SCHOHARIE COUNTY - Schoharie County Probation Director Richard Cain is leaving that job and assuming a different one within county government.
County Administrator Bryan Best announced during his report at the Friday, May 15 county Board of Supervisors meeting that Cain will be the new Deputy Administrator. Best explained in an email that the position has existed since at least 2023 but has been vacant since August of 2024 when Jim Halios left.
Best wrote that it's worth having the position filled again and drawing a salary despite various financial challenges the county is facing.
"I remain very concerned about the fiscal health of the county, but the ability to turn around the county's financial health will not be done overnight," he stated. "It will take a team effort and we need to have the best people to lead our initiatives to become more efficient. I have no doubt that Richard Cain will prove his value 10-fold."
Cain, a county employee for more than 20 years, will get a $6,425 pay raise with the job change, with his annual salary increasing from the $107,056 he made as Probation Director to $113,481 as Deputy Administrator.
Other actions from the May 15 county BOS meeting saw the board approve a resolution making changes in qualifications for a new Commissioner of Public Works, a position that's been vacant since Dan Crandall left. Best said the changes are meant to make qualifications more flexible to broaden the pool of candidates because the job has not been attracting quality candidates.
Supervisor Roger Gural of Summit expressed some concerns that qualifications may now be too broad.
"If we make the bar too high, we are not even getting people through the door," Best responded.
The approved resolution states that those applying for the job must have a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Technology or closely related field and five years of paid professional experience in highway and/or bridge maintenance and construction, and building maintenance, two of which must have been in a supervisory and budgetary role; OR
Associate's Degree in Engineering, Construction Technology or closely related field, and seven years of paid professional experience in highway and/or bridge maintenance and construction, and building maintenance, two of which must have been in a supervisory and budgetary role; OR
High School diploma or equivalency and nine years of paid professional experience in highway and/or bridge maintenance and construction, and building maintenance, three of which must have been in a supervisory and budgetary role.
In addition to the various levels of education and experience, the resolution states candidates must have a "comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices involved in planning and implementing civil engineering projects, as well as modern methods and principles of construction and highway maintenance," and "comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices of administration, including budgeting, personnel, program reporting, communicating and supervising principles and techniques."
A public hearing on a new local law incorporating the new DPW Commissioner qualifications will be held at the next county BOS meeting on June 19.
The Acting DPW Commissioner is Darren Palmatier. Best wrote in an email he didn't know if Palmatier was interested in the job on a permanent basis.
"If he is, he is welcome to apply," Best stated. "We are going to have a thorough and fair process to evaluate all the candidates to make sure we have the best person to lead this department."
