Conglose resigns post over fake college degree

By David Skolnick

The ex-employee is adamant that he didn’t provide the fake degree to the city.

YOUNGSTOWN —¬†With a phony college degree in his personnel file in the city finance department, Carmen S. Conglose Jr. resigned as traffic coordinator, a part-time position the retired deputy director of public works started just two weeks ago.

It’s led to an internal city investigation that could eventually end up resulting in criminal charges.

“I hope the results of the investigation reveal something that gives an explanation,” said Mayor Jay Williams, who hired Conglose as traffic coordinator after the latter served about 10 years running the city’s public works department. “This certainly is a disappointing situation all around. This situation, as it seems to be unfolding, is unfortunate and disappointing.”

Conglose acknowledges the 1986 bachelor of science in applied science degree from Youngstown State University is bogus. But Conglose is adamant that he didn’t give the finance department the fake degree and doesn’t know from where it came.

“This is a blatant attempt to discredit me and run me out of city hall,” he said. “... I expect to clear my name.”

Williams, among others, received an anonymous letter Friday that accuses Conglose of giving the finance department the fake diploma so he could get an annual bonus given to certain city employees for having college degrees. The Vindicator received the same letter Monday.

The city implemented the education bonus pay program in 1999. Conglose received about $3,000 in total in education bonuses since it was implemented.

Before retiring Dec. 31, Conglose received $93,132 in annual salary. He was to receive up to $42,577 a year as the city’s part-time traffic coordinator.

The city’s law department is reviewing the “allegations of wrongdoing” and shouldn’t take too long to conclude the investigation, Williams said.

Also, the city probably will ask another agency, most likely the Ohio auditor’s office or possibly the attorney general’s office, to get involved in the investigation, he said.

“Depending on the results of the investigation, we’ll make a determination” whether to consider criminal charges, Williams said.

Williams questioned Conglose on Friday about the fake degree and receiving the education bonuses. Conglose resigned on the spot.

Conglose said he quit “not as an admission of guilt, but to not deal with some of this craziness in city hall.”

Conglose said it’s “become very evident to me there are a bunch of people in city hall who don’t want me there.”

The reasons are many, he said.

“I was a tough boss,” Conglose said. “There are people who just don’t like me. There are people jealous that I retired and came back to work.”

Conglose also received $54,246 from the city as severance for unused sick and other accumulated time. His pension is about $60,000 and the city spent $65,626 to buy two years of his state Public Employees Retirement time as part of its early-retirement incentive.

Conglose said he was entitled to the education bonuses because he earned a surveyor’s license in 1990 from the Ohio Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors.

Conglose said the license is “equivalent to a four-year degree” making him qualified to receive the bonus.

“It doesn’t equal a four-year degree,” countered John Greenhalge, executive director of the state board. “To say it is the same as a four-year degree isn’t accurate. That’s not the case.”

Also, the city council ordinance for the college education bonus for management employees makes no mention of receiving the money for equivalent licenses. The fake degree is only in Conglose’s finance department file. That file is used to determine payments to city employees.

The degree isn’t in his personnel files at the civil service commission or the public works department.

Because of the ongoing investigation, city Finance Director David Bozanich declined to discuss the fake degree and why it’s only in his department’s personnel file.

City policy requires department heads to sign all payroll sheets for its department employees.

When Conglose retired as public works’ deputy director, Williams asked him to return part-time as traffic coordinator.

Because of his service to the city, Conglose wanted the civil service commission to allow Williams to hire him without first considering other applicants. The commission decided in January to ask interested applicants to submit their qualifications.

At the time, Conglose called that decision a “slap in the face” and an insult. He also said he probably wouldn’t seek the appointment, but decided to do so at Williams’ urging.

Conglose quit a job at ES C International doing engineering work to return to the city. He said he hasn’t made any decision on seeking a job in the future.

skolnick@vindy.com