BUCKLAND — When Janice Purington started as town clerk 30 years ago, the job entailed working 20 hours per week. When she wasn’t at Town Hall, she was caring for her three young children.
Now, having watched the role evolve and become increasingly complex over three decades, Purington is preparing to retire. Then, she plans to spend more time with her grandchildren and travel within the U.S.
“I just turned 72,” she said. “It’s time for me to retire.”
Elizabeth A. Cerone, who has been assistant town clerk for nearly five years, is running for Purington’s town clerk seat in the June 23 election. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall, though Purington has encouraged voting early by mail.
Ordinarily, Purington said, the town clerk appoints a part-time assistant, who fills in for the town clerk during vacations and illnesses. However, Purington said an assistant town clerk was not funded in the budget this year.
“She’s going to be without (an assistant), and I was for many years,” Purington said of Cerone, if she is elected. “(An assistant town clerk) is not something that’s absolutely mandatory. But it’s a good thing to have someone else who knows a little about your job.”
Purington, who has lived in Buckland since 1980, decided to run for town clerk at the suggestion of a fellow resident, who cited her experience doing secretarial work.
In the course of 30 years, she said the role’s hours have increased along with the job’s complexity.
“It’s totally, totally different,” Purington said. “The workload has increased tremendously. They keep adding new things, passing new laws. Election laws are much more complicated.”
In consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic, Purington encourages residents to vote early by mail to minimize the number of people physically at the polls on June 23.
To participate in early voting, residents must first complete an early voting application. Applications, which are available at bit.ly/3d1zosZ, should be sent to Buckland Town Clerk, P.O. Box 159, Buckland, MA 01338 or emailed to twnclerk@town.buckland.ma.us.
Once Purington has received your application, she will mail you a ballot. All ballots must be returned by the close of polls on June 23.
The only contested races on the ballot are for two positions on the Mohawk Trail Regional School District School Committee. There are no candidates on the ballot for constable, with a three-year term.
The positions and candidates on the ballot are:
■Moderator, one-year term — incumbent Phoebe Walker
■Selectboard, three-year term — incumbent Zachary J. Turner
■Town clerk, three-year term — Elizabeth A. Cerone
■Board of Assessors, three-year term — incumbent Pamela M. Guyette
■Board of Health, three-year term — incumbent Terry A. Estes
■Library trustee, three-year term — incumbent Marjorie Jo MacLeod
■Finance Committee, two positions with three-year terms — incumbent George Lawrence Langford and Timothy R. Gaulin
■Mohawk Trail Regional School District School Committee, three-year term — incumbent David Steven Parrella and Leah M. Phillips
■Mohawk Trail Regional School District School Committee, two-year term — incumbent Martha J. Thurber and John L. Finck
Reach Shelby Ashline at
413-772-0261, ext. 270 or
sashline@recorder.com.