Complete Maine city pressured to shut after its solely clerk quits over denied vacation

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 trip a couple of month and a half in the past. Her plea was denied by the board of selectmen. They claimed that nobody was out there to step in for her.

She left on April 7. The city has had no one to register vehicles, keep crucial data, or communicate with the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The place of town clerk isn’t the one essential opening in Passadumkeag. The city of 356 people also lacks a code enforcement officer, an assessor, an animal management officer, and a college administration official, based on The Bangor Daily Information.

The city workplace shut down to in-person guests till further notice, in line with a statement sent out on April 19.

“The Treasurer might be in a few days every week to accept payments on issues resembling taxes,” the statement learn. “Please call the office before heading out to do any enterprise right here as there are no designated hours of operation now.”

Treasurer Barbara Boyer has apparently been coming into the office to collect tax payments. Nonetheless, 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 city will have the ability to fill the vacant positions and reopen for enterprise. In March, city residents rejected a budget article meant to fund city operations after city officials did not adequately explain the reasoning for a proposed wage improve. The finances article additionally didn't embrace 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 as a consequence of financial uncertainties. It is usually as a result of city’s small inhabitants, and the municipal roles being solely part-time. Ms Bouchard was only contracted to work 16 hours each week — though she stated she often worked more — and was paid simply $13,500 per yr.

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

“I do believe in time with the team we now have, we are going to get Passadumkeag back in order and looking good, however it will take a bit and is going to be a problem for positive.”

In the intervening time, the people of Passadumkeag are relying on selectmen and different municipalities to carry out basic governmental duties. It contains getting registering their cars in the close by municipality of Howland.