Selectboard letter on the Town Clerk function

Princeton’s Town Clerk, Nathan Boudreau, is a thirty hour a week salaried employee who, in conjunction with Assistant Town Clerk Susan Priest, fulfills numerous State-mandated functions in Town. The Assistant Town Clerk position is four hours per week and Susan splits her time between this role and others in Town Hall. Nate joined us in December of 2020. Susan joined the team in May of 2019. Some of the most important duties and responsibilities of the Town Clerk are as follow.

Census

• The Town of Princeton is mandated by state law to conduct an annual town census in January of each year. The Annual Town Census is used to determine certain funding opportunities, receive state and federal reimbursements, establish legal residence for voting and town benefits, and aid in municipal and educational program enrollment calculations.  All residents are encouraged to fill out and send back the Annual Town Census, even if no changes are made. Non-completion of the census for two consecutive years will result in residents being removed from the voter registration records. Census information is entered into the State’s Voter Registry Information System and is public information.
   
• Based on the results of the Annual Town Census, the Office of the Town Clerk prepares the Street List which is a list of all residents above the age of 17 currently residing within Princeton. A bound version can be purchased or electronic version obtained by calling or emailing the Town Clerk
   

One interesting note about the importance locally of the town census is that the Board of Health has been using the census as one source of information for vaccination planning. In particular, they have been attempting to predict the number of people who are employed in a field which has higher priority for vaccinations (like certified nursing assistant or home health aide, for example). The Board is also looking at the number of residents aged 65-74 and 75 or over. Having correct profession information and good contact information in the census is particularly helpful during emergencies like COVID.

Elections

• Oversees polling places, election officers, and the general conduct of all elections and the citizens caucus.
• Directs preparation of ballots, polling places, voting equipment and voting lists.
• Administers campaign finance laws.
• Certifies nomination papers and initiative petitions. These petitions could be to place a warrant article on a Town Meeting warrant, to call a Special Town Meeting, or to place a question on the State ballot.
• Serves on the local Board of Registrars.
• Supervises voter registration and absentee ballots preparation/distribution
• Prepares, records and reports official election results to the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth.

In some years there may be only one election for town elected positions such as Selectboard member or Light Commissioner. In other years, there could be as many as five: state/federal primary, state/federal election, town election, annual town meeting election (perhaps to vote on debt exclusion article), and a special town meeting election (perhaps a new zoning amendment or capital purchase,). The State now allows early voting that can spread over 11 days prior to an election. This can be fairly labor intensive to administer.

Licenses

• Issues state licenses and permits: including marriage licenses and permits for raffles and bazaars.
• Issues local licenses, permits, and certifications including burial permits, business certificates, dog licenses and kennel licenses.

Local Boards and Committees

• Administers the oath of office to all elected and appointed members of local boards and committees.
• Informs, in writing, all elected and appointed officials about the State's Open Meeting and Conflict of Interest laws.
• Posts meeting notices for all Town government bodies in accordance with the Open Meeting Law, receives and follows up on complaints of violations of the Open Meeting Law.

Recording and certification of all official actions of the Town

• Records and Certifies Town Meeting legislation and appropriations.
• Certifies all notes for borrowing.
• Keeps the Town Seal (used for attesting papers and documents issued by the Town).
• Records state tax liens filings.
• Receives and records all ZBA applications and Planning Board hearing requests. Records the decisions of the hearings or certifies the board’s failure to act.

Public Records

• Provides access to public records to comply with Massachusetts General Law.
• Certifies copies of all town records.
• Registers all vital events (births, deaths and marriages) occurring within the community and those events occurring elsewhere to local residents.
• Records and preserves original birth, marriage, and death records providing the basis for the Commonwealth's central vital registration system.
• Provides input to the Massachusetts central vital registration system.
• Provides certified copies of vital records. Conducts or assists with genealogical research for members of the public.
• Responsible for maintenance, disposition, and preservation of municipal archival records and materials.
• Maintains records of adopted municipal codes, general bylaws and zoning bylaws, resignations, appointments, petitions, publications, budgets, election results, town meeting minutes and financial statements, primarily for records access intent.
• Submits general bylaws and zoning bylaws to Attorney General for approval. Publishes the approvals when received.
• Maintains the Annual List of Residents.

Public Information Officer

• Responds to inquiries from the general public, frequently serving as facilitator with other departments, providing knowledge and assistance in a fair and impartial manner to all the residents.
• Sends out information on town-wide news and Nextdoor when the public needs to be informed of upcoming events, road closings, etc. 
• Website administrator