Conglose’s improper pay earns 30-day sentence

By David Skolnick

The ex-city worker can’t hold a public job for the next seven years.

YOUNGSTOWN — Carmen S. Conglose Jr., the city’s former deputy director of public works, will serve a 30-day sentence at his Birch Hill Road home for a conviction related to his improperly receiving $3,341.46 from the city in education bonus pay.

Visiting Judge William A. Kobelak found Conglose guilty Friday in Youngstown Municipal Court of soliciting or receiving improper compensation, a first-degree misdemeanor. As part of an agreement between city Prosecutor Jay Macejko and David Engler, Conglose’s attorney, the ex-city employee pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor.

Had Conglose refused the deal, Macejko said he was prepared to file a felony charge of theft in office.

Judge Kobelak, a retired Ashtabula County judge, sentenced Conglose to 90 days in the Mahoning County Jail and ordered him to pay a $250 fine. The judge suspended 80 of the days and gave Conglose the option of serving 10 days in jail or 30 days at his house. Conglose chose the latter.

Conglose was also placed on non-reporting probation for a year.

As part of the conviction, Conglose cannot hold a public job for the next seven years.

Conglose and Engler declined to comment after the sentencing.

The conviction was “in the best interest of the public,” Macejko said. “I’m pleased with the results. It was a fair outcome.”

The Ohio Auditor’s Office, asked by the city to look at the education bonus money paid to Conglose, planned a finding of recovery of $3,341.46 against him, according to a letter obtained by The Vindicator. After receiving the letter, Conglose promptly paid the city.

The office’s final audit will include the finding for recovery.

Between 1999 and 2007, Conglose received the annual education bonuses.

A fake 1986 bachelor of science degree in applied science from Youngstown State University was in Conglose’s personnel file at the city’s finance department. Conglose had previously insisted he had no idea how the bogus degree got into that file.

But it was later discovered by The Vindicator that on July 30, 2003, Conglose testified in a sworn court deposition that he earned that exact degree. Conglose has never given an explanation for that false testimony.

Conglose had previously said he was entitled to the education bonus because his 1990 surveyor’s license was viewed by the state as equivalent to a four-year college degree. That is something disputed by the head of the state agency that awards the licenses.

Conglose had retired Dec. 31 from his public works job that paid $93,132 annually in base salary.

Mayor Jay Williams on March 3 hired Conglose as the part-time traffic coordinator with an annual salary up to $42,577. Williams then questioned the fake degree during a March 14 meeting and Conglose resigned that day.

The mayor and The Vindicator received anonymous letters about the degree.

Because of Conglose’s phony degree, the city initiated a policy in April to check the legitimacy of college degrees earned by those who receive education bonuses. The prior policy was the “honor system,” Williams said.

The investigation into the bonuses stalled because of other pressing city financial issues. No bonuses are being given until the new policy is implemented.

skolnick@vindy.com