Craig Wood tapped for assessor
Although a long-time Island resident, until the past year Craig Wood has been known best here in environmental circles for his volunteer efforts helping to clear paths, trim vines and, in the past year, contribute his knowledge to the town’s Deer & Tick Committee.
He’s been considering a more public role and that opportunity opened when Assessor Quinn Karpeh announced his resignation to take a job out of town in financial services.
Mr. Wood was chosen by the Town Board last week to serve as an assessor for the remainder of 2017. He plans to run in November for the remaining two years of Mr. Karpeh’s term.
“I’ve thought about public service on the Island for the past few years,” Mr. Wood said. The opportunity to work with Assessors BJ Ianfolla and Patricia Castoldi, who have kept the assessor’s office working efficiently during one of its busiest times of the year, prompted Mr. Wood to interview for the job.
Each of the assessors will earn $29,500 through the end of 2017.
He and his wife Carrie met while they were students at Cornell University. He was pursuing a degree in landscape architecture. Ms. Wood is a Islander who introduced him to her hometown and just as quickly as fell in love with her, he said, he fell in love with her hometown.
They have lived here for 30 years and their daughter Audrey is a freshman at Shelter Island High School.
Besides Mr. Woods interest in the environment and gardening, he ran his own computer coding company for many years, opting to sell his interest to a friend with whom he started the company years ago.
His business experience has put him in line to take on the responsibilities in the assessors’ office and he’s currently focused on the assessors’ office where he, Ms. Ianfolla and Ms. Castoldi will share responsibilities, he said. He plans to run for election to his appointed office in November.
When Mr. Karpeh was elected an assessor, during his initial months in office, he shared responsibilities with the two women. But during last fall’s budget workshops, the two women announced they would be cutting back on their hours while Mr. Karpeh would be increasing his responsibilities.
Instead, with Mr. Karpeh’s resignation that took effect this month, the two veterans have had to step forward and Mr. Wood said he’s grateful for their willingness to do so.
