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SCHENECTADY COUNTY
Filling of county post raises hackles
Many say communications officer a wasteful expenditure
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    Schenectady County has hired the chairman of the Glenville Democratic Committee to fill the vacant position of director of communications.
    The hiring has angered several county legislators and the local leader of the powerful Civil Service Employees Association, who said the position is unnecessary and that other positions should be filled fi rst.
    Joseph F. McQueen, 38, took the $60,000-per-year position two weeks ago, succeeding Theresa Cassiack, who left in May.
    McQueen worked for the last 6 1 /2 years for the United Way of the Greater Capital Region. He handled donor relations, marketing and communications with the agency. He holds a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s in communications.
    The hiring has sparked controversy because the county is facing a revenue shortfall of at least $8 million — and possibly as high as $16 million — as it prepares its budget for 2009, and is only filling so-called essential positions while leaving others vacant.
    In recent years, the county has reduced its work force by more than 100 positions to save money, leaving it with approximately 1,500 people. It has left librarian positions unfilled and has refused requests to increase staffing at the county Department of Motor Vehicles, officials said.
    County Legislator Gary Hughes, D-Schenectady, a member of the Democratic caucus’ leadership team, defended McQueen’s position.
    “We are filling only positions that the manager feels are really necessary to fill, and I think it is important for someone in county government to be responsible for communications. There are many programs and services we offer that people are unaware of,” he said. Hughes himself is director of communications for MVP Health.
    Hughes called irrelevant Mc-Queen’s political position in Glenville. “What about his MBA and his bachelor’s degree in communications, and his years of experience with the United Way?” he asked.
    Joanne DeSarbo, president of CSEA Local 847, which represents some 800 county employees, was unhappy the county filled the communications director position while leaving other positions unfilled. She learned about McQueen’s hiring Thursday through The Daily Gazette.
    “That is disheartening to us, especially to everyone who goes in and is doing more with less. To fi ll that position first does not bode well for everyone,” DeSarbo said.
    She added, “It doesn’t make us happy when we need positions and the knowledge of the positions needed is there. To go out and spend that kind of money on a position where maybe we could all chip in and fill other positions is disheartening.”
    DeSarbo said she is scheduled to meet with County Manager Kathleen Rooney on Friday to discuss filling positions at the county Department of Social Services’ offi ce on Nott Street. “That office is in dire need of staffing at all levels,” she said.
    The office has seen a major increase in reports of potential child abuse and neglect, triggered in part by awareness generated through the Xctasy Garcia case and the county’s adoption of legislation requiring all county staff to become mandated reporters of abuse and neglect.
    “The staffing levels, the safety of clients we serve and of the employees who work there are a great concern,” DeSarbo said.
    County Legislator Vincent DiCerbo, D-Schenectady, said he learned the position was filled through an e-mail, calling the decision a “fait accompli.”
    “If my opinion had been solicited on this, I would have advised against it,” DiCerbo said. “Given the financial situation the county faces, it is difficult to maintain a level of credibility with the public and our staff when we ask people to sacrifice and we don’t make sacrifices ourselves.”
    County Legislator Joseph Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, said he did not know the county had filled the position, but was angry that it was filled. “The waste of money is so pornographic as to be obscene,” he said.
    McQueen said he was unaware of the potential controversy his hiring would cause. He said he was not looking for the job but was approached by Geoffrey Hall, clerk of the county Legislature, to apply for it.
    McQueen said he first was interviewed by Hall and then by Rooney, who explained the job to him. He then spoke with county Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage, D-Niskayuna, and started shortly after that.
    Hall said he approached Mc-Queen and told him to send in his resume. “I knew about his background with the not for profi ts, I just mentioned the position to him. I knew this was something the manager and the Legislature were looking to fill,” he said.
    McQueen said his duties encompass more than writing press releases. He will work with community agencies, such as the Chamber of Schenectady County, to promote the county and work with the county’s Special Events Department to promote its efforts.
    Hughes said the position of communications director is supposed to be politically neutral and said the Democrats mentioned in releases are committee chairs
    Minority Leader Robert Farley, R-Glenville, viewed it differently: “Susan Savage does not need a press secretary and that is what it is. The county budget should not be Susan Savage’s personal slush fund. The county doesn’t need a communications director. This is purely a patronage position.”
    Savage later replied by e-mail, stating “This position is not a press secretary. It is a communications position, similar to those in Albany and Rensselaer counties. The director of public communications serves as the primary point of contact, working with every county department, disseminating information regarding programs and activities of the county.”

Some Days There Simply Are Not Enough Expletives In My Vocabulary.....................

Is this position really that crucial to Schenectady? Is this what real fiscal conservative responsibility is?

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Quoted from JoAnn:
... Is this what real fiscal conservative responsibility is?

What leads you to believe that the majority party in the Schenectady County government is fiscally conservative?

Quoted from 78

What leads you to believe that the majority party in the Schenectady County government is fiscally conservative?

It was meant to be TIC!!

I could have that job---shake hands rub elbows shine shoes etc......nah, maybe not---to quote Rene---there are not enough expletives to make a nice sentence.....

http://www.dailygazette.com

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Correction
Schenectady County Legislator Joseph Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, in a story in Monday’s Daily Gazette, was incorrectly quoted in his criticism of the county’s appointment of a new communications director. What he said was, “It is such an obscene waste of money, it is almost pornographic"

    

Interesting choice of words........would that have to do with film and the arts district????

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it is almost pornographic

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“It is such an obscene waste of money, it is almost pornographic"

I have to say...it's one of the best quotes I've heard in a long time. Good one Suhrada!
The quote should be engraved in the county legislature's room!! Right above suzie savage,

Once again they ignore Ang! I am a little mad at the discrimination here. Why is it that Suhrad gets this kind of coverage. I like him and he does do some good things but when he says these things the demos dont listen. If Ang does the work and the talking he gets THE JOB DONE!

Quoted from bumblethru

I have to say...it's one of the best quotes I've heard in a long time. Good one Suhrada!
The quote should be engraved in the county legislature's room!! Right above suzie savage,

Oh gawd, the picture that conjures up in my head.

Excuse me for a minute, I'm gonna be sick.

Isn't it a Manager's job to communicate to their staff and those that they answer to (the county residents) when it comes to this sort of thing?  Just more money being thrown out to a political hack.  

Quoted from 191

Once again they ignore Ang! I am a little mad at the discrimination here. Why is it that Suhrad gets this kind of coverage. I like him and he does do some good things but when he says these things the demos dont listen. If Ang does the work and the talking he gets THE JOB DONE!

You like stumping for this guy......