Residents, council displeased with Fillmore clerk-treasurer

FILLMORE -- What started out as a simple request for a utility adjustment Thursday evening wound up being a referendum on the job performance of Fillmore Clerk-Treasurer Paul Alleyn.

Appointed in May to replace former Clerk-Treasurer Wanda Seidler, Alleyn has missed at least two town council meetings since then and, according to council members and residents, is rarely in his office at Town Hall.

A resident of South Main Street told the board she had called Town Hall more than a month ago, concerned about a possible leak.

However, the message she left was apparently never checked and the information not forwarded to Utilities Manager Joe Cash.

When the bill for July arrived, it was for $550, revealing that there was, indeed, a leak.

The resident contended that the leak would have been fixed much sooner had the message been checked and a response made in a timely manner.

Discussion of the issue set off a deluge of complaints about the service and hours at Town Hall.

"Are you paying the clerk-treasurer for a job he is not doing?" one citizen asked.

Claims ranged from checks not being cashed to calls not being returned to no one in the office at the posted times.

Aware of some of the issues, councilmen Alan Jones, Curt Leonard and Meridith Trusty have been filling in for Alleyn during what was supposed to be an adjustment period.

Jones said that Alleyn had recently started a second job that was going to require him to work days for a week or two before being switched to nights.

During this time, it was agreed that the clerk would keep evening hours before switching back to days once the second job changed to its regular schedule.

However, the period has dragged on longer than expected, and even the evening hours are not being kept, according to councilmen and citizens.

With the approval of the 2016 budget coming soon, there is growing concern among town officials about the problems.

"I think you guys are on the threshold of really messing up if nothing is done," Town Attorney Mary Russell said. "I'm concerned about your budget -- real concerned.

"I'm concerned he really doesn't know what to do or how to do it."

The council's position is unique in that Alleyn was not elected to his position, but appointed to replace Seidler. As such, the council has the right to replace him.

Council members expressed various levels of concern, with Leonard ready to move immediately to replace Alleyn, while Trusty and Jones preferred to meet with Alleyn to discuss the matter.

Russell, likewise, advised that a meeting would be appropriate.

Regardless of the ultimate decision of Alleyn, the council is considering its next option, including possibly hiring someone from out of town.

Asked if this was legal, Russell said it was, provided the position was termed a "town manager," rather than a clerk-treasurer, which is normally an elected position from within the town's population.

As of Thursday evening, no meeting had been set either to discuss the matter with Alleyn in executive session or a public meeting to make a decision on what to do next.