Jul 12, 2007 By Amy Zalar 5 min read

The wife of a member of the veteran’s liaison committee that interviewed candidates for the next Fayette County veteran’s affairs director is being recommended to fill the vacant position. The name of U.S. Coast Guard veteran Rosemary J. White was sent to the Fayette County commissioner’s office for approval as the next veteran’s affairs director for the county last week, according to Fayette County Human Resources Director Jim Moore of Felice Associates.

Rosemary White is married to Ken White, a member of Rolling Thunder 5 and the veteran’s liaison committee. However, Moore said Ken White did not participate in the selection process.

Moore said 15 applications were received and 13 interviews were held. He said the members of the veteran’s committee who sat through all 13 interviews and made the recommendation to hire Rosemary White were Jim Smith, Don Burd, Frank Voytek and Norm Zimmerman.

Exactly when the hiring will take effect remains to be seen. As of Monday, only one commissioner has signed off on the hiring.

Only Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites had given approval to hire White by signing the request. Two signatures are required for the hiring, which could be ratified at the next monthly meeting on June 28.

Jessica Hajek, administrative assistant for Commissioner Joseph A. Hardy III, said Friday that Hardy is away on a family vacation and will not be back until June 17. Hajek said she plans to wait until Hardy returns so he can discuss the issue with the other commissioners.

Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink said Monday she would review the recommendation and make a decision, adding that she only received it Friday.

Zimmerlink did not say when she would make a decision, but said she wants to ensure that the most-qualified candidate gets the job.

“I was told before the interviews were conducted that one resume looked better than the others that being Mrs. White and that she was the only female veteran who applied,” said Zimmerlink. “I was also informed that her husband, Ken White, who serves on the liaison committee of the Fayette County United Veterans Association, would not participate in the interviews as he had done in the past. I made it known to Felice Associates (the county’s human resources firm) that the most-qualified individual should be recommended regardless of all other factors,” Zimmerlink added. “I can understand those who question whether the person recommended was done so because she was the only female who applied and the connection if any to the liaison committee.”

Vicites said late last week he already had given his approval to hire White.

“I already signed off on it. It was in our box,” Vicites said.

He said the commissioner’s approved a resolution years ago allowing the veteran’s liaison committee to assist in the hiring process.

In approving the hiring, Vicites said he was merely taking the recommendation of the liaison committee.

“I have always gone along with their recommendation. They did the interview process,” Vicites said.

He did not return additional calls for comment.

Zimmerlink said while she can see the benefits of having a veteran’s liaison committee and she welcomes them “to have the committee be part of the county’s hiring practice is something I continue to question because no other county office follows that procedure.”

Zimmerlink said although Vicites has mentioned a resolution allowing the practice, he has yet to produce one. She added that even if the resolution can be located, the question remains regarding the wisdom of having outside individuals participate in the county’s hiring process.

She also questioned who serves on the committee. Zimmerlink said the only correspondence she has regarding the veteran’s liaison committee, dated March 13, 2006, lists Burd, White, Smith and Dale E. Coughenour as members.

Regarding Ken White’s role in the hiring process,

Moore said prior to the interviews he discussed the White situation with Burd and made it clear that Ken White could not be a part of the process.

“I don’t think (Ken White) wanted to (participate) anyway because it was just understood he could not participate in any way, shape or form,” Moore said.

Moore said Rosemary White was the most-qualified person for the position, and the only woman who was interviewed. He said she served for 29 years with the U.S. Coast Guard.

If she is hired, Rosemary White will replace Don Seroka, who resigned last month after about 14 months in the position. During his tenure, Seroka took over the veteran’s transportation and hired an additional employee in the office, making the office complement the director, the secretary and a veteran’s affairs representative.

Seroka, who called the salary a joke when he resigned, was the fourth director in less than a year. The others also complained about the low pay.

When the next veteran’s director is hired, it will be at an annual salary of $28,431 annually, Moore said.

Seroka previously said although the official number of veterans in the county is listed at 14,700, it might be closer to 16,500.