Learned on the job; helped educate others
Some people educate themselves on how to do a job through hands-on training in the classroom while others, like life-long Cornwall-on-Hudson resident Arlene Ruggiero, jump right into the deep end and learn as they go. When Ruggiero started working for the village 18 years ago, she didn’t know the first thing about being a clerk for the Department of Public Works, but she picked up the job quickly and her duties expanded from there. On Dec. 29, she will serve her last day and enter retirement.
“I’m over the moon about retiring,” said Ruggiero, who has been counting down the days and even does a little retirement dance when she arrives at work each morning. “I’m excited in general about retiring. I’m ready to start my brand new life.”
Ruggiero earned her two-year associate’s degree from Orange County Community College before seeking employment through a temp agency. Her first job was working out of Shop Rite’s corporate office in Florida, N.Y.
“I was fresh out of college and it was a great way to be training in accounting in an office environment. I started out as a clerk counting coupons. Stores would send them in and I would count them.”
From there she was promoted to accounts receivable supervisor with three people working underneath her. She worked for Shop Rite for 20 years before moving on to a job in the village.
“I wanted a job close to home,” Ruggiero said. “I have three children. The other two lived that corporate life – up with mom early and on the road by 6:30 a.m. It was tough. You can never find anyone that early to take care of your children. I wanted something different for my son.”
Former Department of Public Works Superintendent Bob Gilmore hired Ruggiero to serve as a part-time clerk, but after about a year she was kept on full time.
The clerk’s position came as a shock to Ruggiero who was used to the fast pace of the corporate world, but she embraced the reduced tempo and was able to sit back and enjoy the job.
To start, Ruggiero’s responsibilities entailed opening and closing building permits and answering the phone, but as the years went on, her role expanded. From there she delved into learning about planning and zoning, a job that was once done by the village clerk. She eventually became licensed as a building inspector, and has taken recertification classes for the past 10 years.
Often being the only person in the DPW garage, Ruggiero had to learn to do things on her own, like how to read a FEMA flood map in case someone called wanting to know if their home is located in the 100-year flood zone. She also became somewhat of an expert in building permits and why it’s important for residents to obtain one before embarking on a project. As she described it, she made people look like rock stars when they appeared before the Planning Board seek ing approval for a project.
When Ruggiero didn’t know the answer to a question, she wasn’t afraid to ask for help. This allowed her to better answer a resident’s question the next time around. She said some people are afraid of appearing before the board and don’t want to hire a lawyer. She helps explain the process and what they need to know in order to get approval.
“I think that’s what I’m going to miss the most, the friends and villagers I’ve met along the way.”
Ruggiero has become so familiar with village residents that they often call her just to find out what’s going on in Cornwall over the weekend. Even as she’s been training her successor over the past month, residents still ask to speak with her to answer their questions.
With less than a month to go, Ruggiero is clearly looking forward to retirement and starting the next chapter in her life. She wants to be more involved with volunteer efforts at her church – Bethlehem Presbyterian Church. Newly married, she and her husband are planning to travel more. Their first trip, to Disney World, is already planned for February. Other future destinations include Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon.
