SHUTESBURY — An Amherst native with experience as an academic administrator at American University will be Shutesbury’s first appointed town clerk.
The Selectboard voted last week to name Calvin Elison, a 2014 graduate of the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Public Charter School, to the position. Residents at a Special Town Meeting and then via a ballot vote agreed to change the role from elected to appointed.
“This was exactly the kind of role I was looking for when I moved home, and it was just sort of serendipitous that it happened to be open at the time,” Elison said during his July 1 interview.
Elison was selected over one other finalist, Shutesbury resident Damon Herring. An exact starting date for Elison has yet to be determined.
Selectboard Chair Melissa Makepeace-O’Neil said the board had a choice between two excellent candidates, but voted for Elison, in part, due to his enthusiasm for records management.
Selectboard member James Walton said the interviews with Elison and his cover letter and resume indicate that he will be a good fit.
Elison will work 25 hours per week with a salary range up to $38,161 annually.
The idea of having the town’s chief election officer be appointed rather than elected came after Town Clerk Grace Bannasch left for an appointed full-time position in Groton last summer. Since that time, Bannasch continued to provide some assistance, though this spring the town turned to Matteo Pangallo to serve as interim town clerk and election administrator, adding to his responsibilities as the town’s land use clerk.
Though Elison grew up in Amherst, he said he spent a lot of time with his grandparents in Shutesbury. After studying international relations at American University as an undergraduate and graduate student, he interned at the U.S. Senate and then served as an academic administrator at American University. He returned to the region in December.
Elison said he brings administrative experience, and interpersonal and organizational skills. He intends to collaborate with the Selectboard and ensure transparency.
Some of his initial work will be preparing for the state primary in September.
“The priority, at least in my mind immediately, is that things on Election Day go as smoothly as they possibly can,” Elison said.
The town clerk role is about public service, he said.
“For me, I like the grit of the day-to-day work. I like being a problem solver, and I like making people’s days 5% better,” Elison said. “And this is exactly the kind of position where this is true.”
