Jean Cataldo has worked as the receiver of taxes for 12 years. She originally ran a close but unsuccessful race for town clerk in 1999, against the Republican incumbent. After the election, Supervisor Kenneth Runion asked her if she would be interested in working in the tax office; she started as the deputy receiver of taxes, and was appointed as receiver of taxes a short time later.
“My background is very suited to a town clerk position,” Cataldo said. “I have a customer-service and a secretarial background.”

One of the main responsibilities of the clerk, she said, is to be the recording officer for the town board, and she noted that she had experience taking the minutes as the secretary for Friends Organized for Responsible Community Expansion. Another of the main clerk tasks is organizing all of the records, and, also as a secretary, she said, she was in charge of correspondence and filing for numerous years.

“Knowing that, over these past years, people are turning over their hard-earned money to pay their taxes, it’s not easy being the one to handle that,” said Cataldo. “I think the town clerk’s office is more positive things.”