When New York became a state, officials and employees had to be appointed to carry on the functions of the new government. People who had done favors for the party in power were given the jobs. The point was to reward the faithful; nobody paid much attention to whether appointees were qualified. This was the patronage or "spoils" system, and that's the way it went for more than a hundred years.

Misson Statement: The Clinton County Civil Service Department is responsible for providing the county with a trained, capable and motivated public work force, selected on the basis of excellence and equal opportunity. To do this, the Department administers the New York State Civil Service Law and Local Civil Service Rules as they govern the appointment, promotion and transfer of personnel.