The Woolwich selectboard recently announced two staff additions at the town office: Tegan Rand of West Bath and Janelle Skillin of Wiscasset. The two women are sharing the duties of deputy town clerk and deputy tax collector and are excited to be working in town government.

Rand told Wiscasset Newspaper, Woolwich reminds her of Brandon, the small Vermont town where she grew up. “Brandon is located in the Green Mountains, about 30 minutes north of Rutland on Route 7. There are a lot of dairy farms there and you’ll often hear people say, there are more cows in town than people. Actually the population there is pretty close to Woolwich’s.”  

Rand said her first weeks behind the counter at the town office have been busy. Both she and Skillin started Jan. 5. “So far, it’s been mostly on-the-job training, learning to process motor vehicle registrations, selling dog licenses and getting comfortable with the computer software  A few days ago, I did my first marriage license  That was exciting!” Kim Dalton, town administrator/town clerk, along with tax collector Candace Conrad, are providing the day-to-day training. Next month, the two new staff members will be in Augusta for a day-long training session offered by Maine Municipal Association.

“I’m looking forward to the vital records training – recording births, deaths and marriages,” said Rand, who majored in history.  She earned a bachelor of arts degree at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire.

“My husband Alex and I enjoy living in West Bath. Unfortunately his commute to work is much longer than mine. He’s a brewer at Sebago Brewing Company located in Gorham,” continued Rand.  She, too, has experience in Maine’s micro-brewing beer industry. "I work part-time as a server at the Maine Beer Company in Freeport.”  Rand and her husband have no children, but do have four feisty cats – Milo, Juno, Archie and Opal. 

For Skillin, working in Woolwich is a bit of a homecoming. “I have a lot of family living here in town. What’s funny is the very first customers I waited on were my relatives Phil and Patty Skillin. They’d come into together to register Phil’s new pickup truck. Everyone has been very supportive and patient to Tegan and me knowing we’re still learning the many responsibilities that go along with being both a town clerk and tax collector.” 

Skillin has a good deal of office experience, coming to Woolwich from Chewonki in Wiscasset. She was assistant to the human resources director, and front desk manager. She also has a combined seven years of secretarial and administrative experience in public education that included working in the superintendent’s office of Wiscasset School Department. Skillin's son Jack is a fifth grader at Wiscasset Elementary School. He plays soccer, basketball and baseball. Janelle Skillin and her significant other, Kasey Benson, reside on Birch Point Road. Benson is a landscaper by trade, who plows snow in the off season. This winter has kept him pretty busy. The family has two cats, Tux, who has black and white markings like a tuxedo, and a Maine coon cat named Timber, a birthday gift to Janelle from Kasey.

Skillin's mother, Sue Varney, who resides in Lincoln, had a long career in Wiscasset town government, serving as tax assessor, HR director, administrative secretary and acting town manager. “It was Mom who saw the MMA posting for this job and encouraged me to apply. She was pretty excited when I told her I had been hired and proud that I was following in her footsteps by going into town government,” Skillin added. “There’s a lot to learn and remember but I’m really enjoying it here and look forward to meeting more of the townspeople.” 

Rand and Skillin are working at the town office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.