Personnel committee authorizes advertisement to fill director of veteran service ahead of planned retirement

Allegany County’s Personnel Committee voted to authorize recruitment and advertisement to fill the director of veteran service position after the committee was notified of an anticipated retirement.

John Rickey, vice chair of the Personnel Committee, called for the motion to begin the process. A committee member moved the authorization and it was seconded; the motion passed by voice vote.

Committee members discussed how the position is filled and concerns about the current appointment process. A county staff member said the title is appointed by the chairman and does not require board confirmation, and that it is a one‑year appointment. Committee member Mr. Healy and others said one‑year appointments make recruitment difficult. The committee discussed the possibility of changing the appointment method so the board appoints the position to a multi‑year term, but members said further research is needed before proposing changes.

Chairman Harris, speaking about past practice, said former Chairman Crandall typically sought collaborative input when making appointments, and Harris said he generally prefers board appointments to single‑person chair appointments because yearly changes in the chair can create instability for staff.

The committee did not adopt any immediate changes to the appointment process; it authorized starting recruitment while staff research whether a future change to appointment or term length is warranted.