In response to questions and criticism, the town of Secaucus was able to provide last week a management training certificate issued by Rutgers University on November 18, 1993 to the town’s newly promoted superintendent of the Department of Public Works, Charles F. Snyder.
The certificate confirms that Snyder has completed more than 100 hours of training required to be a senior public works manager. However, he still lacks the state certification he’ll need to keep the job long-term. By law, he can keep his new post as long as he passes a state exam within the next two years.
Questions about Snyder’s training and qualifications to be DPW superintendent were raised two weeks ago when the Town Council promoted him to the $119,271 a year position, giving him a $15,000 raise. He had previously been an assistant superintendent of the DPW.
Town Councilman John Shinnick wondered why the governing body was “going to hire someone who, although he completed a course for this position, is not licensed.”
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But at a public meeting held two weeks ago, Town Councilman John Shinnick wondered why the governing body was “going to hire someone who, although he completed a course for this position, is not licensed for this position.”
Snyder’s fitness to be a senior manager initially came under scrutiny because of his alleged role in an anti-gay bias incident six years ago.
‘Best applicant’
Two other candidates also applied for the superintendent position: a DPW foreman and the other assistant superintendent of the department. Another DPW employee who expressed interest in the post was reportedly pressured not to apply, in part because he had the state certification that Snyder lacks.
“As far as his job and his livelihood, he does a fantastic job,” Gonnelli said two weeks ago. “This man has a clean personnel record, not one thing in his personnel record. To begrudge a man who has been in a position since he was 17 years old and doing a great job, to begrudge him a promotion is a shame.”
Snyder had been in line for the position two years ago after Gonnelli retired from the job and became a councilman – but then-Mayor Dennis Elwell changed the structure of the department so that there was no superintendent.
Town Attorney Frank Leanza said Snyder’s qualifications set him apart from the other two applicants.
“Pursuant to the requirements of our town ordinance, only one of those applicants met all of the qualifications,” Leanza stated. “That individual was Mr. Snyder…I told [the mayor] that he would be hard-pressed to withhold the job from Mr. Snyder because he was the only duly qualified applicant to a job that was legally posted.”
Town Administrator David Drumeler, who conducted the superintendent search and who interviewed all three candidates, added that “one of the requirements of the position was to complete and have graduated from the Rutgers Public Works Manager Program and have a certification [from the school]. “
In addition to completing the Rutgers program, Snyder also had a decade more of supervisory experience than the other two candidates, Drumeler said.
“Based upon both his experience, and meeting the requirements in the job description, I felt that he was the candidate who should be chosen,” Drumeler added. “And I made that recommendation to the mayor.”
The council voted to approve Snyder’s promotion by a vote of 6 to 1. Shinnick was the only Town Councilman to oppose Synder’s promotion, which became effective on Jan. 27.
State requirements
By state law, municipal DPW supers must have a minimum of five years’ worth of experience as a manager within the last 10 years, and must complete a168-hour management program at Rutgers. It usually takes about two years for a full-time municipal employee to complete the Certified Public Works Manager Program offered through Rutgers’ Center for Government Services.
There’s also a state exam which candidates must pass with a grade of at least 80 percent, according to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, the state agency that regulates public works management.
The state issues a Certified Public Works Manager certificate to people who meet these and other requirements regarding age, “good moral character,” and citizenship status. (The moral character clause is necessary because a manager will be appropriating taxpayer money.)
The state allows mid-level DPW managers to be promoted to a senior position without having the Certified Public Works Manager certificate, but the manager must get the certification within two years of the promotion. This means Snyder has until Jan. 27, 2012 to get his state certification.
Per Secaucus ordinance, the Town Council gave Snyder a three-year appointment as superintendent. His appointment ends Dec. 31, 2012.
Bias incident
Snyder was one of three firefighters accused in a multimillion dollar lawsuit of having allegedly been involved in the harassment of a gay couple who lived near the fire station where Snyder was captain.
Secaucus ended up having to pay more than $4 million to the couple, who won their lawsuit against the town and no longer live in Secaucus.
Snyder and two other firefighters who were implicated were never brought up on criminal charges. The three fire fighters decided to resign from the Secaucus Volunteer Fire Department rather than face an administrative hearing.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.