Introducing Amanda Gotto

Amanda Gotto was clear, going in, that interim supervisor of New Paltz was going to be more than a full-time job — at least at first. There are important tasks that might get easier with time, such as reviewing vouchers for payment, but the town’s new head honcho is also spending a lot of time getting to know the people that keep the government running — what they do, how they do it and what challenges they face. Gotto spent a lot of the first weeks since being appointed meeting various employees and learning about those paid positions; the focus now is turning to attending meetings of the many volunteer boards and committees. Navigating introductions and a learning curve has kept the new interim supervisor on the job for long hours, but Gotto has not felt alone. 

“I’ve had to delegate,” Gotto said. “It’s a whole board” pitching in, and “everybody wants to do the work.” Even as Julie Seyfert-Lillis, Esi Lewis and Kitty Brown have rolled up their sleeves, Gotto has also felt very supported by the municipal employees themselves, some of whom have been at the job since before the turn of the century. “We say good morning and goodbye, and talk about weekend activities like upcoming weddings,” Gotto said. The new supervisor had graciously made time for an interview, an introduction to the many town residents who may not be familiar with their new local leader, as Gotto hasn’t yet had to stand for an election to any office. 

Gotto may have not rushed to run for office, but that doesn’t mean that civic engagement is unfamiliar. As it happens, there’s a long history of being involved. “My mom used to pull me in a wagon while getting petitions signed” for elective office, the new supervisor recalls. Since moving to New Paltz a score of years ago, Gotto has been deeply involved in a variety of municipal projects and boards, including the town’s planning board and the climate-smart communities task force. Throughout that time, Gotto has demonstrated a willingness to take the time to review materials, ask questions and keep on task until a job is complete, using a methodical approach to tackle jobs large and small. “It’s important to be part of your community,” Gotto said of those who volunteer in such ways. “These people care, and they can get burned out. There is important work to be done.” 

Taking on the town supervisor’s job is never easy. Two factors that can help make it smoother are to receive formal training on how to do the job, and to participate in a cooperative transition. As an interim supervisor appointed in the middle of the year, Gotto will not have access to a formal training session immediately. However, Gotto reports that Neil Bettez, the prior supervisor, spent “at least five hours” going over the many ongoing projects which are being managed at this time. Municipal projects can easily take much longer than any one supervisor’s time in office to complete, and being given a cooperative transition can reduce the complexity of taking over this multi-pronged job. 

Meeting with construction managers for the Henry W. Dubois bicycle lanes was one of Gotto’s first official tasks; that project was proposed in its present form only after the Empire State Trail was announced, but improving safety for non-motorized users of that road has been considered for no fewer than 20 years. With a long career in the corporate world, Gotto has experience with project management, saying: “You need to be flexible to our issue, you have to stop on top of things, and follow up. That keeps mole hills from becoming mountains.” In keeping with using what works, Gotto stays on top of things by jotting down follow-up dates in a notebook. 

Managing this job is also constrained by political reality. “I may be out of a job in December,” Gotto acknowledges. It’s true that this appointment is only through the end of the year, and also that candidates for the November election have not yet been selected; this is due to the timing of Bettez’s resignation in relation to election deadlines. Gotto is seeking the Democratic nomination, which will be made in a committee meeting in the coming weeks. 

One job that the interim supervisor will definitely have to tackle is the budget. Despite there being a comptroller, state law puts the ultimate responsibility on the supervisor’s shoulders. Town taxes have been rising fast in recent years, but voters haven’t removed an incumbent supervisor since Susan Zimet replaced Toni Hokanson in 2011. Gotto’s plan is to convene a budget task force, comprised of board members and municipal employees, and to go through the current budget line by line to understand all the functions that cost tax dollars to fund. “It’s easy to blame, without understanding,” Gotto said. “I want this process to be transparent. We have union contracts with pay increases and expenses that never go down. I want to understand.” Part of that understanding will come from further shadowing employees in the finance department; the supervisor lauded how well they watch the money. This is reflected in a long history of audits with excellent results. 

Gotto also must take up the installation of solar panels on the justice center and at the site of the old town landfill. The justice center project “could end up net zero” thanks to many trees being removed from that location for security reasons. 

Even though it’s uncertain how long voters will allow Gotto to serve, the interim supervisor is aware that trying to move some other projects forward can generate momentum. Increasing the diversity of hires in town government is one of those, but it’s somewhat hampered. For civil service jobs, the hiring pool is limited to those who took and scored well on the appropriate test. For appointments, it’s limited by those who apply. In both cases, greater and more consistent outreach could eventually expand the hiring choices. 

Gotto also wants to continue the work of Bettez on securing a permanent town hall again. The prior supervisor focused on creating the justice center, as that addressed both the leasing cost for a police headquarters and the maintenance issues at the courthouse. That space on Plattekill Avenue is now a potential location for a new town hall, but it might not be the only one. Using that methodical approach, Gotto wants to update the list of needs created early in Bettez’s tenure, as a springboard for deciding on next steps. 

All told, Gotto feels that New Paltz has “problems that are envied,” such as the impact of tourist visits to the community. “It’s a special place. We have vast natural resources. It’s a small college town with a rural environment. That’s why I moved here.” 

Gotto is married, and reports that for spouse John, “the worst fear was a government appointment.” It’s been a big transition, but there is an understanding in the Gotto household that “it’s important to contribute what we can.” Council members determined that what Gotto can contribute is what’s needed to do the complicated job of supervising a town government. Concerned about the state of government at the federal level, Gotto feels that attending to this local job has an impact. “It trickles down, and up. It’s important for people who care to get in there, and do the work. I can do it. I have the time, and energy, and focus.”