Williams wants Conglose for job
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN — If the mayor has his way, the retiring head of the city’s public works department will be working again for the city before too long.
Mayor Jay Williams is requesting the city’s civil service commission to appoint Carmen S. Conglose Jr. as the city’s traffic coordinator without holding a written test or seeking other applicants for the part-time job, which would pay as much as $41,538.48 annually.
Conglose, the deputy director of public works since 1997, took an early retirement buyout from the city, effective Dec., 31, and would collect his pension even if appointed traffic coordinator. Under state law, Conglose would have to wait at least 60 days after his retirement to start working for the city again.
Outgoing Councilman Paul Pancoe, D-6th, objects to Williams’ request to rehire the retiring Conglose.
“I look at it as double dipping and I’m against that,” said Pancoe, who was the only council member to vote against legislation that essentially revived the coordinator position, vacant for a decade.
Williams said some people will view his request as a “sweetheart deal,” and “the system being ‘worked.’”
But, he said, the traffic coordinator position is a “highly specialized.” Conglose is the most qualified person for the job so a test and search isn’t necessary, Williams said.
“It’s probable that Carmen is the only one [in Youngstown] with this specialized knowledge,” Williams said.
For complete story, see Monday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.