Personnel committee approves multiple staffing reclassifications, sets recruitment plan for social services commissioner

The Washington County Personnel Committee on April 10 approved several staffing changes across county offices and discussed recruitment for the county’s social services commissioner after the incumbent said she will retire in August.

Committee members voted to reclassify a vacant account clerk position to a clerk level and to add a new part-time motor vehicle license clerk in the County Clerk/DMV office, moves county staff said are driven by shifting duties and budget constraints. The committee also approved a backfill at the clerk level for a senior clerk vacancy in Public Health.

County staff explained the account-clerk downgrade was based on the actual duties now expected of the role; the position’s incumbent had worked in the DMV doing financial tasks but the county said the job would move toward archives and clerk duties. The County Clerk requested the new motor vehicle license clerk for two days a week and budgeted $10,300 for the remainder of the year for that slot; county staff presented estimated savings from the reclassification and related moves. The committee approved the reclassification and the DMV hire after discussion about whether the changes were temporary or intended as long-term staffing shifts.

During debate members pressed for clarity on longevity/step pay for a retired senior motor vehicle license clerk the clerk had proposed rehiring part-time. Committee members said bringing a retired employee back at a lower title would require a formal resolution to override existing policy on rehiring at prior pay/step; staff said the matter would be forwarded to the full board if committee approval moved forward. Committee members also noted the DMV’s recent revenue uptick — staff reported the office doubled license-related revenue for January–March 2025 versus 2024 — as part of the rationale for staffing flexibility.

On Public Health items, staff reported WIC program lineup changes: the senior WIC program nutritionist moved to a part-time position, an internal promotion filled the senior role, and another nutritionist moved from part time to full time. The committee approved a clerk-level backfill for a senior clerk who resigned; a social-services caseworker vacancy was also reported.

Members discussed recruitment planning for the county’s Social Services commissioner role after the incumbent, Tammy (Commissioner, Social Services), announced an August retirement. The committee agreed to advertise the position both internally and externally, require county residency, and recommended a combined interview panel of personnel and the Health & Human Services committee. The state-provided minimum qualifications (roughly five years’ experience in health or social services work with several years of administrative responsibility) will be the baseline; members asked staff to circulate the job posting and to consider a three- to four-week advertisement and targeted outreach to associations such as NYSAC.

The committee also set a schedule for department-head evaluations, with IT evaluations beginning in April and others staggered across May and June. Committee chairs urged maximum participation from supervisors during evaluations to ensure broad input.

Votes at a glance: - Reclassify vacant account clerk to clerk (downgrade) — motion passed (mover: Jim; second: recorded). Vote tally: not specified in transcript; outcome: approved. - Add part-time motor vehicle license clerk (two days/week, $10,300 budgeted for remainder of year) — motion passed (mover and second recorded in committee). Vote tally: not specified in transcript; outcome: approved. - Backfill Public Health senior-clerk vacancy at clerk level — motion passed; outcome: approved.

The committee recorded no formal action on a veterans’ deputy request; staff said the department will hold the position while they pursue a candidate.

Committee members asked staff to provide written summaries and numbers for future committee packets to reduce confusion when multiple reclassifications and cross-department moves are proposed.