Wiscasset has announced its new town clerk.
Linda Perry, formerly Waldoboro’s town clerk, will assume the position vacated by Chris Wolfe on Aug. 3, Wiscasset Administrative Assistant Kathy Onorato said.
Perry, who served as Waldoboro’s town clerk for approximately 12 years, comes to Wiscasset after a dispute with Waldoboro Town Manager Linda Jean-Briggs boiled over into a Superior Court complaint.
In January, Perry was placed on disciplinary probation by Briggs who alleged Perry violated Waldoboro’s personnel policy, exhibited a disgruntled attitude, and brought negative scrutiny to the town through dealings with the press.
Perry appealed the disciplinary action internally and Briggs denied Perry’s appeal. According to the Superior Court complaint, the dispute can be traced back to Briggs’ decision in June 2014 to assign duties previously handled by the administrative assistant to Perry.
Perry argued the additional responsibilities could not be completed in a 40-hour work week, which Briggs addressed six-months later in the letter notifying Perry she was on disciplinary probation.
The dispute between Perry and Briggs sparked a citizen’s petition led by current Waldoboro selectman Katie Wichenbach, which asked the town to discontinue the use of Briggs as Town Manager.
Perry, represented by attorney Roger Therriault, filed a Superior Court complaint against the town asking for the disciplinary action to be rescinded and evidence of the action removed from Perry’s personnel file.
Briggs has not confirmed or commented on Perry’s employment status since the Superior Court complaint. However, Waldoboro Deputy Town Clerk Eileen Dondlinger served as acting town clerk in June and was officially appointed to the position on July 1.
According to Therriault, the Superior Court complaint is still pending. Perry declined to comment at this time. Wiscasset Town Manager Marian Anderson and Briggs were unavailable for comment as of this posting.
