Lombard names Aurora man to head public works

An Aurora resident has been chosen to oversee Lombard's public works department.

Carl Goldsmith, who has been serving as Westchester's village manager, will start as the public works director in Lombard on Oct. 1.

"In addition to Lombard's long-standing tradition of professional management that I look forward to joining, there's just a strong sense of community there," Goldsmith said Friday.

The village's knack for devising creative projects is what drew him to Lombard, Goldsmith said. Construction of the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center and other recent developments along Butterfield Road impressed him.

"They are not embracing the typical 'We can't' approach," Goldsmith said. "I don't know of too many municipal governments that own a hotel; They found an innovative way to bring more revenue to the village."

Goldsmith comes to Lombard with more than a decade of experience in municipal government.

He has served as the assistant to the village manager and personnel officer for Western Springs. He then served as assistant village administrator and director of public services for Willowbrook before becoming its village administrator, a post he held for more than two years before leaving for Westchester.

Goldsmith takes over the position in Lombard for Acting Public Works Director David Gorman. Former Public Works Director Stan Rickard left in April 2004 for a post in his Michigan hometown.

Goldsmith says making the switch from Westchester's village manager to Lombard's public works director will be smooth, thanks to his experience in Willowbrook.

"It's not completely a departure because these are all things I'm vastly familiar with," he said. "The skills I've used as manager here and other positions will bode well in Lombard."

Lombard Village Manager David Hulseberg said Goldsmith was chosen from a field of more than 100 candidates.

"What impressed the village most about Carl Goldsmith is his passion for public service and his desire to enhance it," Hulseberg said. "He stood above the other candidates because he has a very strong management background. He is a recognized leader within the management profession, with high expectations of himself and others."