Laura L. Lindberg will be changing offices and taking a step up at the Sykesville Town House next month.
The town secretary and receptionist has been promoted to clerk/treasurer.
Ms. Lindberg, 36, will replace Vincent J. Diffenbaugh, who is retiring from the job he has held for four years.
Her appointment becomes effective upon approval by the Town Council at its meeting Jan. 9. James L. Schumacher, town manager, said he anticipates unanimous agreement from council members.
"I feel wonderful and really excited," said Ms. Lindberg. "Filling Vince's shoes will be a challenge because he has run the whole thing as well as it could be for four years."
Mr. Diffenbaugh has delayed his retirement to the end of January and will use the additional time to train Ms. Lindberg.
"Laura will be training with Vince for about three months and taking some accounting and bookkeeping courses," said Mr. Schumacher. "She will be on probation for six months in the new job."
Ms. Lindberg also will receive training from Municipal Services Group, a Hampstead company, which has designed the town's new computer system. She plans to enroll in business courses at Carroll Community College "to bring my education up to speed."
"I have taken a lot of college level courses, but I need to bone up on accounting," she said.
As do all new municipal employees, she will remain on probation for her first six months in the new job.
A town resident, wife and mother of three daughters, Ms. Lindberg has worked at the reception desk in the Town House since September 1993. She was one of 18 applicants for the clerk/treasurer job, which pays about $23,000 annually.
"We interviewed seven and got down to a top three," said Mr. Schumacher. "Laura was always a top contender."
Ms. Lindberg will receive salary increases when she completes her training and again at the end of her probation, Mr. Schumacher said.