To the editor:
Rockport's Town Hall supervisory positions are not "learner" apprentice jobs.
Although many of us who have served on boards and committees for the town have had years of experience in small businesses or large corporations, we soon realize that state and town laws, rules and procedures are a substantial distance from the real world.
This is particularly true for the town clerk's position, a prime contact with various state agencies for municipal affairs that carry great punitive powers for failure to uphold the rigorous reporting schedules and need for accuracy.
Simply put, one does not assume the supervision of an operating, finely tuned structure without knowledge of the intricacies of hands-on, day-to-day responsibility.
Just two people, the town clerk and an assistant town clerk, staff the office. These are complementary positions with separate duties, where both are expected to handle the workload of routine tasks.
The greater responsibility for periodic events, such as recording town meetings and elections, fall on the Town Clerk.
Pat Brown is a seasoned trooper. A longtime Rockport resident, Pat has previously served as assistant to the town administrator and as assistant town clerk. She was appointed acting town clerk by the Board of Selectmen upon longtime Town Clerk Fred Frithsen's retirement in 2011.
It is obvious that she is the best qualified candidate.
Pat has a teacher's degree and is well-versed in computer systems and the current Town Hall software systems.
Her tenure as the acting clerk has been a complete success, continuing and improving services to the public, while saving the town money and critical time by introducing new systems.
A vote for Pat Brown is a vote for continued quality services from the Rockport town clerk's office.
John M. Krenn
Rockport
