Personnel board approves revised eligibility list after background checks remove veterans points and disqualify applicant

The Town Mechanics Personnel Board on Sept. 16 approved a revised hiring eligibility list after background checks removed veterans-preference points from one candidate and disqualified another for falsifying information.

Town Manager John Schwin told the board staff had originally ranked seven candidates but found two issues during post-ranking background checks. He said one candidate who had submitted a DD214 and been given 10 veterans-preference points did not meet the state requirement of either a completed contract or 180-plus days of deployment, so the points were removed and that candidate dropped from the top rank to second on the list. "Those requirements were not met. Therefore, those 10 points that we had had added to him we took away," Schwin said.

Schwin also said investigators found that a separate applicant—identified in the record by a driver's-license reference—had falsified answers about prior disciplinary action and should be disqualified and removed from the list. "During this background investigation we found that that was not truthful. Therefore, he is disqualified," Schwin said.

Schwin reported that, as presented, the list dated 9/9/2025 contains six candidates rather than the seven originally listed and that background checks were complete through the fourth-ranked candidate; staff said they would proceed with hiring steps and, if finalists decline or new issues emerge, conduct additional recruitment or checks.

Board members questioned whether the application form asked specifically about eligibility for veterans-preference points or only whether a candidate had served. Chief Hawk said the form requests a DD214 when a candidate reports military service but does not explicitly ask about deployment length or contract completion required for points under state rules. One board member suggested revising the application to ask explicitly whether a candidate was deployed overseas or otherwise met the statutory criteria before awarding preference points.

A board member moved to approve the revised eligibility list dated in the record as of 9/9/2025; the motion was seconded and the chair said the voice vote carried. The board then discussed readiness to make hiring offers and adjourned the special meeting.

The board noted for the record that Joe Wall entered the meeting during the discussion. No members of the public spoke at the special meeting.