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    Op-Ed
    Tuesday, November 05, 2024

    Stonington deserves more than just residency requirement

    The town of Stonington will have charter revision questions on the Nov. 5 ballot.

    Having worked in the town clerk’s office for 39 years, I know firsthand the responsibilities and duties of the clerk’s office and the very long learning curve of such. Unlike many offices, the office of the Town Clerk does not just deal with one subject. From the recording of land records, issuing marriage, dog and sporting licenses, administering elections and referenda, issuing absentee ballots to Stonington electors and military both in the country and overseas, to managing all vital records, posting and filing agendas and minutes for boards and commissions, and so much more to list, the position of town clerk is essential to the town.

    The full-time position of town clerk is currently an elected one and the only requirement of the job is that of residency in the town of Stonington, with knowledge of the responsibilities and duties not always questioned. An elected official does not have to account for their time in office on a daily basis and could conceivably come and go as they please, while still maintaining a full salary.

    Since July 1963, we have only had four town clerks, a true testament to commitment and dedication. For over 45 years the successors to the town clerks were qualified assistants who worked their way up through the ranks, gaining years of experience. I am retiring in the near future and there is no one in my office who is a qualified resident to run for town clerk in 2025.

    Since becoming town clerk, I have been seeking to get the charter opened to allow the electors an opportunity to voice their opinion on whether the town clerk should be hired rather than elected. To be fair, it is important that this be proposed on a November ballot, rather than by a referendum, where voter turnout is low, and it needs to be determined before my term ends in January 2026.

    Upon approval, Question No. 2 on the ballot would eliminate the position of town clerk as elected and replace it with the selection through a hiring process, not an appointment by the First Selectman, based on experience and a resume, thereby opening potentially qualified applicants beyond the limits of Stonington as well as within. It takes two and a half years to become a Certified Town Clerk, assuming one passes the very detailed, difficult exam, and four years to complete an election cycle.

    Over the years, more and more towns across the state are changing to hired town clerks rather than elected. The time has come where the electors of Stonington have to realize how much experience counts and make the right choice. I encourage you to vote YES on the ballot to Question No. 2. The town of Stonington deserves more than just a residency requirement. Copies of the text explaining all the questions on the ballot are available in the Stonington Town Clerk’s office and on the town’s website.

    Sally Birchell Duplice

    Stonington

    Editor’s note: The writer is Stonington Town Clerk.

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