A Day in the Life of a Town Clerk
Primary tabs
The information contained in this article is not intended as legal advice and may no longer be accurate due to changes in the law. Consult NHMA's legal services or your municipal attorney.
It is more than people think…it is certainly more than I expected when I took the job. We do so many different things and need to be accountable to so many different people/responsibilities. DMV, Vital Records, Elections, Town Records, Dog Licenses, a friendly and professional face when a resident comes to your window or calls your number…the list goes on. I think the most important role we play as town clerks is as a town resource. Almost like a switchboard from back in the day. Sometimes that means calling another Town Clerk who has had more experience. There are so many who are willing to help, it is amazing. We preserve the past and try to be helpful in the present.
So many different people call my office with questions, and they are not always directed at me. They just need information and need some direction on where to find it. As a Town Clerk we might not always have the answer, but with some patience we can usually find it. The ability and interest to make that phone call or reach out to someone else to try and help someone is what sets us above. Especially an older resident, or someone who may not be as savvy with technology. They just want to talk to someone and get an answer, that is our job. We need to know a lot about many things and share our knowledge with our neighbors and residents. It makes the days much more pleasant knowing how valuable we can be to the people when they need us most. All they need to do is ask nicely.