Yorktown town comptroller Joan Goldberg, who has served the town for the last 16 years, will begin a new job as the first-ever town administrator of North Castle later next month.
North Castle town board members officially made the appointment Tuesday morning, North Castle Supervisor Howard Arden's office confirmed to Patch. The announcement comes three months after the majority of Yorktown town board members in May.
The town administrator job is a new one for North Castle, according meeting minutes from its Town Board. A task force was assembled for the process, according to the minutes, which included former New Castle Town Administrator Jerry Faiella.
With Goldberg's hiring, North Castle is just the third town in Westchester County to have such as position, according to a story in The Examiner, with New Castle and the Town of Mamaroneck being the others.
"I wasn't looking to leave Yorktown," said Goldberg, a Mahopac resident. "I enjoyed everything we've accomplished, I enjoyed the people and I still enjoy working in Yorktown."
When the majority of town board members passed a resolution on May 15 to ask for her resignation, Goldberg applied for the position of town comptroller, a position which had been vacant in North Castle for a few months, she said. She was later considered for the town administrator position.
"The vast majorities of those duties I have already performed for a number of years," Goldberg said. "Now I get the official recognition of the title and the proper salary."
Goldberg, 47, currently makes $110,000 in Yorktown and her new salary as North Castle's town administrator will be $135,000, not including benefits.
Back in May, Yorktown supervisor Michael Grace said Goldberg was not re-appointed when the new board took office in January and it was part of a procedure to ask Goldberg to resign because he wanted to interview other candidates for the position. Goldberg remained active in her position of town comptroller while town board member interviewed about eight candidates, including Goldberg.
"It's been a position that has been the focus of a lot of attention over the years," Yorktown supervisor Michael Grace told Patch in May, referring to last year's that criticized town practices. "It's prudent to look at what our options are for the position."
Following the board's decision to call for her resignation, Goldberg said she was "shocked" at the decision at first and expected there would have been a conversation with her prior the decision. However, she said she "welcomed" the opportunity to tell the board of her accomplishments over the years.
But after the two rounds of candidate interviews in Yorktown were over and no decision was being made, she had two private conversations with Grace about where they stand. He could not give her an answer, she said.
"It's an opportunity for me," Goldberg said of her new job. "It's exciting. As much as I love Yorktown, this is something I have to do for me."
Yorktown Councilman Nick Bianco, who opposed the resolution asking for her resignation in May, said Goldberg was the most qualified person out of everyone who was interviewed for the Yorktown comptroller position. But he said he was not surprised she had applied for another job. Bianco called Goldberg a "financially smart" person who kept Yorktown's finances in order and the town in good shape.
Goldberg holds a Bachelor's Degree in accounting from Iona College and a Master's Degree in public administration from Merrick College.
Once she begins work in North Castle, Goldberg will help town officials with an upcoming state comptroller's audit of the town's finances. As far as her 16 years in Yorktown, Goldberg said she has had a "wonderful time" and had enjoyed working with everyone—town officials, employees and residents.
"I'd like to think I've been the face of openness in Yorktown," she said. "I want to thank the residents of Yorktown because that's who I work for. I've enjoyed my 16 years and I hope it's been to their benefit."
Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our newsletter
