Deputy Town Clerk Lynette Eastman has probably forgotten more about town government “than any of us will ever know,” Alna Second Selectman Doug Baston said Wednesday night, Sept. 2 as the board, via Zoom, named the former Woolwich town administrator Alna’s acting town clerk.

According to Wiscasset Newspaper files, Eastman retired from the Woolwich job in 2017 after 10 years, and returned to it near the end of 2017 as the interim one when her successor, Suzette Cloutier, resigned.

Alna selectmen have three town clerk candidates so far and plan interviews Sept. 9, First Selectman Melissa Spinney said. 

For now, Eastman and Deputy Town Clerk Linda Verney expect to keep the same office hours as when Liz Brown was clerk, selectmen said. Sept. 2 was Brown’s last day in her job of three years. That night – with her at the town office, offscreen, and Baston and Third Selectman Greg Shute seated onscreen in the same room as Brown, and all in masks, and Spinney, back from medical leave, onscreen alone in another room there  – all three board members and later resident Jeff Philbrick praised Brown.

Shute recalled Brown’s help when he joined the board. “She really held my hand a lot of the time, showing me the ropes around the office and always anticipating what was coming next ... She always did it in a really understanding way.”

Baston said Brown will be an assistant town clerk for Washburn in Aroostook County, where she and husband Butch are moving. “As much as we’re going to miss them, I’m really envious that they’ve taken this (move) on at this point in life. I think it’s a great thing,” Baston said.

“Is she crying in there,” Spinney asked. “She’s blushing a little,” Baston answered as Shute laughed. Spinney said they will greatly miss Brown. In public comment later, Philbrick thanked Brown for always being very friendly and helpful.

Reached by phone the next morning, Brown said all the comments in the meeting were humbling. “It’s sad to be leaving such a great group of people, both townspeople and the people I worked with here ... just very kind people. I’ll miss them very much.”