By Dan Hust
MONTICELLO — May 22, 2007 — To many, it appeared Nora Manzolillo emerged victorious from a controversial battle with former County Clerk George Cooke over alleged improprieties.
Thanks to a settlement that avoided a prolonged and potentially embarrassing court case, Cooke left office late last year, and Manzolillo was restored to her position as deputy county clerk in January.
Yesterday, in a stunning turnaround, she was fired by new County Clerk Neil Gilberg.
“I was asked to leave immediately,” said an emotional Manzolillo, reached at her Narrowsburg home barely hours after the termination.
Manzolillo felt betrayed, saying she was led to believe she’d be kept on – until Monday.
Gilberg, however, said it was a matter of creating the right working atmosphere.
“I just felt the managerial styles of Moniquka Diaz-Corley and Angel Lamboy are more in tune with mine,” he said yesterday.
Diaz-Corley, currently in charge of the county office of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), will move into Manzolillo’s seat tomorrow.
Lamboy, the chief of the Fallsburg Police Department, will assume Diaz-Corley’s current duties June 4, said Gilberg.
Fallsburg Supervisor Steve Levine said Gilberg “made a good choice” with Lamboy.
“I think Angel has been a great chief,” he said.
Levine explained that, when Lamboy leaves, the board will appoint a provisional chief likely from within the department. Board members will then seek interested candidates and pore through a list of about 17 people statewide who recently passed the state-required exam to be considered for the chief’s position.