EASTON, Pa. – Northampton County Council interviewed candidates for a temporary stint as county controller Wednesday afternoon, setting the stage for an appointment Thursday night.
- Four people submitted their names for a temporary appointment as Northampton County controller
- Council will appoint one of them to a five-month temporary term in the office, expiring in early January
- The appointment fills the vacancy left by controller Richard ‘Bucky’ Szulborski’s death last month
The temporary appointment fills the gap left after the death of county Controller Richard ‘Bucky’ Szulborski late last month.
Council’s appointee will serve from Friday, July 21, through early January, when the winner of November’s controller election begins their term. Council members John Cusick, a Republican, and Tara Zrinski, a Democrat, will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot after winning their respective party primaries in May.
Four people stepped up to be considered Wednesday: Altynay Kanatbekoff, Nurit Baron, Scott Parsons and Nadeem Qayyum.
Kanatbekoff is currently an auditor in the controller’s office. She told council Wednesday that Szulborski encouraged her to run for the office while he was controller, but that she couldn’t make a four-year commitment because of her husband’s active-duty service in the Army.
The roughly five-month appointment is just right for her, Kanatbekoff said, and her experience in the office will allow her to make the transition to the next controller as smooth as possible.
“We need a smooth transition for the new controller to come, and I feel I could do that because I do know the job very well,” she said.
Parsons is a former county councilman, and also previously served as deputy director of the county's public works department.
He, too, said that his experience in county government is an asset to create a smooth transition to the next elected controller, whomever that may be. Parsons told council the fact it’s a short appointment is also a benefit, because he is now retired.
“It’s going to take somebody three weeks to a month just to figure out the phone system,” he said. “I'm just looking to make a smooth transition.”
If county council cannot reach a majority for a particular candidate, council solicitor Christopher Spadoni said, the courts will decide who receives the appointment.
Baron worked in the private sector, most recently as a “senior business analyst,” she said. She went on to describe analytical and communication skills she developed over her career, and said they would make her successful as controller.
She also previously worked as treasurer for Commissioner Tara Zrinski’s campaign for county council, and works as the judge of elections for her voting precinct.
“I felt this was a small little opportunity to give back and to serve,” Baron told council. “I feel I can do my best… and prepare it for the next person.”
Nadeem Qayyum ran for the controller's seat earlier this year, before being defeated by Zrinski in the Democratic primary. He is married to Taiba Sultana, a member of Easton City Council.
His pitch to council closely resembled his pitch to voters in the spring. He emphasized his transparency, accountability and competency, while also discussing his experience as a lawyer in his native Pakistan.
“I see everything objectively, and when I read something, I easily find out what is the main point,” he said. “[The] Home Rule Charter, it will describe everything, black and white.”
County council members made plans to swear in whomever they appoint after the vote at Thursday night’s meeting.
If council cannot reach a majority for a particular candidate, council solicitor Christopher Spadoni said, the courts will decide who receives the appointment.
