Franco Carucci is bringing his experience as project manager and a member of Climate Smart Gardiner to the Gardiner town board.

Town board members appointed Carucci at the May meeting. Carucci is filling the seat left by Micheal Reynolds, who informed the board he was moving to New Paltz on March 11.

As a member of Climate Smart Gardiner, Carucci would bring his expertise in environmental issues to the table. He led or co-led several projects with Climate Smart, including a community solar project in which he procured a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and helped bring clean-energy options and education to Gardiner residents.

Carucci and his wife, Rebecca, also recently completed the Riverkeeper Sweep, in which volunteers picked up trash along the Wallkill River, and Trees for Tribs, in which volunteers planted trees along a tributary of the Wallkill.

Carucci has a dual B.S in Biochemistry from Upsala College in East Orange, NJ and B.S. in Medical Technology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ in Newark, NJ.

Carucci has worked for Siemens Healthcare for almost 20 years, originally as an Operations Manager and currently as a Project Manager with a focus on management of high impact projects, process improvement and efficiency, and change management.

Carucci said his experience as project manager has taught him how to bring many different people working on many different levels together.

“As a Project Manager, I often must work with many groups that do not directly report to me,” Carucci said. “Some might find this challenging, however I see it as an opportunity to understand other’s viewpoints and work towards common goals for the betterment of the project and the community.”

This is a valuable skill for the town board, in which members must work with different departments and people and consider multiple viewpoints.

“I pride myself on being a good listener and will focus on the concerns and goals of all residents of Gardiner,” Carucci said.

Carucci is also a founding member of Move Forward New York, a citizen action group of over 2,000 members committed to promoting social justice, preserving civil rights, and ensuring environmental conservation by encouraging participation in the political process through education, collaboration, and activism.

He heads Move Forward New York’s environmental action committee, which recently completed another bi-annual adopt-a-highway cleanup on NYS Route 208 in Gardiner.

Town Supervisor Marybeth Majestic said she is pleased to have a young person to the town board who can bring a fresh perspective. She is also impressed by his commitment to Climate Smart Gardiner.

Carucci will serve until the term expires on Dec. 31. He said he is planning to run for the position in the end of year elections; if he is elected his new term would begin Jan. 1 2020 and event Dec. 31 2023.

Majestic said the board appreciates the volunteer service John Friedle, the other applicant, gave on the town planning board, open space commission and assessment review board.