County Board Freezes Hiring

Until 2016 Budget Is In Place

COOPERSTOWN – The county Board of Representatives today authorized a hiring freeze at least into the new year. No new workers will be hired until the county board rescinds today’s order. With hiring restricted for the time being, it presents an opportunity for the board to review its hiring process. There has been a number of calls in recent times for tests to be introduced especially when hiring for analytical skills.

There are a few exceptions. Most notably, Sheriff Richard J. Devlin Jr. can fill correction officer positions. That exception was made because of state staffing mandates at the county jail. But those hires can only be made after approval by two committees and the full board.

The hiring freeze applies to union jobs and managers, whether they are funded or unfunded in the current budget.

The resolution states the county “currently faces a financial budgetary crises,” a reference to a more than $4 million budget gap that remains in the 2016 spending proposal still under development.

County Treasurer Dan Crowell expects to have a proposed budget to the county board by mid-November. The board then may vote on a final document at its December meeting on the 2ndf.

– DON MATHISEN, for AllOTSEGO.com