The Commission: A Description of Ineptitude or Worse

There are only a couple of explanations, bureaucratic ineptitude or willful interference.
Let’s look at a recent decision by the staff of the Rensselaer County Civil Service Commission to reject an applicant as “unqualified” to be and hold the job title of “Town Engineer”.
First, some background: When the Town Board of North Greenbush cited Suburban Town Law, Section 52 to create the title of Building Director, The Rensselaer County Civil Service Commission said no. It disallowed the title and imposed its will over the body of State Law called Suburban Town Law.
That left the town without a Town Board appointed manager and supervisor of the unionized employees in the Building Department. The Commission is composed entirely of three persons appointed by County Republicans, with no Commissioner's name submitted by County Democrats who are in the minority in County government.
The Town Board apparently chose not to battle the Commission in Court and instead decided to utilize a job title already approved by the Commission, albeit 30 years ago. That title was Town Engineer.
When the Town Board appointed a man licensed by New York State as a Professional Engineer, no one would have imagined anyone arguing with his qualifications. He was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, holding a Bachelors Degree in engineering. He held a Masters Degree in engineering from Union College and had passed the test to become a licensed Professional Engineer in New York State more than 5 years ago.
Yet, despite the resume, despite the degrees and the PE License, the politically appointed Rensselaer County Civil Service Commission allowed its staff to disapprove this man’s qualifications to serve as a town engineer. They ignored his license from the State of New York, they ignored his status as a veteran of the United States Navy and service in two Gulf Wars and sent the one page denial notice to the Town Supervisor who rather than fight for what is right, rushed to his computer to write a letter demanding his keys to the building. The Town Supervisor has done everything possible to keep the Building Department unsupervised and many believe may have “encouraged” the Commission staff by omitting the applicant’s resume in the papers faxed for review.
We invite you to click on the official thirty year old job description used to deny this man his professional reputation. It is so seriously flawed as to be both unenforceable and laughable.
Under “Examples of Work”, it requires functions which by law are prohibited with changes in the law over three decades.
Under “Required Knowledges, Skills and Abilities” (their spelling not ours) it states one be in “good physical condition”, a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Under “Acceptable Experience and Training” it states “Four years of professional civil engineering experience and graduation from a recognized college or university with a degree in civil engineering; or any equivalent combination of experience and training”. This is the most absurd section since it fails to state what kind of degree; ie, Associates, Bachelors, Masters, PHD. So which “degree” did the Commission staff use to decide he lacked a degree and the combination of experience and training equivalent to which degree?
Then there's the last sentence: “Eligibility for a License to practice as a professional engineer in New York State”. That’s right, to qualify you don’t need the license but only be eligible to take the test to acquire one. Yet the Commission denied the applicant his title despite being a step above being eligible for the license. He already has one and has for the past five years.
We mentioned the missing resume. It appears the Supervisor neglected to fax his resume to the Commission. When it was sent to them later, they did nothing to undo the injustice. Apparently Mr. Evers is upset that Board members and staff called the Commission and the County Attorney expressing disbelief. Mr. Evers accused them of harassing the Commission staff. That’s one more call than Mr. Evers made to stand up for what is right. He, as we mentioned, rushed to his computer to write a letter dismissing the applicant from the town after just six days on the job.
Wonder why three Board members were mad enough to call a special meeting to sue the Commission at a potential cost of $5,000 to taxpayers? That’s right, only three Board members are angry about this. Mr. Evers and Mr. Kern voted NOT to stand up for what’s right and against suing this Commission. In the mean time, the applicant left his prior job in good faith and has not been paid a dime since coming to work in North Greenbush, not even for the six days he worked.
It has been said that when justice is denied for one man, it is denied for all men. What former naval officer Ranson Caola did was not the easy thing, but it was the right thing. He refused to accept a different, watered down job title and decide to fight the injustice. In part to protect his own profession and reputation and in part to demand accountability on those whose actions have diminished their own professional reputations by assailing the professional reputation of others.
Now you decide, incompetence or willful misconduct in pursuit of an agenda?