The Damariscotta Board of Selectmen approved the appointment of Michelle Cameron, of Nobleboro, to the position of deputy town clerk at its regular meeting July 9.
Cameron served as deputy clerk of Nobleboro since 2009 until the time of her new appointment in Damariscotta.
“She’s a wonderful addition to the town staff,” Damariscotta Town Manager Matt Lutkus said. “She has a wealth of experience in small town management.”
In addition to to her appointment as deputy clerk, Cameron was also appointed by the the selectmen to the positions of deputy registrar, deputy treasurer, deputy tax collector, general assistance administrator and assistant to the assessing agent.
According to Lutkus, the new full-time position was “created by combining the former part-time deputy clerk position with the part-time position left with the tax assessor moving to a contract position.”
The part-time deputy clerk position had been vacant since November 2013, according to Town Clerk Cheryl Pinkham.
Prior to the June 10 election, the board of selectmen had approved a start date for Cameron effective June 2. According to Lutkus this was done because of the payroll savings resulting from the position being vacant.
Following the election, the board of selectmen, with two newly elected members, approved all appointments proposed by Lutkus at its meeting July 9, including Cameron’s.
Pinkham said Cameron’s work as deputy registrar was invaluable during the June election. “She already knew the job. She got us through the election as smoothly as anything I’ve ever seen,” she said.
Lutkus said Cameron jumped right in and has been “eager to assist. We are delighted to have her.”
Cameron said she was born in Bath and graduated from Lincoln Academy in 1989. She married her high school sweetheart, Lewis Cameron. They have three daughters, Mikaela, who is a cadet at Maine Maritime Academy, and Haley and Samantha, who attend Lincoln Academy.
According to Cameron, she did not begin working outside the home until 2005, working several years apiece at Renys warehouse in Newcastle and as a teller and teller trainer at The First bank in Damariscotta.
In March 2009 Cameron said she began working for the town of Nobleboro as deputy clerk and deputy registrar, handling the Nobleboro-Jefferson Transfer Station billing and working the customer service counter.
Cameron said she has one final class to finish through the Maine Municipal Association before she can take the test to receive her certified clerk credentials. She received her notary commission in 2012.
According to Cameron, she loved her job as deputy clerk in Nobleboro, particularly in providing customer service.
“I found the job I’m good at,” Cameron said. “Mary Ellen Anderson, the Nobleboro town clerk, was a great person to work with.”
Cameron said she knew Pinkham in high school. When the position opened she said, “I felt that we would be a really good team together. This was the right decision and I don’t regret it.”
According to Cameron, she is already learning how to do new things on the job such as processing liquor license renewal applications and shellfish permits and learning how the Newcastle-Damariscotta interlocal agreement works.
“I like learning new things, Cameron said. “I just appreciate the opportunity to join the Damariscotta town office staff and serve the community.”
