Gomie Persaud leaving village

It was announced at the Village Board meeting on March 17 that Gomie Persaud, the village’s clerk, would be leaving her position with village at the end of the month.

Mayor Jim Ruzicka made the announcement, saying that the village had found a new clerk who would take over for Persaud — Constance Conroy.

“I’m really sad that [Persaud] is leaving because she’s been a great person to work with,” Ruzicka said. “And she was so good for the village. She had her heart in her job, and she did it well. But I’m also very pleased for her that she’s advancing her career.”

Persaud will be starting a new job as the clerk/treasurer for the Village of Kings Point, on the North Shore of Long Island.

“It’s bittersweet,” said Persaud. “I’ve been here a long time.” Persaud has worked in Island Park for 18 years — she started working in banking, and then began working for the village 10 years ago. She has been the village’s clerk for the last 5 years. But she felt that she just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work in

Kings Point.

“It was just a great opportunity,”

she said, “and I figured it was time to

move on.”

The clerk has myriad responsibilities. “She is actually running the village in the absence of the mayor and the board,” explained Ruzicka. The clerk is in charge of the office staff at village hall, makes sure tax notices are sent, makes sure permits are filed, oversees employee payroll and pension funds and handles all legal matters before they go to the board.

And although Persaud is leaving big shoes to fill, everyone has confidence in her replacement, even Persaud. “I think she’ll be great,” Persaud said about Conroy. “She’s a wonderful person. She’ll do fine. I have no doubt about it.”