Conglose submits application for $42,576 traffic coordinator post

The former city official is already working in the
private sector.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — The ex-head of the city’s public works department applied for a city job after all, but isn’t sure he’ll take it even if he’s offered the position.

Carmen S. Conglose Jr. had told the Youngstown Civil Service Commission on Jan. 16 that he was “not inclined” to submit his name for a formal review and evaluation to be the traffic coordinator. The part-time job pays up to $42,576.96 a year with no medical benefits.

Despite the earlier statement, Conglose turned in a letter of interest for the job to the commission. He is among four who are seeking the job. The others are Paul Vaughn of Lakeside Drive, Berry Carter of Fairfax Street and Matthew Pinkerton of Sarasota, Fla.

While it’s extremely likely Conglose would receive the job appointment by Mayor Jay Williams — he personally asked Conglose to seek it — the retired city worker may not accept it.

Conglose, who retired Dec. 31, is doing engineering work for ES&C International.

“I submitted my application materials to keep my options open,” he said about the traffic coordinator job. “I promised the mayor that I would.”

Conglose plans to meet with the mayor to discuss the coordinator job as well as the possibility of keeping the ES&C position if he worked for the city.

Williams and Conglose wanted the commission to hire Conglose without first considering other potential applicants. Conglose said the commission’s decision to not honor that request was a “slap in the face,” and members were bowing to pressure because The Vindicator wrote about the issue.

The commissioners disagreed. They praised Conglose’s work and expedited the process to be finished by March 1, when Conglose said he wanted to start the job.

After the Jan. 16 meeting, Williams said he asked Conglose to still apply and is pleased he did so.

Conglose served as traffic coordinator for eight years before his appointment as the public works department’s deputy director in 1997. During his 10 years running the department, Conglose handled the responsibilities of traffic coordinator without additional pay. Also, he spent nine of those years as the city’s buildings commissioner, again without additional pay.

Conglose estimates the city saved $3.1 million over that time by having him take on those extra duties without additional pay.

Conglose’s salary last year was $93,132. His pension is about $60,000 annually.

He accepted the city’s early-retirement incentive with the city spending $65,626 to buy two years of his state Public Employees Retirement time, and received $54,246 as severance last month for unused sick time and other accumulated time.

By hiring Conglose as traffic coordinator, the city would save money, Williams said. The job was full time when Conglose held it. Without Conglose and his level of expertise, the city may consider making the job full-time again thus raising the salary and including benefits, the mayor added.

skolnick@vindy.com