Entire Maine town pressured to shut after its solely clerk quits over denied trip

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

Christen Bouchard was the city clerk in Passadumkeag, Maine, since 2020. She requested a two-week trip about a month and a half ago. 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 no one to register automobiles, preserve crucial information, or talk with the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The place of town clerk isn’t the one important opening in Passadumkeag. The town of 356 folks also lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal management officer, and a school administration official, based on The Bangor Every day News.

The city workplace shut all the way down to in-person guests till further notice, based on a statement sent out on April 19.

“The Treasurer will probably be in a couple of days a week to accept payments on things similar to taxes,” the assertion learn. “Please name the workplace before heading out to do any business 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 autos, do building inspections, conduct animal welfare checks, or undertake many of the different duties that Ms. Bouchard was accountable for.

It’s unclear when the town will be capable of fill the vacant positions and reopen for enterprise. In March, town residents rejected a finances article meant to fund town operations after town officers did not adequately clarify the reasoning for a proposed salary increase. The finances article additionally did not embody funding for a code enforcement officer, a necessity underneath Maine law.

City officials mentioned that they're finding it tough to fill the open posts because of financial uncertainties. Additionally it is due to the town’s small population, and the municipal roles being solely part-time. Ms Bouchard was solely contracted to work 16 hours every week — although she said she usually worked extra — and was paid just $13,500 per yr.

“We have been left with a mess from years of neglect and are doing as much as we will to get our city again so as,” first selectman Brad McKechnie stated.

“I do consider in time with the staff now we have, we are going to get Passadumkeag back in order and looking out good, however it should take a bit and goes to be a challenge for sure.”

In the interim, the individuals of Passadumkeag are counting on selectmen and different municipalities to carry out fundamental governmental duties. It includes getting registering their cars within the close by municipality of Howland.