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

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

Christen Bouchard was the town clerk in Passadumkeag, Maine, since 2020. She requested a two-week vacation a couple of month and a half in the past. Her plea was denied by the board of selectmen. They claimed that nobody was obtainable to step in for her.

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

The place of town clerk isn’t the one necessary opening in Passadumkeag. The town of 356 folks additionally lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal control officer, and a college administration official, according to The Bangor Each day News.

The town office shut down to in-person guests until further discover, based on an announcement sent out on April 19.

“The Treasurer will be in a couple of days per week to accept payments on things such as taxes,” the statement read. “Please name the office earlier than heading out to do any enterprise here as there are not any designated hours of operation now.”

Treasurer Barbara Boyer has apparently been coming into the workplace to collect tax payments. Still, she is reportedly unable to register automobiles, do building inspections, conduct animal welfare checks, or undertake most of the other tasks that Ms. Bouchard was accountable for.

It’s unclear when the town will be capable to fill the vacant positions and reopen for business. In March, city residents rejected a price range article meant to fund city operations after town officials didn't adequately clarify the reasoning for a proposed wage enhance. The funds article additionally didn't embody funding for a code enforcement officer, a necessity under Maine regulation.

Town officers stated that they're discovering it troublesome to fill the open posts as a consequence of financial uncertainties. It's also because of the city’s small inhabitants, and the municipal roles being only part-time. Ms Bouchard was solely contracted to work 16 hours every week — although she said she often labored extra — and was paid simply $13,500 per year.

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

“I do believe in time with the workforce we have now, we are going to get Passadumkeag again so as and searching good, however it'll 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 carry out fundamental governmental tasks. It contains getting registering their cars in the nearby municipality of Howland.