Mercer deputy clerk appointed, clerk to resign

By RICHARD JENKINS

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MERCER, Wis. — A deputy clerk was appointed for the town of Mercer this week, in preparation for clerk Christan Brandt’s departure from her job in March.

Brandt appointed Amber Thompson as deputy clerk, with the plan being Thompson take over Brandt’s duties for the remainder of the term after she resigns.

“Amber Thompson comes to the town of Mercer with very impressive credentials. She spent over 14 years in the title and trust industry and is very familiar with working with the public,” town chairman John Sendra said.

Brandt’s last day will be Monday.

“She has served the town admirably for at least 14 and a half years. She was always a team player, worked for the good of the community and she will be sorely missed,” Sendra said.

Brandt is leaving to take a similar job downstate. She expressed appreciation for her time in office at last week’s town board meeting.

“I’ve enjoyed my 14 years here,” she told the board.

Complicating the process is the town’s April 2 spring election, where both Brandt and Thompson appear on the ballot.

While Brandt had been running unopposed for another term, Thompson has now filed the official papers to appear as a write-in candidate in that race.

Brandt is also running against incumbent Michael Vecchonie for a seat on the Mercer Sanitary District board.

She would have to resign from either position should she win.

Thompson is also on the ballot in the town treasurer’s race, where she is trying to unseat incumbent Lin Miller.

Sendra said he has talked to Thompson and she would prefer to remain as clerk. If she is elected treasurer, Sendra said the plan is for her to resign that position and serve as clerk — either through town board appointment or winning her write-in campaign.

If Thompson resigns as treasurer, the board would also appoint a treasurer.

Sendra said he called a special closed-session town board meeting Friday to discuss the path forward.

At last week’s board meeting, Sendra raised the possibility of making the town clerk an appointed rather than elected position, giving the clerk job stability and removing the board’s constraints to fill the position if this situation happened again.

If the town pursued this change, the move would have to be approved by voters.

No action was made to move forward with the idea at the meeting.