New Hyde Park Bids Farewell to Building Department’s Ruth Kiernan

The Village of New Hyde Park Building Department’s Ruth Kiernan is retiring and the village board honored her on Tuesday night during their regular meeting at the village hall.

Kiernan was with the building department for the past 9 years, though she said during the meeting that she initially only planned to stay for two years.

Deputy mayor Robert Lofaro noted that Kiernan has made dramatic changes to the department, including playing a major role in having building department files now on the computer.

He also credited Kiernan with helping many people get building permits “almost immediately.”

“Your legacy will continue,” Lofaro said, adding on a personal note that he will miss Kiernan.

Lofaro added that Kiernan also helped to save the village money as she helped to make the idea of having the same person run the department of public works and building department – Tom Gannon – a feasible reality.

“We never would have been able to consider that without the right people in the Department of Public Works and Building Department,” he said.

Trustee Lawrence Montreuil, who is the liaison to the building department, said that Kiernan “always supplied me with everything I needed.”

Montreuil added that the department, on average, can get permits out in about 5 days, which is something of which both Kiernan and the village should be proud.

Kiernan’s position will be replaced but the village board said that her shoes and caliber of work and effort would be difficult to match.

In saving farewell, Kiernan said that she “loved everyone who walked through the door” of the village hall and said that if Gannon needs any help, she is available.