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

The only clerk in a small Maine town 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 a few month and a half in the past. Her plea was denied by the board of selectmen. They claimed that nobody was available to step in for her.

She left on April 7. The city has had nobody to register automobiles, keep crucial records, or communicate with the state Division of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The place of town clerk isn’t the one vital opening in Passadumkeag. The city of 356 individuals also lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal management officer, and a faculty administration official, according to The Bangor Every day Information.

The town workplace shut down to in-person visitors till further discover, according to an announcement despatched out on April 19.

“The Treasurer might be in a couple of days per week to just accept payments on things resembling taxes,” the statement read. “Please call the office before heading out to do any business right here as there are no designated hours of operation now.”

Treasurer Barbara Boyer has apparently been coming into the workplace to collect tax funds. Still, she is reportedly unable to register autos, do building inspections, conduct animal welfare checks, or undertake lots of the different tasks that Ms. Bouchard was liable for.

It’s unclear when the city will be able to fill the vacant positions and reopen for enterprise. In March, town residents rejected a budget article meant to fund city operations after town officers failed to adequately explain the reasoning for a proposed salary enhance. The funds article additionally did not include funding for a code enforcement officer, a necessity underneath Maine legislation.

Town officials mentioned that they are discovering it difficult to fill the open posts resulting from financial uncertainties. It is usually due to the city’s small population, and the municipal roles being only part-time. Ms Bouchard was only contracted to work 16 hours every week — though she stated she usually labored extra — and was paid simply $13,500 per yr.

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

“I do consider in time with the workforce now we have, we are going to get Passadumkeag back so as and searching good, however it would take a bit and goes to be a problem for certain.”

In the interim, the people of Passadumkeag are counting on selectmen and different municipalities to carry out elementary governmental obligations. It includes getting registering their cars in the nearby municipality of Howland.