Livermore Deputy Clerk Jean Tardif, left, and Town Clerk Renda Guild next to her work at the November 2020 elections. Both are retiring Jan. 3, 2023, Administrative Assistant Aaron Miller told selectpersons Tuesday night. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser file photo
LIVERMORE — Town Clerk Renda Guild and Deputy Clerk Jean Tardif are retiring Jan. 3, 2023, Administrative Assistant Aaron Miller told selectpersons Tuesday night.
Guild is in her 25th year with the town; Tardif in her 13th year.
The town clerk is elected and by law an appointment can be made after a resignation, Miller said. A couple of applications have been received, he noted.
“I would prefer a town clerk with experience,” Miller said. The deputy clerk could be trained, he added.
Even for someone with experience using TRIO computer software and issuing hunting and fishing licenses, there are nuances on how the town runs credit cards and creates reports, he added.
At the very least, new employees should have a week with Guild and Tardif, Miller said. The clerk could be a nonresident with experience and the deputy could be a resident, he added.
Selectperson Randy Ouellette suggested giving the new employees time to build rapport with those they’ll be working with.
By consensus, selectpersons agreed that applications will be due Nov. 8 and hiring decisions made Nov. 22.
“Start day would be Dec. 19,” Selectman Brett Deyling said.
In other business, the board voted to sign a Community Resilience Partnership resolution to move forward with a $50,000 grant to install one heat pump each at the town office/fire station complex, community building and highway garage.
“The early estimates are less than $50,000,” Miller said. Three contractors have been contacted, he said.
Selectpersons also agreed to do more research on installing a streetlight at Brettuns Pond. The board is exploring options for leasing the pole from Central Maine Power or owning it.
Selectman Scott Richmond said he didn’t want to lease the pole.
“We have to get a private contractor to put the pole in, do the tree trimming,” Chairman Mark Chretien said. “We need to check the second option, see how much it will cost.”
Richmond also suggested including a town meeting on the Brettuns Pond town beach issues, along with a public hearing to review recommended changes to the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.
Last month, selectpersons considered options for handling complaints of trash, dog and human feces, broken glass and used needles at the town beach. They asked residents for their input.
In June 2018, selectpersons considered closing town beaches due to reports of a dead cat, human feces, dirty diapers and used needles at Round Pond and Brettuns Pond town beaches. In July, they agreed to install security cameras at both places. More recently they limited beach access to Brettuns Pond to residents and taxpayers.
Voters will consider the ordinance changes on Election Day, Nov. 8. A date for the public hearing has not been set.
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