Virkler pick for county position
LOWVILLE — Lowville's village administrator has been recommended to serve as Lewis County's economic development director.
The county's legislative Economic Development Committee on Wednesday selected Eric J. Virkler as its top candidate for the position. The full Legislature will vote on the matter at its meeting Tuesday.
"It was the committee's opinion that we should give the job to the local guy," said committee Chairman Richard C. Lucas, R-Barnes Corners.
"I think it's a little bit of a professional step up and an opportunity I didn't think I could ignore," Mr. Virkler said.
The legislative committee a couple of weeks ago chose not to appoint Warren S. Rosenthal permanently to the position he had held provisionally — contingent on passing a Civil Service exam — since February 2008.
Mr. Rosenthal and Mr. Virkler both took the exam recently and passed with identical scores, Mr. Lucas said.
Although Mr. Rosenthal didn't do a terrible job during his time here, he "didn't show the desire to move to the community full-time," while Mr. Virkler has already established those roots, Mr. Lucas said.
Mr. Rosenthal rented an apartment here, but his family remained in Lake George during his tenure. The former director said that was partly because of his provisional employment status, meaning he could be fired at any time.
The committee did consider seeking applicants for the job again but ultimately decided to go with Mr. Virkler, Mr. Lucas said.
While the village administrator has never worked solely in economic development, he was "equally qualified" to Mr. Rosenthal in terms of the exam and has successfully applied for several grants, including a $1.13 million federal grant to help create a pedestrian and bicycle trail in the village, he said.
Village trustees in December voted to discontinue the $1.4 million project, citing concerns that cost overruns would be borne by village taxpayers. County officials, including Mr. Rosenthal, suggested they could complete the project with little or no local cash outlay by having county employees plan, manage and do some of the construction work.
While county officials have no immediate plans to pick up the project, it could be revisited at a later date, Mr. Lucas said.
Mr. Rosenthal earned an annual salary of $68,250, while Mr. Virkler's village salary is $48,700.
"This all happened very quickly," Mr. Virkler said. "I had no intentions to stop working for the village. I really enjoy this position, and I didn't think I was going to be leaving."
The village administrator said he took the exam primarily out of curiosity and to have his name on the list if Mr. Rosenthal eventually moved on.
"I've taken three or four Civil Service exams," he said.
Mr. Virkler said he's developed a strong interest in economic development over the past several years, both through his job and board positions. He now serves as a board member for the Lewis County Empire Zone, Lewis County Development Corp. and Lewis County Opportunities Inc. and is a former member and president of the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce board.
Mr. Virkler was appointed as the village's first administrator — also encompassing clerk and treasurer duties — in January 2005 after serving nearly three years on the village Board of Trustees.
The village native graduated from Syracuse University in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in accounting, then worked for accounting firms in San Diego and Syracuse before serving as assistant controller and controller for a pair of Syracuse companies. He returned here in 1997 to take a job as chief financial officer at Lewis County General Hospital, then joined the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network as a financial representative in May 2003. He also is an amateur triathlete.
Mr. Virkler and his wife, Heidi VanZandt, reside on Summit Avenue and own and operate Sunnycrest Flowers on East State Street.
