South Bristol Town Office Welcomes New Hires, Launches Website

The South Bristol town office is fully staffed for the first time in four years after South Bristol Select Board members voted to appoint two applicants for the remaining open municipal positions at its Thursday, Nov. 30 meeting. Board members also announced the launch of the town’s new website.

Jill Barbera, of South Bristol, was appointed to the position of town clerk, and Margaret Mormen, also of South Bristol, to the position of administrative assistant.

Previously of California, Barbera has been a resident of South Bristol for the past two years and brings 30 years of accounting and retail experience to the position.

“I’m very excited to be working with the town,” Barbera said.

She fills her spare time playing the ukulele with the Skidompha Strummers, a ukulele ensemble located in Damariscotta.

Mormen retired to South Bristol in 2018, moving from southern Maine, after a 30-year career in higher education administration at the University of New England, but has been visiting her parents’ home in Christmas Cove most of her life.

“I’m excited,” Mormen said. “Since I retired I realized it wasn’t time.”

She is also a potter, running her pottery business, Sand Cove Pottery.

The positions were previously held by Audrey Prior, who served as treasurer and tax collector, resigning Oct. 17, and town clerk Brenda Bartlett, who resigned Nov. 9.

Select board member Adam Rice said the town office has had two employees fulfill the duties of three positions since October 2019, but with the appointment of Barbera and Mormen, and Sandy MacPhee to tax collector and treasurer at the board’s Nov. 17 meeting, the office will be running a three-person, three-position staff.

Barbera will also be deputized as a tax collector, which will give the office additional flexibility to accommodate when an employee takes time off.

In the past, according to Bruce Farrin Jr., when the office only had two employees, if someone took a personal day, it was shut down because they needed more than one person in the building.

Now, between the three new hires, their cross training of positions, and the addition of the security camera system installed in September, the office will be able to remain open more frequently. Farrin Jr. said camera system aids in keeping the office open by providing the additional security that is important if only one employee is working.

“We’re excited to have everyone,” said South Bristol Select Board member Robert Clifford.

The town office has been supported by surrounding towns during its search for new employees, with training, and general support during the transition, according to Clifford.

“They’ve been tremendous, especially Bremen,” Clifford said.

Going forward, Clifford said a lot of work awaits the new staff, between the upcoming town and education budget, but that he believes the town, and the select board, are in a good position to succeed.

In other news, the town’s new website went live Thursday, Nov. 16, according to Rice.

Jeff Casey, a local computer technician and website designer, and the select board have been working on the site since April, with the hopes to build a more efficient, approachable platform.

The new town website, sbristolme.gov, is still a work in progress, according to Rice, but the board is excited about the launch.

“It’s still a growing thing but it is much more efficient than what we had,” Rice said.

The town’s previous website, townofsouthbristol.com, is no longer active. Town officials and employees will also be receiving new Microsoft Outlook emails, according to Rice, in the coming weeks. Previously, the town was using MagicMail, an older email server platform.

The select board’s next scheduled meeting is 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7 at the town office.