Total Maine city pressured to close after its only clerk quits over denied vacation

The only clerk in a small Maine city resigned after the board of selectmen denied her trip request.

Christen Bouchard was the town clerk in Passadumkeag, Maine, since 2020. She requested a two-week vacation a couple of month and a half ago. Her plea was denied by the board of selectmen. They claimed that no one was obtainable to step in for her.

She left on April 7. The town has had no one to register vehicles, keep essential information, or communicate with the state Division of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The place of town clerk isn’t the one necessary opening in Passadumkeag. The city of 356 people also lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal management officer, and a school administration official, in keeping with The Bangor Daily News.

The town workplace shut down to in-person visitors till additional notice, in line with an announcement sent out on April 19.

“The Treasurer will be in a couple of days every week to just accept payments on issues similar to taxes,” the assertion read. “Please call the workplace before heading out to do any enterprise here as there are not any designated hours of operation now.”

Treasurer Barbara Boyer has apparently been coming into the workplace to collect tax payments. Still, she is reportedly unable to register vehicles, do building inspections, conduct animal welfare checks, or undertake most of the other duties that Ms. Bouchard was accountable for.

It’s unclear when the town will have the ability to fill the vacant positions and reopen for enterprise. In March, town residents rejected a funds article meant to fund town operations after town officers did not adequately clarify the reasoning for a proposed salary enhance. The price range article also didn't embrace funding for a code enforcement officer, a necessity underneath Maine law.

City officials mentioned that they are discovering it tough to fill the open posts resulting from monetary uncertainties. It is also due to the town’s small inhabitants, and the municipal roles being only part-time. Ms Bouchard was only contracted to work 16 hours each week — although she stated she often worked more — and was paid just $13,500 per yr.

“We now have been left with a multitude from years of neglect and are doing as much as we can to get our city back in order,” first selectman Brad McKechnie mentioned.

“I do believe in time with the group now we have, we are going to get Passadumkeag back so as and searching good, but it's going to take a bit and goes to be a problem for sure.”

In the meanwhile, the folks of Passadumkeag are relying on selectmen and different municipalities to carry out elementary governmental responsibilities. It includes getting registering their cars in the close by municipality of Howland.