's a large amount of firefighters in the D.R.O.P. program that will be leaving soon.


Well techincally all the folks tht got in DROP in the first wave have to leave by Jan 24th 2011. That gives them the full 8 yrs in DROP. Of course many people have been retiring prio to that but at my dept (Canton, Oh) the guys that have made it this far are staying til then. So, statewide, if they are in Police and Fire Disability Pension they have the same DROP issues as everyone else. What that means is that in jan of 2011 there will be a boat load of depts hiring.

[sprinter124]

soo in reading the proposed budget, it says "no new police classes will be funded in 2009", does that mean technically we are looking at 2 or 3 straight cancelled classes? If you go by the usual schedule of a july and december class. Isnt that around 150 new hires.

[cmsd380]

Today I recieved a second certification letter from civil service. The first letter I received shortly after my oral boards in April 2008 and now in November 2008. The only difference in the letter is the certification number. What does this certification letter mean?

[Jsosenk1]

Yeah I got one of those letters back in July. No idea what it means but I'll keep an eye out for a second one

[Jsosenk1]

Yeah I got one of those letters back in July. No idea what it means but I'll keep an eye out for a second one. By the way, do us nov '07 testers have to retest in a year since we will expire on the list before they hire another class? Jeez this stuff really makes you want to leave Ohio, but from what I hear things are getting bad in other states too.

[cmsd380]

Not sure if we have to retest in Nov. of 2009. Thats why I wanted to know what the certification letter meant? Does it mean that we have to test again in two years from the certification date? I have no idea what to make of it. I talked to civil service before I recieved the letter and the guy said we have to retest 2 years from the day the results of the test come out. For me that would be Jan. 2010

[mikol427]

Instead of staring at it take some initiative and go to the Personnel/Civil Service dept with the letter and ask them. I'm sure the process is just like any other dept, if you don't have a conditional offer for appointment be for the list expires, then you have to retest the next time they give it.






Not sure if we have to retest in Nov. of 2009. Thats why I wanted to know what the certification letter meant? Does it mean that we have to test again in two years from the certification date? I have no idea what to make of it. I talked to civil service before I recieved the letter and the guy said we have to retest 2 years from the day the results of the test come out. For me that would be Jan. 2010