Total Maine city compelled to close after its solely clerk quits over denied trip

The only clerk in a small Maine town 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 trip a few month and a half in the past. Her plea was denied by the board of selectmen. They claimed that no one was available to step in for her.

She left on April 7. The town has had nobody to register automobiles, maintain essential data, or talk with the state Division of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The position of city clerk isn’t the only necessary opening in Passadumkeag. The town of 356 individuals additionally lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal control officer, and a faculty administration official, in accordance with The Bangor Day by day News.

The city office shut all the way down to in-person visitors until additional notice, in keeping with a press release despatched out on April 19.

“The Treasurer shall be in a couple of days per week to simply accept funds on things akin to taxes,” the statement read. “Please name the workplace before heading out to do any business right here as there are not any designated hours of operation now.”

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

It’s unclear when the town will be able to fill the vacant positions and reopen for business. In March, town residents rejected a funds article meant to fund town operations after city officials did not adequately explain the reasoning for a proposed wage increase. The budget article also did not include funding for a code enforcement officer, a necessity beneath Maine legislation.

Town officers stated that they're discovering it troublesome to fill the open posts as a result of monetary uncertainties. It is also because of the city’s small population, and the municipal roles being only part-time. Ms Bouchard was solely contracted to work 16 hours each week — though she said she typically labored more — and was paid just $13,500 per 12 months.

“Now we have been left with a mess from years of neglect and are doing as much as we can to get our town back so as,” first selectman Brad McKechnie said.

“I do imagine in time with the team we have now, we'll get Passadumkeag again in order and looking good, but it can take a bit and goes to be a challenge for certain.”

In the meanwhile, the people of Passadumkeag are relying on selectmen and different municipalities to carry out elementary governmental duties. It consists of getting registering their automobiles within the close by municipality of Howland.