Marion appoints new town clerk

MARION — With the recommendation of Town Administrator James McGrail, Marion Selectmen appointed Elizabeth Magauran as the new full-time town clerk on Friday morning, Sept. 20.

Magauran was previously the assistant town clerk, and took over as temporary town clerk on Sept. 3, following Ray Pickles’ resignation. 

McGrail added that not much will really change for Magauran, as she has been fulfilling Pickles’ duties for as long as he has been town administrator since May.

Pickles is currently facing a criminal lawsuit for larceny, and a civil suit for embezzlement for allegedly stealing money from the Carver Marion Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District, of which he was the executive director for 45 years.

Pickles made no reference to the charges against him in his resignation letter, and cited declining health as his reason for leaving.

Pickles was elected as Town Clerk, but voters stripped the position of its pay and  changed it to an appointed position at the May 2019 Town Meeting.

On Friday, Sept. 20 McGrail recommended that Magauran take over as a non-union full-time town clerk. Her former position as a unionized assistant town clerk has not been filled at this time.

McGrail said that he has already started negotiating a job description and salary for Magauran’s position, and that her appointment is in the best interest of the town and its employees.

In an interview on Monday, Sept. 23, Maguaran told Sippican Week that she felt honored to be appointed as full-time clerk, and that “people have been very congratulatory... I think they’re happy to have a presence in the ofice.”

Maguaran used to split her time between her assistant clerk position, and working with the Conservation Commission evenly at 20 hours each week for both roles.

In her new role, she said that she will have more time to work on long term projects like the Fall Town Meeting in October and the 2020 election.

Maguaran also said that she attended a Massachusetts Town Clerks Associaton meeting in Springfield for clerks from all 351 cities and towns in the state to help gain certification from the organization and improve her skills as Town Clerk.

She added that she attends similar educational meetings about twice a year, and that it is a “matter of hours” to complete her certification.

“My goal is to continue to provide the best service that I can to the town,” Maguaran said.