Entire Maine city pressured to shut after its only clerk quits over denied trip

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

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

She left on April 7. The town has had no one to register autos, preserve essential records, 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 folks also lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal control officer, and a faculty administration official, in keeping with The Bangor Every day News.

The city office shut all the way down to in-person guests until further notice, based on a statement despatched out on April 19.

“The Treasurer will be in a couple of days per week to accept payments on things akin to taxes,” the statement learn. “Please call the office earlier than 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 gather tax funds. Nonetheless, she is reportedly unable to register automobiles, do constructing 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 enterprise. In March, city residents rejected a price range article meant to fund town operations after city officers didn't adequately clarify the reasoning for a proposed wage enhance. The funds article also did not include funding for a code enforcement officer, a necessity below Maine legislation.

Town officers said that they are finding it troublesome to fill the open posts due to 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 each week — although she stated she typically labored extra — and was paid simply $13,500 per 12 months.

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

“I do believe in time with the group we have, we will get Passadumkeag again so as and searching good, but it'll take a bit and is going to be a problem for certain.”

For the time being, the individuals of Passadumkeag are counting on selectmen and different municipalities to carry out elementary governmental obligations. It includes getting registering their automobiles within the nearby municipality of Howland.