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Putnam Valley Town Clerk Carole Hughes-DiMarco to Retire After Twenty Years
by Edward Paul Greiff
 | | Carole amid the managed chaos of her office in Town Hall |
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The "First Lady" of Putnam Valley, Town Clerk Carole Hughes-DiMarco has announced her retirement, effective December 31, 2007 after twenty years of service to the Town of Putnam Valley. Her distinguished career started in 1988 as a District Clerk. From that position she served as Justice Court Clerk from 1990 to 1991, and Recreation Clerk from 1991 to 1992. With this experience behind her, and a reputation for being accurate, maintaining well organized records, and good with the public, she decided to run for the office of Town Clerk. She was elected to this position in 1992 and has been reelected several times. Along the way the additional responsibility of "Tax Receiver" was added to the job.
From 1992 to the present Carole Hughes-DiMarco has had one guiding principle that she applied to her role as Town Clerk and has been the secret of her success. Carole says that when people come to Town Hall, they don't come there because they are happy - they are usually angry about something or have a problem they want solved. "I promised myself that when I took office I would treat people the way I would expect to be treated if I were going to Town Hall. And in all the twenty years there have been only two people I haven't been able to diffuse their anger and that's because they either refused to listen or didn't want to hear what I had to say," recalls Carole.
"Most people just want someone to listen to them. If I can help them I do, if not I direct them to the appropriate person who can. The Town Clerk's office is like an information booth, it's the first stop for people. We are mainly responsible for records management; marriage licenses, birth certificates, hunting and fishing licenses, official documents from all the departments, minutes of the Board and committee meetings, freedom of information form request. . . and in addition to the Receiver of Taxes," she said.
Where Carole Hughes-DiMarco has really been the glue that holds the Putnam Valley Town government together has been her extensive knowledge and experience of the legal process required to get anything done. She said that most people don't understand the time-consuming process required to pass a Resolution, provide proper legal notification, and to conduct business under the State Association of Towns. Her prior experience as a District Clerk helped develop that understanding. Even that job has grown in complexity over the years and the incumbent District Clerk Eileen Royael now manages twelve districts in Putnam Valley.
When asked what has been the biggest change you have seen in your twenty years, Carole Hughes-DiMarco answered, "Twenty years ago there were only 3,000 year round residents in Putnam Valley. In the summer the lake communities would fill up but then come fall there was no one. Now there are 11,000 people, a Middle School and a High School."
She has learned a lot from the Town Supervisors she has worked with. Carole says that "each had their strong points and approach towards how to conduct the business of the Town. Perhaps the most popular was Carmelo Santos who seemed to know everyone and found time to attend every event and perhaps because of this he was re-elected to office three times." "Board members have four-year tenure while a Supervisor only has a two-year term. Unless they have some prior political experience they are operating under a handicap," says Ms. DiMarco. "By the time they understand the process and how to accomplish things politically, their term in office has expired. Supervisors should also have a four-year term - the same as a Town Board member," she commented.
Carole Hughes-DiMarco has two children, Robert, age 44 and Christine, age 40, and together they have provided their mother with four grandchildren. They all live in Putnam Valley and upon her retirement Carole intends to remain in Putnam Valley. She says she is not a Florida person, however if the winter gets to rough she might spend an extended vacation somewhere warm. Carole's husband, Joseph DiMarco, has owned the Tompkins Corner Deli for the past 25years.
Whoever you talk to in town has a kind word to say about Carole and after twenty years in political service and dealing with the public that's a success standard that's hard to beat.
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