Big problems in a little town!
They say never to put all of your eggs into one basket. It's good advice. Put another way: Don't put every single municipal responsibility on one single person and then refuse to let her take a siesta after working her butt off for two years:
Christen Bouchard's first duty as Passadumkeag town clerk was to oversee the Nov. 3, 2020, election, for which she received three days of training. She had been on the job for two months.
By the time she resigned last month, she was also the deputy treasurer and in charge of licensing pets, registering vehicles, maintaining vital records and liaising with the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for the town of Passadumkeag.
Bouchard submitted her resignation April 7 when the board of selectmen refused to let her take a two-week vacation because there wouldn't be anyone to take over during her temporary absence, she said.
How's that for comical irony? They wouldn't let her take a "temporary absence" so she made her absence permanent and just went ahead and walked out.
Meanwhile, the town can literally do pretty much nothing—nothing at all:
Her resignation means that the town of Passadumkeag, located about 30 miles north of Bangor, has effectively shut down until further notice, because it does not have a town clerk, code enforcement officer, assessor or animal control officer. One of two School Administrative Unit 31 board of director seats for Passadumkeag is also vacant.
Yeah not good. They probably should've planned better for this.
However, I know what you're thinking, and I can assure you that the absolute most vital function the town could perform is still in service:
Jana Spencer, the chair of the board of selectmen, is handling concealed weapons permits for Passadumkeag residents, he said.
WHEW!
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