CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town's staffing woes have continued with the departure of Select Board member Allen Arnold. 

 

Arnold submitted his resignation last weekend leaving the town with only one Select Board member, Chairwoman Danielle Luchi. 

 

Luchi said she has been in contact with town counsel and the state on keeping the town functioning through Tuesday, Dec. 7, when a special election will be held to elect a new board member. 

 

"Through the help of our legal services, we have come up with a plan to continue day-to-day operations at Town Hall," she said by email on Saturday. "This means warrants will be reviewed and signed for vendor and payroll payments. ... There will be no Select Board meetings and no big decision making from now to after the election on Dec. 7."

 

Though there is no board to meet or make decisions, Luchi said she may hold informational sessions that will be posted as a regular agenda on the town calendar. 

 

The three-member board was already down by one after Ronald Boucher, then chairman, submitted his resignation from the board on Thursday, Sept. 2.

 

His departure came after a contentious meeting about the situation in the treasurer's office that led to the town administrator walking out. She and the town agreed to a mutual separation with one year left on her three-year contract. 

 

The election will be to fill Boucher's unexpired three-year term. He was re-elected this past May and the winner of the election will serve until the annual town election in 2024.

 

Luchi said the deadline had already passed to add another seat on the ballot so Arnold cannot be replaced until the annual election next May. Arnold won a term in 2020 as a write-in candidate. 

 

The town has had a difficult year — there have been processing issues in the town treasurer's office and significant turnover in staff. Within the past 18 months, the town has had three treasurers, two accountants, three administrative assistants, three town clerks and a town administrator through a combination of resignations, job switching, interim positions and returns. 

 

Nomination papers for the Dec. 7 election are available in the town clerk's office Monday through Thursday from 8 to noon. The signatures of 25 registered voters must be submitted to the town clerk by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The last day to register to vote is by noon on Nov. 17.

 

The polls will be open from noon to 7 p.m. on Dec. 7; last day for absentee ballots is noon on Dec. 6.

 

"I encourage all Clarksburg residents to get involved with your community, take out nomination forms and register to vote," Luchi wrote. "Or just give it some good thought for the next time around."