TMCnet News
From intern to Hamburg borough managerJan 16, 2013 (Reading Eagle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Three years ago, Marisa Lenceski was a college intern gaining experience in Hamburg's borough office. Today, she is running the show, so to speak, as the new borough manager and secretary-treasurer. Lenceski, 25, took over Jan. 1, replacing Lynda Albright, who retired after nearly 40 years with Hamburg. "She is going to do a fantastic job," Albright said of Lenceski, whom she helped train. "She is going to move the borough forward." Lenceski, a Kutztown University graduate from Deer Lake, Schuylkill County, acknowledged at Albright's retirement luncheon in December that filling her mentor's shoes was going to be demanding, but that she looks forward to the challenge. "My heart is in it," Lenceski said. "When you are busy all day and productive and getting things done, it is a wonderful feeling when you get home and see everything you have done." Lenceski started with Hamburg in January 2010 as an intern working with zoning official and building inspector John Leonforte. When she completed the five-month internship, she was hired part time to bring many of the borough's records in to the modern era. "We had talked about scanning all of our older documents," Council President Martha Bertolet said. "She was very instrumental in that project and got along very well with everyone, and we saw that she was a good worker." "I have touched every piece of paper in our records," Lenceski said with a laugh. After being hired full time as the assistant zoning officer, Lenceski obtained her certification as a building code official. For the next two years, she worked alongside Leonforte. He now jokes that he trained his own boss, but adds, "She is very intelligent, very bright, very detail-oriented and energetic." In February, Albright announced she would be retiring as manager. "I was approached by council and asked if I was interested taking over for Lynda," Lenceski recalled. "So I began working with her learning the day-to-day operations." Lenceski has already set up the automated menu for the borough's phone system and was the catalyst for implementing security measures, including having a receptionist window installed rather than letting people enter the office space. Lenceski's plans include streamlining the borough office's internal operations and working diligently on budgets. Contact Anthony Orozco: 610-371-5015 or [email protected]. ___ (c)2013 the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.) Visit the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.) at readingeagle.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |