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Clerk Wilkinson Loves Her Town
But
Gouldsboro Still Seeks a Manager—Again
Yvonne “Eve”
Wilkinson, as town clerk, has presided as the single most familiar
face in the Gouldsboro Town Office—a place where management seems to
change frequently enough.
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The “sardine man” outside the Stinson’s Seafood plant in
Prospect Harbor is the one sign most associated with the town of
Gouldsboro. |
After 12 years in
her town clerk’s position for Hancock County’s easternmost town,
it’s little wonder that five selectmen asked Wilkinson if she would
consider stepping up to the now-vacant town manager’s role.
But Wilkinson, who
truly enjoys her clerk and tax collector duties, has agreed so far
only to serve as an interim town manager. She started on July 3 in
that role. And if the search committee needs even longer to consider
the 11 applicants for the vacancy, she will continue to help out as
needed.
“I already love
what I do with my heart and soul,” Wilkinson said.
“A part of me
thought that it gets old, having so many managers. But I really do
want to stay in this role more than anything.”
In the last dozen
years, Gouldsboro has gained a reputation for revolving doors at the
town office. Just on July 18, the town’s police chief, Guy Wycoff,
was fired. There is a final hearing by selectmen tonight, Aug. 1, to
close out that matter.
The last town
manager, Linda Pagels, left last month to become the city manager
for Calais, her hometown.
And before Pagels,
there was a succession of managers. When Wilkinson arrived as clerk
12 years ago, Sally Crowley was in charge. Wilkinson took over as
the interim manager while
Crowley’s
dismissal was settled (in favor of Crowley).
Then came Larry
Barnes for about three years, followed by Nancy Orr as an interim.
Next came Gene Conologue for about six months, followed by Orr in
the interim role again.
Lastly came Pagels,
whose two years-plus in Gouldsboro were generally gentle in relation
to the town’s relatively recent turmoils.
Wilkinson, who has
worked through it all, salutes the townspeople, who now number
1,941.
“We have an
incredible amount of community involvement with volunteers for all
boards and committees,” she said. “There are different people for
all of them.”
That reflects
Gouldsboro’s mix of villages and voices, for one thing. People can
find their own place and role, from Corea’s lobstermen to Prospect
Harbor’s newcomers from away, to Birch Harbor’s old families, to
those who work shifts at the Stinson Seafood cannery, the Schoodic
Peninsula’s largest employer.
When Wilkinson
considers the town’s varied faces—five villages, five Zip codes and
four post offices among them—she is glad to live in Gouldsboro. Her
longevity in the town office, while others have come and gone,
speaks to that.
The Wilkinsons,
including Steve and two daughters, moved from New York 25 years ago.
That’s long enough to fit in.
“Unlike some of the
town managers, who came from away, I didn’t have to try to be part
of the town,” Wilkinson said.
“I already
belonged, because having kids grow up here opens a lot of doors.
“I am not sure
anyone else in this town office has had it as easy as I have had. I
had years to get to know people in a different way. I already had so
many bonds with so many people.”
Just as any
well-appreciated town clerk should. |
