Prester Named Acting Clerk; Search Continues for Permanent Replacement

According to Village President Marilyn Michelini, Montgomery should have a new village clerk by the middle of next month. But until then, the job will be in the hands of someone very familiar with it.

This week, village trustees officially named Helen Prester acting clerk. Prester has been deputy clerk since October of 1998, and according to Michelini, she handles most of the day-to-day duties of the clerk already.

Prester was appointed a year after Barbara Argo, the most recent clerk, was first elected. Argo served for 11 years, though not all in a row—she took a two-year break from 2004 to 2006, and Trustee Rob Watermann was appointed to take her place.

Argo resigned her post in January, and her last meeting was Feb. 28. According to Michelini, a promotion at her day job at Caterpillar left Argo without sufficient time to fulfill her duties as clerk.  

While Prester takes on the full responsibility of the clerk’s position—which includes taking notes at all village meetings and transcribing the minutes—Michelini is still searching for a full-time replacement.

The deadline for applications was March 11, and Michelini said she received 10. She is in the process of interviewing candidates now.

“I’m very pleased,” she said. “We had a good turnout, a lot of qualified people.

Whomever Michelini selects will step into the clerk position until the end of Argo’s current term, in April 2013.