ABOUT TOWN: Search for New Town Clerk Continues; Special Town Meeting in the Fall?

KELLEY ADDS ANOTHER TITLE TO HIS RESUME: Jamie Kelley, Stoughton's Director of Human Resources, has added another title to his resume.

Since the departure of Town Clerk Cheryl Mooney to Florida in early July, Kelley has served as interim town clerk. The plan was to bring back a retired Town Clerk to serve in the interim while a new clerk was found, but it didn't work out that way.

Kelley tells About Town that he has placed ads in the MMA and professional journals, and so far, has received 18 resumes from interested candidates for the town clerk position.

"We asked for people with certification or commensurate professional experience and I'm pleased with many of the candidates," Kelley said.

He said that he's hoping to set up the first round of interviews for two or three weeks from now. Then, he'd like to recommend between three and six candidates for interviews with the board of selectmen about two weeks after that. It could be two months before a new town clerk is in place.

Kelley said he has been working 65-hour weeks.

"I've been working alongside the superintendent of schools in their negotiations for contracts. All but the teacher's union has come to an agreement," he said. "The unions from the school and municipal side are now on equal footing and are negotiating from the same page. We won't have any unions complain that another union got a better deal. This is really all about trust. I am working hard to gain the trust of the unions so they know that everyone is going to get a fair deal."

Kelley added that Maureen Doherty, the town's procurement officer, is now working with the schools, as well. "Everyone is getting along. It makes things go a little smoother."

Selectmen included a small pay "bump" for Kelley in their consent agenda for the August 6 meeting.

Selectman Chairman John Anzivino said, "The temporary process [for filling the town clerk vacancy] didn't pan out. We decided to leave Mr. Kelley in the interim position. It could be for a total of four or five months. I thought we'd give him a little bump to compensate him for his work."

Kelley told me he did not seek out the increase in pay, but he appreciates it. It amounts to about $40 a week.

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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING TO BE CONSIDERED: Selectmen voted to open a Warrant for a Special Town Meeting in the fall. They made a deadline of Aug. 14 for petitioned articles and hope to close the warrant on Aug. 20. 

No date was specified for the Special Town Meeting.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY on Wednesday to Audrey Gerber Cohen, a Stoughton resident, who works for the Town of Canton's Recreation Department, and to Stoughton's Phil Connors, who turns 23. He's a recent Northeastern grad. And, on Thursday, to Stoughton's Peter Everett, Jr.