MONTAGUE — Carolyn Olsen remembers when Town Hall welcomed its first computers, around the time she began working there as the assistant town accountant.

“I first started back in January of 1987 and at that point, everything was manual,” she recalled. “We had no computers. We were just getting computers in Town Hall.”

Nearly four decades and a host of technological developments later, Olsen is retiring from her work in town government on Sept. 20. She has served as town accountant since 1999, in addition to a stint in that role from 1987 to 1991.

Olsen pointed out that the job of a town accountant has changed in the past 25 years, namely with the advent of digitized accounting. In her tenure, she’s seen how the information that is placed online allows for greater public knowledge of town finances.

When computers arrived at Town Hall, it was her responsibility to learn how to place financial information online.

“I learned the manual system, and then I actually was responsible for implementing it to our first computerized accounting system,” Olsen said.

Although Olsen does not take personal credit, she noted that in her time as town accountant, Montague has gone from having one $13,000 stabilization fund to multiple stabilization funds containing a total of roughly $4 million.

“We’ve had a few lucky breaks, and we’ve worked really hard to get the town into a financially secure and stable situation while still trying to maintain and keep up with some of the needed improvements,” Olsen said of the improved town finances.

She said the people are part of the reason she has stayed in the job for so long.

“It’s a great job and I’ve loved it,” Olsen said. “I really like the work and I have great people to work with.”

Finding a replacement

During Monday’s Selectboard meeting, it was announced that the Town Accountant Hiring Committee unanimously recommended Angelica Desroches to replace Olsen as Montague town accountant. The Selectboard unanimously voted to accept the committee’s recommendation, and a contract is expected to be negotiated with Desroches and presented for the next Selectboard meeting.

Desroches currently works as Greenfield’s city accountant and is a part-time town accountant for Leyden.

“She has a good array of experience working for municipalities of different sizes here in the valley and she has all the credentials that we need for the town accountant,” Montague Town Administrator Walter Ramsey said during Monday’s meeting. “She’s local and committed to being local. This is a good chance for her to grow her career.”

If Desroches is formally hired, Olsen said she feels confident in her successor’s ability to take on the position. Olsen plans to retire in September, leaving time for her to show her replacement the ropes in Montague.

“She’s incredibly well-qualified,” Olsen said of Desroches. “I can feel confident that all the work that I’ve put into my records is going to be properly maintained going into the future.”

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.