ORANGE — A proposal to change the town clerk’s position from an elected one to an appointed one is expected to be on the Annual Town Meeting warrant. But many who spoke at an information session this week expressed their opposition to the change.
Resident Ann Reed asked Selectboard members on Wednesday to consider backing off from this plan.
“There are two positions in town that absolutely stand by democracy, two positions in town only that oversee democracy and have for 200 years in this town — those two positions are that of moderator and that of town clerk,” she said. “The mere idea that you would even consider removing democracy from the choosing of the position of town clerk is most disturbing.”
This issue was originally raised at the Orange Selectboard meeting on Dec. 2. The town clerk position has always been an elected one, but some say the residency requirement could hinder the town’s ability to find a quality town clerk, and there is always the possibility that no Orange resident runs for the job.
Longtime Town Clerk Nancy Blackmer, who has served since 1999, has said she has “mixed emotions” on the topic. “There are benefits to keeping it elected; there are benefits to making it appointed,” she said Dec. 2.
Selectboard member Alexandre Schwanz, who was not at this week’s Zoom session, appears to be the board’s lone dissenting voice on the issue.
“I don’t think it makes sense,” he said Dec. 2. “Having somebody come from outside would be a mistake. … I don’t think that’s what Orange wants. I don’t think it’s in Orange’s best interest.”
The process of switching the elected position to an appointed one would consist of the Selectboard placing an article on the Annual Town Meeting warrant to request the change. If the article fails, the process finishes. If it passes, the question is then voted on at a town election. If it passes at that time, the position changes from elected to appointed and is in place at the end of the term being held.
An elected town clerk has a three-year term.
It was explained that an appointed town clerk would be hired through a recruiting process from the town’s Human Resources Department, followed by interviews with the town administrator. The person would ultimately be hired and appointed by the Selectboard.
If the position becomes an appointed one, it is recommended the person chosen have an associate’s degree, three to five years of management experience developing and implementing guidelines, and at least five years of increasingly responsible municipal experience, including experience working with the public. Also, municipal experience with codes, statutes or bylaws would be helpful.
However, there are no training, educational or experience requirements for an elected position.
Like Reed, Orange resident and former Selectboard member Richard Sheridan said Wednesday that he has always been opposed to making an elected position an appointed one, saying it takes away the will of the people.
“And I think town clerk is one of the most important positions to keep elected,” he said. “We’ve had some great town clerks. We have a great town clerk.”
Blackmer explained the role’s intricacies at the session, noting the clerk is the custodian of all town records; the chief election officer; registrar of vital statistics; recorder of Town Meeting votes; the town census and voter registration administrator; issuer of state and town licenses, permits and certificates; and keeper of the town seal.
Blackmer said she is bound by Open Meeting Law to keep a hard copy of meeting minutes from all town boards and committees.
“Yes, maybe they should be able to be kept electronically somehow or other, but because technology changes so quickly, we are required to still keep a paper copy of everything,” she said. “That is quite cumbersome, because my vault is not big enough, so that is another whole issue that the town needs to address at some point.”
Resident and Orange Planning Board Chair Mercedes Clingerman said she simply wants the process to represent the public.
“Whoever takes the job needs to understand it is a steep learning curve and they must be committed to the community,” she said.
Like Reed and Sheridan, resident Rhonda Bartlett said she wants the town clerk position to remain an elected one.
“I’d rather have 600, 700 or 800 people decide who my town clerk is than the Board of Selectmen. The town clerk’s position needs to stay independent. And once it becomes an appointed position, they’re working for the Board of Selectmen. They’re not working for the citizens,” she said, adding that all aspects of the job are laid out in Massachusetts General Laws. “So, if you can read, you can follow the regulations. So, yeah, we have been spoiled by Nancy. However, Nancy was … an elected position, and she’s done us well, and she’s been re-elected and re-elected.
“I don’t understand why we are even having this discussion this evening,” Bartlett continued. “Please stop. Leave it the way it is.”
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.