7 March, 2013
Ann Click first ran for Town Clerk in May of 1997 to fill an unexpired term held by her mother, Mary Bernice Nealon. At that time, the position was part-time, but Click says within a year it became a full-time job as the personnel committee at the time realized the need for a full-time town clerk. In May of 1998, she ran again and was unopposed. And for the past 16 years, Click has remained unopposed at election time and her face and name have become, for many residents, the personification of Hopkinton’s Town Hall.
Today, as she prepares to retire, having announced in February that she will not seek re-election, Click reminisced about her years as town clerk, recalling some of the significant events along the way. With help from Water/Sewer Manager Eric Carty, creating a web page for her office in the early 2000s was a milestone that stood out.
“We were the first department to have a web page,” recalled Click. “That was a fun time, an exciting time. We were able to put forms online.”
Going from three to four precincts in 2000 was another significant and interesting event for the town clerk’s office and the one that Click says had the biggest impact, requiring new equipment for the new precinct and additional election staff workers. While not all residents can vote, each resident is counted in the 4,000 limit per precinct and with Hopkinton’s increase in population, the new precinct was required.
Throughout her years as town clerk, Click has also worked hard to preserve Hopkinton’s important town records. Through the use of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds, town articles were preserved first and Click hopes that the restoration and preservation of other vital records will continue as working with the records is one of the responsibilities she enjoyed most.
“I really enjoyed keeping the vital records in order and appropriately handled,” said Click.
But in the end, it was working with people that Click enjoyed most. And that included helping residents and the support staff she interacted with.
“I have had wonderful, wonderful staff and a great support system from the get go,” said Click. “It’s been a real pleasure to be the town clerk.”
Some that she mentioned by name were the election workers, assistant town clerks throughout the years and other town hall employees and volunteers including Linda Weatherbee, Evelyn Wood, Terry Nealon, Marge Wright and Maxine Adams. She also said she was impressed with the number and quality of Hopkinton’s volunteers and their participation in town events and named Joe Pratt, Paul Phipps and Dr. Duffy as examples of exemplary citizens.
Click was also very active in the Massachusetts Town Clerk’s Association, serving as county president and state secretary during her 16 years as Hopkinton’s town clerk and was involved with fundraising. She also completed the three year certificate program, and attended several conferences held by the association.
“The conferences were key events,” said Click. “The networking opportunities were fabulous.”
But her days of conferences at the Town Clerk’s Association are over, as Click is looking forward to spending more time with her family, enjoying her home and traveling throughout the United States. And while not officially serving the town, Click will still be involved with the community through her work with the Friends of the 300th Anniversary who are currently raising funds for the big event in 2015. So while you will no longer find her at her desk on the first floor of town hall, she’ll still be serving Hopkinton.
