LEYDEN — Following the resignation of its town clerk, Leyden has enlisted help from Northfield to get through next week’s primary and November’s general election.

The Selectboard officially appointed Northfield Town Clerk Dan Campbell and Assistant Town Clerk Amanda Lynch as temporary town clerks this week. Lynch will take on the majority of the role’s responsibilities, such as maintaining birth and death certificates, while Campbell will help train Lynch and provide other services as needed.

“They can get us through both elections and they can do the vital statistics as needed,” said Municipal Assistant Michele Giarusso at Monday’s Selectboard meeting.

The town will pay Lynch $27.50 per hour to do typical town clerk services, while compensation for Campbell will be worked out at a later date. Office hours are being finalized, too.

Leyden was left with an open town clerk position last week when Gilda Galvis resigned, citing a “toxic” work environment.

Speaking by phone Thursday, Giarusso said Lynch and Campbell are working diligently to prepare the town for Tuesday’s state primary, while also processing early voting ballots.

“We are working as fast as we can for Tuesday,” Giarusso said. “We’ll be in good shape.”

For now, the Selectboard has appointed Lynch and Campbell to work through Nov. 8’s general election. Any additional work for Lynch or Campbell beyond the election, Giarusso added, is “up to the selectmen.”

In June, Town Meeting voters approved an article changing the town clerk position from an elected role to an appointed one, but that change will not go into effect until 2024 because Galvis was elected to a three-year term in 2021.

Because of this, Giarusso said the town can appoint a temporary town clerk to serve Leyden after the November election, but that position cannot be made permanent until the next town election.

“Even though Town Meeting passed it, it’s got to go on the ballot,” Giarusso said.

Early voting is available at the Town Offices on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. The town website asks any urgent town clerk requests be directed to Giarusso by calling 413-774-4111, ext. 1.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.