The Board of Commissioners for the city Parking Authority appointed the agency's finance chief as acting executive director Tuesday, rejecting a costly proposal to name a New Bruns-wick lawyer to the post.

Judy Fulton will serve as the authority's acting director until commissioners hire a permanent replacement for Anthony Scarduzio, who is expected to resign at the end of this month under a buyout agreement.

Scarduzio came under scrutiny this year for his close ties to vendors who do business with the authority. He has acknowledged he received gifts from vendors, including two trips, and that he earned a commission from a long-distance company that provides phone service to the authority.

The authority has been under investigation by the state Attorney General's Office since at least November, when it was ordered to turn over thousands of financial documents.

Fulton's appointment came as a shock even to her. A contract to hire attorney Leonard Bier already had been drawn up and presented to the commissioners.

After an hourlong closed session, however, the board voted 4-0 to appoint Fulton to the position.

"I did not expect this," Fulton said later.

Fulton started working for the authority 16 years ago as a bookkeeper. She has worked as director of operations in addition to serving as the finance director. She also served as acting executive director for three months in 1999 when Scarduzio was on sick leave.

Fulton currently earns $60,000 annually. Her salary as acting executive director is still under negotiation.

Bier is the attorney for the New Brunswick Parking Authority as well as for the New Jersey Parking Authority Association.

He served as interim executive director for the Camden agency in 1996, when it was under state oversight, and has worked in the public parking field for 22 years.

Under the proposed contract, Bier would have earned $6, 000 a month. He would be required to work 48 hours a month, less than two days a week. He also would have received a $ 500 monthly expense allowance.

Bier did not return phone calls seeking comment Tuesday.

The authority could not justify "going out of house" to hire an interim director, said Commissioner William Jenkins.

"I told them we weren't going to have Lenny Bier come down here for two days a week for that kind of money," Jenkins said.

Fulton said she will work to restore the community's trust in the authority.

"I want everyone to know what we're doing," Fulton said. "This is a public agency, and we want to keep it that way."