The finance director since Conrad took office in April 2007, Paul has been an active member of the four-person economic development "team" alongside Bailey, City Attorney Erik Peck and former Community Development Director Dudley Onderdunk, who resigned in mid-January.

In her new role as City Administrator, Paul will continue to oversee the Finance and Economic Development departments, the latter of which will involve meeting with potential developers.

Although she started her career in the private industry as an auditor for Coopers & Lybrand, the 45-year-old Oak Lawn native and two-time DePaul University graduate quickly moved into municipal work nearly 20 years ago.

A graduate of Richards High School, Paul received both a bachelor of science and a masters degree in accounting from DePaul.

"I never really thought about (government work), but me and a friend were both working at the auditing company when she told me I ‘had to go for’

this job in Oak Lawn and I got it," she recalled, noting how much larger the size, employee base and budget was for the south suburb compared to Countryside.

"I was used to a town with 60,000 people and some 400 employees," noting Countryside has a much smaller population and only 65 employees to manage.

"Here you get to know everybody, whereas there if I see a cop I may not even know him."

In the interim, Assistant City Administrator Sharon Peterson will continue to manage the community development and recreation departments, if or until a replacement is named to fill the role of Onderdunk.

Not long after taking over as interim administrator one month ago, Paul said her job became more hectic than ever yet even more satisfying.

"It’s extremely busy ... and in the past three weeks alone I’ve met with six developers," she said, revealing that one "has expressed interest in purchasing" one of several parcels of land the city has to offer.

"There’s a lot of interest out there in properties," she added, noting her new administrator role is equally challenging.

"It’s a great opportunity as we’re coming into our next 50 years," she said. "As we move forward, it’s real exciting to be a part of it."

Paul will serve a one-year contract under Conrad, until the municipal elections take place again in April 2011.

Also on Feb. 24, severance agreements were approved for both Onderdunk and Bailey, who resigned due to unspecified reasons. It is not known where Bailey went, but Onderdunk left to start his own private consultant firm, said Paul.