Alna Town Clerk and Tax Collector Lisa Arsenault has resigned effective May 12. In an interview April 12 after she and selectmen discussed her resignation, Arsenault said she is leaving to help care for her ailing mother.

“I’m sad about leaving. I love this job. There’s a lot of wonderful people here in town,” Arsenault said. She’ll still live in Alna. During the board meeting, she and selectmen discussed her possibly staying on as a deputy clerk, deputy tax collector, or both.

Selectman Doug Baston said about Arsenault’s resignation, “It wasn't what we wanted, and it’s too bad.” Arsensault did a good job for the town, Second Selectman Melissa Spinney said.

Arsenault’s three-line resignation letter dated April 11 states her decision came after much consideration. In it, she states she will help the next clerk get accustomed to the office. She will keep her waitress and dining room co-manager job at Sarah’s Cafe in Wiscasset, but with that and helping her mother, doesn’t have the time to also serve as town clerk, Arsenault explained after the meeting.

Arsenault served as deputy clerk before becoming clerk a year ago. The board discussed plans to advertise the opening.

Status quo on tax collection

Fred Brewer of the Bath-based accounting firm of William H. Brewer advised selectmen against a pair of changes Baston recently suggested they explore on tax collection. A one-percent discount for early payment would cost the town more than it pays in interest on tax anticipation notes, Brewer said. And when Baston asked about semi-annual collections, Brewer said he’s never seen it work. People make the first payment and forget the second one, he said.

“Well, that solves my curiosity,” Baston said, adding he’ll drop the ideas.

Also April 12, the board continued work toward seek plowing bids, decided to seek mowing bids, unanimously re-appointed Mike Trask fire chief and revised the affidavit families of school-age children fill out to prove residency. The board took out a reference to living in town throughout the school year; it should just say throughout the year, members said. Asked what prompted the change, they said they had been looking into the possible termination of an enrollment due to a family’s school year rental and realized the affidavit’s use of “school year” might leave a loophole.

Members said they might discuss the matter with Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 Superintendent Howard Tuttle April 19. He is set to be at the fire station on Route 218 at 6 p.m. for a district budget presentation. The discussion on residency might need to move into executive session to protect student confidentiality, Baston said.