Civil service staff warn of heavy workload, hiring and exam-scheduling challenges as senior clerk departs

Senior civil service staff told the Saratoga Springs Civil Service Commission on Jan. 29 that the office faces a significant workload and knowledge-transfer task after the upcoming departure of senior clerk Rachel De Oliveira, and that an unusually dense state exam schedule is increasing pressure on local administration.

Carissa Salvo, staff coordinator, described De Oliveira as "not replaceable," saying the knowledge she has accumulated since 2021 is substantial and that the office plans to hire a part-time senior clerk with an overlap period so De Oliveira can train her replacement. Salvo said the city has a funded part-time line for the position in the 2025 budget and that the commission should expect a hands-on training period before De Oliveira leaves.

Why it matters: The civil service office administers hiring exams, eligibility lists and certifications that city departments rely on for staffing. Staff warned that insufficient overlap or training for the departing senior clerk could disrupt exam administration, candidate notifications and routine public-facing work.

Staff described multiple points of strain

- Training and knowledge transfer: Salvo said the plan is to have "significant overlap" so De Oliveira can train a new hire; she warned that without that cross-training the office's capacity to respond to public inquiries and manage detailed processes (grade letters, notifications, online job boards and window traffic) would be severely reduced.

- Dense exam schedule: Salvo reviewed the state exam calendar and said March 1 and May 3 are particularly busy for diverse series of exams. She gave the example of March 1, when the office will administer exams across multiple series, including accounts, housing authority positions and water meter series, alongside firefighter/paramedic exams. Salvo said the police officer exam was given in September and will be offered again May 3, 2025.

- Recruitment challenges for police: Salvo discussed recruitment shortfalls for entry-level law enforcement, noting that a September written exam produced an eligible list of 56 candidates but only about 20 attended a subsequent physical agility test; several of those were unsuccessful. She said the state will hold the police exam again in May and that those later candidates will likely be available for a January academy if timing permits.

- Staffing and proctoring burden: Salvo outlined a long roster of upcoming exams and said the civil service office will need additional monitoring support and time to run multiple exam series on the same day.

Direct quotes from staff

"She's not replaceable. The knowledge that she has gained since 2021," Salvo said of senior clerk Rachel De Oliveira, explaining why overlap is needed for training.

"We have to be very careful with the information we are providing to the public and to employees about the civil service process and whatever it entails," Salvo said, underscoring the operational risk of losing institutional knowledge without a proper handoff.

Process context and timeline

Salvo said she has not set a final departure date for De Oliveira and that hiring and training timing will determine the overlap period; she described a plan to recruit for a senior-clerk part-time position and to provide paid overlap for training. The commission noted it would be available to assist and asked staff to provide updates between meetings as needed.

Ending

Commissioners thanked staff for preparing the material and asked to be kept informed. Salvo said she will provide updates at the February meeting and by email if needed.