Civil Service Examination
Announcement
FILING
FEE $20.00
#68010 HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST
OPEN-COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION
LAST DATE FOR FILING
APPLICATIONS: March 14, 2012
EXAMINATION DATE: April 28, 2012
SALARY:
The starting salary is currently listed at $20.14 per hour.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet the following
requirement(s) on or before the date of the examination:
(4) years of experience in the
construction and maintenance of roads, two (2) of which must have been in a
supervisory capacity.
Special
Requirement for Appointment: Possession of a valid New York State Motor Vehicle
Operator's license appropriate for the equipment being operated.
Special
Note: In
accordance with Federal Highway Administration (HWA) 49CFR382, all prospective
employees will undergo drug/alcohol testing prior to appointment and will
undergo random drug/alcohol testing during the course of employment.
Special
Requirement for Positions in Ulster County Department of Public Works: Candidates for employment in this
position, on an open-competitive basis, must possess a valid NYS Class B (CDL)
License with “X” endorsement, at time of appointment.
Candidates for employment in this
position, on a promotional basis, must be eligible for NYS Class B (CDL)
License with “X” endorsement, at time of appointment, and must possess such
license by the end of their probationary term.
APPLICATION REVIEW
TOLERANCE POLICY
For
the purposes of this policy, "tolerance" shall mean the leeway given
regarding work experience when reviewing an application. Applicants lacking a
small amount of work experience when applying for promotional or
open-competitive examinations may qualify under the following conditions:
1) Candidates
will be given a maximum tolerance of one (1) month.
2) Tolerance will be given only when the
minimum qualification requires one or more years of work experience.
3) Tolerance Policy does not apply
to education or licensure/certification requirements. (See particular
examination announcement for "Anticipated Eligibility" information).
4) Tolerance Policy does not apply
where required work experience is set forth by law or rules.
5) Tolerance Policy does not apply
to enable applicants to meet residence requirements.
For
more information regarding Tolerance Policy, please contact our office at (845)
340-3550.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:
This position involves the supervision of a crew of public works
personnel engaged in a specialized highway maintenance and repair activity such
as, but not limited to, road paving or sealing.
General supervision is received from the section supervisor of the area
in which the work is performed. This
supervision characteristically takes the form of a brief explanation from the
Section Supervisor of the extent of the job to be performed and periodic
on-site review of the work in-progress.
Most of the detailed decisions regarding the methods and materials to be
used are left to the Highway Maintenance Specialist. The specialist also directly participates in
the work of the crew, personally performing those tasks requiring special
skills or experience. Does related work
as required.
SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION:
Written test will cover knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such
areas as:
1. Methods and materials of road
reconstruction
These questions test for knowledge of
the practices and materials used in the reconstruction and repair of roadways,
with emphasis on bituminous and concrete surfaces.
2. Highways, drainage facilities,
related structures, and snow and ice control
These questions test for knowledge of
the maintenance and repair of highway-related structures and may include such
areas as roadway surfaces, shoulders, embankments, drainage materials, guide
rails, highway maintenance equipment, and ice and snow removal and control.
3. Operation and preventative
maintenance of automobiles, trucks and heavy equipment
These questions test for knowledge of
the terminology, troubleshooting techniques and proper procedures used in the
maintenance and operation of motorized vehicles and equipment used in various
types of public works projects.
4. Safety practices
These questions test for knowledge of
and the ability to apply safety principles related to public works construction
zones, including traffic control, safe use of equipment and the overall safety
of workers, the traveling public and the work environment.
5. Plans, specifications and technical
instructions
These questions test for the ability
to understand, analyze and perform computations based on technical drawings and
written presentations related to various public works projects. All the
information needed to answer the questions will be provided in the written
material and/or drawings.
6. Supervision
These questions test for knowledge of
the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling
the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts
covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as
assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work
standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural
change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism,
morale, and discipline.
The New York State Department of Civil
Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However, candidates
may find information in the publication "How to take a written test"
helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: www.cs.ny.gov/testing/localtestguides.cfm.
CALCULATORS:
"Unless specifically prohibited, candidates are permitted to use
quiet, hand‑held, solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, ‘Spell‑Checkers’,
‘Personal Digital Assistants’, ‘Address Books’, ‘Language Translators’,
‘Dictionaries’ and any similar devices are prohibited."
USE OF CALCULATORS IS RECOMMENDED
FOR THIS EXAMINATION.
*FEES*:
Send your check or money order for twenty dollars ($20.00) (made payable
to
EXCEPTION TO FEE REQUIREMENT: An exception to the processing fee will be
made for persons receiving Supplemental Social Security payments or public
assistance (Safety Net Assistance or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families),
provided Foster Care or certified Workforce Investment Act of 1998 eligible
through a state or local social service agency, and for those who are currently
unemployed. Individuals wishing to claim
this waiver of fee on the basis of Supplemental Social Security, Safety Net Assistance
or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, must certify on their application,
under number 20 Remarks, that they are receiving public assistance and must
indicate the type of assistance they are receiving, the agency providing the
assistance and their case numbers. Persons claiming this waiver through Foster
Care or Workforce Investment Act of 1998 Certification must specify the program
and name of their contact agency. Persons claiming this waiver, who are
currently unemployed must certify on their application, under number 20 Remarks,
that they are currently unemployed and must provide documentation that they are
receiving unemployment benefits or other unemployment documentation deemed
appropriate by the Ulster County Personnel Officer. Such claims are subject to later verification and, if not
supported by appropriate documentation, are grounds for barring appointment.
Applications may be obtained at the
For those applications submitted in
person on the last file date, please submit no later than 4:30 PM. All
applications must be in our office no later than 5:00 PM on the last file date.
Applications postmarked by the last file date will also be accepted.
This
examination is being prepared and rated by the New York State Department of
Civil Service in accordance with Section 23‑2 of the Civil Service
Law. The provisions of the New York
State Civil Service Rules and Regulations dealing with the rating of
examinations will apply to this test.
CRIMINAL
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION POLICY: In accordance with Ulster County Local Law
Number 14 of 2007, a criminal background check (including fingerprinting) will
be initiated by the Ulster County Personnel Department upon initial employment
or re-hire to Ulster County positions, and conducted by the New York State
Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the New York State Office of
Court Administration, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Verification Information System (IMAGE Program), or any law enforcement agency.
SPECIAL NOTE: All public agencies are required by law to
provide full and equal opportunities for minorities, women and to people with
disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to compete without regard
to race, creed or national origin. Applicants requesting special testing
arrangements as a Saturday Sabbath Observer, alternate test date candidate (in
accordance with Alternate Test Date Policy), or an active member of the
military away from the area on the scheduled test date must clearly indicate
this fact on the application. All such requests must be supported by
appropriate documentation.
VETERANS: Non-disabled and disabled veterans
who wish to claim additional credits must request a Veterans Credits
application from our office. This form must be completed and submitted along
with a war service (DD214) form prior to the establishment of the
resulting eligible list. Veterans credits may only be added to a passing score
and may only be used for appointment once. Candidates currently in the
armed forces may apply for and be conditionally granted veteran’s credits. Any candidate who applies for such credits
must provide proof of military status to receive the conditional credits. You
may not claim additional Veterans Credits after the eligible list has been
established. It is the candidate’s responsibility to request the Veterans
Credits application forms and submit these forms and any required supporting
paperwork before the eligible list is established.
ADDITIONAL CREDITS FOR CHILDREN OF
FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY:
In conformance with section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of
firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty shall be entitled
to receive an additional ten points in a competitive examination for original
appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has served. If you are qualified to participate in this
examination and are a child of a firefighter or police officer killed in the
line of duty in this municipality, please inform this office of this matter
when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a
minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary
documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the
eligible list has been established.
APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE
EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN
EXAMINATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON SAME DATE: If you have applied for any other Civil
Service examinations for employment with New York State or any other local
government jurisdiction, you must make arrangements to take all the
examinations at one test site.
If you have applied for both State
and Local government examinations, you must make arrangements to take
all your examinations at the State examination center by calling (518)
457‑7022 no later than two weeks before the test date.
If you have applied for other local
government examinations, call or write to each Civil Service Agency to make
arrangements. You must make your request
for these arrangements no later than two weeks before the date of the
examinations. You must notify all local
government civil service agencies with whom you have filed an application of
the test site at which you wish to take your examination(s). For this examination call (845) 340‑
3531 OR write to Ulster County Personnel Department,
*If candidates have not received
notification of this examination within four (4) days of the examination, they
should contact this office immediately.
#68010
ORIGINAL COPY: YELLOW
ISSUED: February 13, 2012