We bid a fond farewell to our clerk of five years, Julie Casson, who wrapped up her service at the end of 2022. Julie will stay involved as chair of the Cemetery Committee, shellfish warden and member of the Shellfish Committee, and deputy EMA director. Replacing Julie is me, April Thibodeau! I live on Post Office Road with my husband Jim Wiles, and my 6-year-old son Ivan Wiles. We love the rural way of life here, and the sense of community. I look forward to serving you!

Other January updates:

Dog licenses deadline Jan. 31: The deadline to license dogs is coming right up! Per Maine law, all dogs must be licensed by 6 months of age or within 10 days of ownership. To license your dog, you will need a current rabies immunization certificate from a veterinarian. If you’ve registered your dog with us before we may have one file, and as long as it's not expired we can use that. If you have not licensed your dog with us before or if the previous rabies certificate is expired, you will need to obtain a new one from a veterinarian and bring it in. The cost for a dog license is $6 for neutered or spayed animals, and $11 otherwise. After the deadline you may still license your dog, but there will be an additional $25 late fee. Don’t delay!

Alzheimer’s presentation: The town is sponsoring a presentation and discussion on Alzheimer’s disease on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Old Town Hall. The presentation will be a helpful source of information for anyone seeking information on this disease, as well as caretakers seeking support and advice.

Westport Community Association events: Thursday, Feb. 9: Game On! Multiple tables with popular games to play or watch; Saturday, Feb. 25 is Family Movie Night: Come watch family-friendly favorites on the big screen; and the association holds Mahjong Wednesdays: All Mahjong players are welcome to join a fun community game every Wednesday at noon at the Town Office, 6 Fowles Point Road.

Please see the Town of Westport Island webpage for more information on meetings and services, and follow us on Facebook. To be added to an email list for these updates, email townclerk@westportisland.us

As always, you can find us at 6 Fowles Point Road on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and call us at 882-8477 or email us anytime.