Entire Maine city forced to close after its only clerk quits over denied vacation

The single 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 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 accessible to step in for her.

She left on April 7. The town has had nobody to register autos, keep crucial 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 town of 356 individuals additionally lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal management officer, and a college administration official, in response to The Bangor Day by day Information.

The town office shut right down to in-person guests until additional notice, according to an announcement sent out on April 19.

“The Treasurer will probably be in a couple of days per week to simply accept funds on issues such as taxes,” the statement read. “Please call the workplace before heading out to do any business right here as there aren't any 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 most of the other duties that Ms. Bouchard was answerable for.

It’s unclear when the city will have the ability to fill the vacant positions and reopen for business. In March, town residents rejected a price range article meant to fund town operations after city officers failed to adequately clarify the reasoning for a proposed salary improve. The price range article also did not embrace funding for a code enforcement officer, a necessity underneath Maine law.

Town officers stated that they are discovering it tough to fill the open posts on account of financial uncertainties. It is usually because of the town’s small population, and the municipal roles being only part-time. Ms Bouchard was solely contracted to work 16 hours every week — though she said she usually labored more — and was paid just $13,500 per yr.

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

“I do imagine in time with the team now we have, we'll get Passadumkeag back so as and looking out good, but it is going to take a bit and goes to be a problem for certain.”

For the time being, the people of Passadumkeag are counting on selectmen and different municipalities to perform elementary governmental duties. It consists of getting registering their automobiles within the nearby municipality of Howland.