Assessor Will Face Real Advertising to Keep Retirement Waiver

It looks like the NY State Civil Service Commission took steps at its June meeting to make sure that the rigging effort to get him a waiver from the NY State Retirement System so he can collect his pension and North Greenbush pay check, does not reoccur. The Commission received complaints about the town's lack of diligence in advertising the opening in order to secure a waiver for Harkin.

Earlier this year, Harkin's friends in town hall quietly did the minimum advertising, one day in the Troy Record, to make him eligible for a retirement waiver extension. According to records of the State Civil Service Commission, the job posting was on display in Town Hall for 30 days although NO one saw the posting. Harkin has a close friend, the town clerk, who likely posted the rascal behind layers of paper so no one could see it.

At the June Meeting of the State Civil Service Commission, the Commission acted to notify the town that this time a diligent effort to advertise the position must take place including the town's very own web page. Imagine that, using the town web page to advertise a job opening. They sure didn't do that the last time he needed a waiver.

All it takes is for one qualified applicant who is a non retiree to seek the job and Harkin will loose his waiver. He has had the waiver despite the fact that a qualified non retiree was available each time it was advertised but the former Supervisor misled the Commission in writing as to the availability of a non retiree in order to secure this fraudulent rip off of the retirement system.

Here are the minutes of the June meeting of the Commission which identify the action on Harkin in paragraph 13. His waiver ends in September and were betting he'll have plenty of competition that will end his undeserved retirement waiver.