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

The one 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 a few month and a half in the past. Her plea was denied by the board of selectmen. They claimed that nobody was accessible to step in for her.

She left on April 7. The city has had nobody to register autos, hold essential information, or communicate with the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The place of town clerk isn’t the only essential opening in Passadumkeag. The city of 356 folks additionally lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal control officer, and a faculty administration official, based on The Bangor Daily News.

The city workplace shut right down to in-person guests till further discover, in keeping with a press release sent out on April 19.

“The Treasurer will probably be in a few days a week to just accept payments on issues such as taxes,” the assertion learn. “Please name the office earlier than heading out to do any business here as there are no designated hours of operation now.”

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

It’s unclear when the city will be capable of fill the vacant positions and reopen for enterprise. In March, town residents rejected a funds article meant to fund city operations after city officers failed to adequately explain the reasoning for a proposed wage improve. The price range article also didn't embrace funding for a code enforcement officer, a necessity below Maine regulation.

Town officers said that they are finding it troublesome to fill the open posts as a result of financial uncertainties. It's also 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 — though she mentioned she often labored more — and was paid simply $13,500 per 12 months.

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

“I do imagine in time with the team we now have, we are going to get Passadumkeag again so as and looking out good, but it can take a bit and is going to be a problem for sure.”

For the time being, the people of Passadumkeag are relying on selectmen and other municipalities to perform elementary governmental duties. It includes getting registering their automobiles in the nearby municipality of Howland.