WESTCHESTER COUNTY

Open Competitive

WESTCHESTER COUNTY
CIVIL SERVICE CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES

County Service · Westchester Medical Center ·Towns · Villages · School Districts

· Special Districts · Cities of Peekskill & Rye

Last Filing Date: 11/9/09

Date Posted: 10/13/09

JBCL: 0063

Exam #: 61-534

Exam Date: 1/9/10

DEPUTY TOWN COMPTROLLER

Towns

A NON-REFUNDABLE $25.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY. SEE APPLICATION FILING FEE STATEMENT ON LAST SECTION OF ANNOUNCEMENT.

SALARY

Varies with Jurisdiction

RESIDENCE

There are no residence requirements to participate in the examination, but preference in appointment may be given to eligibles that have been residents in the appointing jurisdiction for 30 days prior to the examination and at the effective date of appointment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and either: (a) graduation from a recognized college with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business or Public Administration or closely related field and three years of accounting* experience, one of which must have been in a supervisory or administrative capacity; or (b) graduation from a Master's program in any of the fields as in (a) above and two years of experience as stated in (a) including the one year of specialized experience, or (c) a satisfactory equivalent combination of the foregoing training and experience.

*Accounting is defined as the application of generally accepted accounting principles and knowledge in the recording, analysis, review and interpretation of financial data and its preparation, summarization and presentation in financial statements and schedules. Its function is to provide quantitative information, primarily financial in nature, about economic entities that is intended to be useful in making economic decisions and in making reasoned choices among alternative courses of action. It is not the day-to-day recording, processing, review or reconciliation of financial transactions.

Note: The number of years of experience required in the minimum qualifications is based upon the presumption of full-time employment. Part-time experience will be prorated based on a 35 hour workweek.

ONLY EXPERIENCE GAINED AFTER ATTAINING THE MINIMUM EDUCATION LEVEL INDICATED IN THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN EVALUATING EXPERIENCE.

*SPECIAL NOTE: Education beyond the secondary level must be from an institution recognized or accredited by the Board of Regents of the New York State Education Department as a post-secondary, degree-granting institution.

ALL CANDIDATES QUALIFYING BY POST HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION MUST SUBMIT AN OFFICIAL (RAISED SEAL AND SIGNED BY REGISTRAR) TRANSCRIPT (S) TO THIS OFFICE BY MARCH 9, 2010, UNLESS ALREADY ON FILE IN OUR OFFICE. IF IT IS ON FILE, PLEASE INDICATE THIS ON YOUR APPLICATION. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE REQUIRED OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A SCORE FOR THIS EXAMINATION.

NOTE: If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

DUTIES

Under the general supervision of the Town Comptroller, the incumbent of this position is responsible for employing independent judgement and initiative in the compilation of budget and financial information, and the preparation of such information for public reports. The Deputy Town Comptroller is to assist the Town Comptroller in the accounting, custody and disbursement of the municipality's funds. The duties of this class may include internal audit work and the supervision and improvement of accounting systems and procedures under the supervision of the Comptroller, who provides guidance and advice on major questions, and gives final approval to all important decisions. Supervision may be exercised over a staff of accounting and/or clerical employees. Does related work as required.

VACANCIES

The eligible list established as a result of this examination will be utilized, where appropriate, for filling any current or future vacancies in all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Westchester County Department of Human Resources.

This examination will also be given on a promotional basis on the same day, and the resulting eligible list will have preference in making appointments. If you qualify for the promotional examination, you must file a separate application for each examination.

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION

WRITTEN TEST is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. General accounting - This is a test of general accounting principles and practices used in the preparation of financial statements, the recording and reporting of financial transactions, and the use of this information in financial decision-making. Candidates will be required to demonstrate a current knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Knowledge of computerized information systems as it applies to accounting may be required.

2. General auditing - This is a test of the principles and procedures involved in substantiating or examining transactions and financial statements. It will require a knowledge of auditing techniques and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS). Knowledge of the use of computerized accounting or auditing systems as it pertains to auditing may be required. Specific questions relating to internal controls applicable to manual and computerized accounting systems may be included.

3. Governmental accounting - This is a test of accounting practices which are designed to provide financial information used in determining and forecasting the condition of governmental units, and used for monitoring governmental performance, in terms of legal, contractual and fiduciary requirements. These questions will be designed to test for knowledge of and familiarity with common governmental funds, appropriation and encumbrance accounting, accounting for revenue and expenditures and other aspects of accounting relating to the governmental sector.

4. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

5. 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.

6. Understanding and interpreting tabular material - These questions test your ability to understand, analyze, and use the internal logic of data presented in tabular form. You may be asked to perform tasks such as completing tables, drawing conclusions from them, analyzing data trends or interrelationships, and revising or combining data sets. The concepts of rate, ratio, and proportion are tested. Mathematical operations are simple, and computational speed is not a major factor in the test.

GENERAL NOTICE TO CANDIDATES FOR ALL CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS

1. The use of a quiet, hand-held, and solar or battery powered calculator is RECOMMENDED. Devices with typewriter keyboards such as computers, spell-checkers, personal digital assistants, address books, language translators, dictionaries, or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring books or other reference materials to the examination location.

2. If you are filing for any other jurisdiction’s examination(s) (i.e. New York State, New York City, another County, Yonkers, New Rochelle, White Plains, Mt. Vernon), that are being given on the same date as this examination, you are required to notify this office in writing no less than two (2) weeks prior to the examination date. Failure to provide such information may result in disqualification from one or more examinations in this series. There is NO reciprocity with New York City, and you must make a choice between the two jurisdictions.

3. Candidates who fail to receive either their admission notice or final disqualification notice by the Thursday prior to the examination are responsible for calling the Department of Human Resources (995-2117), for instructions.

4. ELIGIBLE LISTS - Lists may be established for a maximum of four years. The resulting eligible list will be used to fill appropriate vacancies as they occur in the agencies listed on the face of this announcement.

5. FOR COUNTY EMPLOYMENT - In accordance with Westchester County’s comprehensive Drug-Free Workplace Policy and Procedures, and commitment to maintain a safe, alcohol and drug- free work environment, you may be required to submit to a urinalysis and/or blood test.

6. This examination will be prepared and rated in accordance with Section 23(2) of the Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Law, rules and regulations dealing with the preparation and rating of examinations will apply to this examination.

7. Veterans and Veterans with Disabilities, who meet the criteria set forth in the Application for Examination, may be eligible for additional credits added to their earned scores if successful in examination. CREDITS MUST BE CLAIMED AT THE TIME OF FILING YOUR APPLICATION FOR EXAMINATION AND YOU MUST ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR DD214 SEPARATION PAPERS. If claiming credit as a Veteran with a disability, attach form 102. If these documents are not submitted within sixty days of filing your application, your claim will be denied. "Active duty members of the Armed Forces have the right to request veteran credits prior to discharge. If you are currently on active duty you should check the appropriate box on the application and attach a letter requesting the use of credits with documentation verifying your active duty status: i.e. copy of military ID, military orders, official documents indicating current service, etc." See our website section "Special Rights for Veterans" for details regarding the use of these credits."

8. 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 on 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.

HOW TO APPLY

APPLICATION FILING FEE

A $25.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY. THE FEE MUST ACCOMPANY YOUR APPLICATION (S) AND MUST BE RECEIVED IN OUR OFFICE AT THE ADDRESS NOTED BELOW BY THE LAST FILING DATE.

SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES WITH YOUR APPLICATION. WRITE THE EXAMINATION NUMBER (S) AND THE APPLICANT’S NAME ON THE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. CASH WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

APPLICATION FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE. IF YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM OR FAIL TO APPEAR FOR THE EXAMINATION, YOUR FEE IS NOT REFUNDED. THEREFORE, WE URGE YOU TO COMPARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS CAREFULLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION AND FILE ONLY FOR THOSE EXAMINATIONS FOR WHICH YOU ARE CLEARLY QUALIFIED.

IF YOUR APPLICATION IS RECEIVED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED FEE, IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU. SHOULD YOU WISH TO REFILE WITH THE REQUIRED FEE, YOUR APPLICATION AND THE APPROPRIATE FEES MUST BE RETURNED PRIOR TO, OR POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN, THE LAST FILING DATE. (METERED MAIL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE LAST FILING DATE.)

THE APPLICATION FILING FEE IS SUBJECT TO BEING INCREASED WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

APPLICATION FEE WAIVER: A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency. The fee may also be waived for those who are serving active military duty. Documentation proving eligibility must be submitted with each application. All claims for application fee waivers are subject to verification.

You may obtain blank application forms in person and submit completed exam application forms to the:

WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
SUITE 100, MICHAELIAN OFFICE BUILDING
148 MARTINE AVENUE
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK 10601

Completed applications MUST be postmarked NO LATER THAN THE LAST FILING DATE and must have the required application fee attached; or, if not mailed, delivered to the above address together with the required application fee attached NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. on the last filing date.

NOTE: RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION - Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the appropriate box under “Testing Accommodation” on your application. We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date.