Opening up job to others leaves Conglose upset

The retired employee said he’s ‘not inclined’ to apply
for the job.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — The retired head of the public works department said the civil service commission’s refusal to recommend he be hired to a city job without first considering other potential applicants is a “slap in the face” and an “insult.”

The commission members agreed Wednesday to speed up the process to accommodate the appointment of Carmen S. Conglose Jr., the former public works department’s deputy director, as traffic coordinator.

But they insisted on allowing others to apply for the job even though they acknowledged Mayor Jay Williams, who wants Conglose for this position, would in all likelihood select him.

That wasn’t good enough for Conglose.

“I’m not inclined to do it,” Conglose said about submitting information about his qualifications, education and experience and competing for the job against others.

The coordinator’s job takes special skills that Conglose possesses, and he would be a shoo-in to get the mayor’s appointment because he is the most qualified person for the job, commission members said.

But they said it would be unfair to not let others at least apply for the part-time job that would pay as much as $41,538 a year.

“It’s not a slap in the face; it truly isn’t,” James Messenger, chairman of the commission, told Conglose.

Conglose, who retired Dec. 31 as the head of the public works department, said he initially didn’t want to take the city job. “I have more lucrative offers from the private sector,” he said.

But he opted to accept the coordinator job out of loyalty to Williams.

Conglose held the coordinator position for eight years, finishing first on a written test for the post, before his appointment in 1997 as deputy director. During his 10 years running the public works department, Conglose also handled the coordinator duties without additional pay.

Without him, Conglose said the city would have to hire consultants to handle traffic coordination for the city at close to three times the amount it would cost to have him do the job on a part-time basis.

Conglose said the commission members were bowing to pressure because The Vindicator wrote about this issue.

“That’s what I believe is behind it,” he said. “The Vindicator picked this out because I’m a high-level employee.”

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

He took the city’s early-retirement incentive with Youngstown spending $65,626 to buy two years of Conglose’s state Public Employees Retirement time.

The city’s board of control was to consider a request today to pay $54,246 to Conglose as severance for unused sick time and other accumulated time.

The commission anticipates only a few people would apply for the coordinator’s job, and Conglose would have no trouble being among the top 10 finalists — adding that it was highly doubtful that many people would even seek the post.

The commission also agreed to expedite the process to be finished by March 1, when Conglose said he wants to start the coordinator’s job.

The commission certifies a list of top candidates for a job with the mayor making the selection from that list.

But Conglose said he was insulted by the commission’s decision, adding that its members appointed four people in his department over the past decade without seeking other applicants.

“I’m put in this position where I need to justify my existence with the city after 31 years of service,” he said. “I take issue with this. I’m sorry if I’m offending you, but I take issue with this.”

Commission member Al Fleming said he doesn’t “feel comfortable” giving Conglose the job and waiving a review of qualifications of other candidates when “it’s a simple thing to do within the time frame that you’re working. ... I’m sorry you feel the way you do. I’m certainly surprised at it, truthfully.”

skolnick@vindy.com