BOWEN

HAY

RICHMOND — They’ve worked together for just over five years under the direction of Town Clerk Mary Morgan.

Now, with Morgan’s announced departure, Helena M. Bowen, deputy town clerk, and Tracy Nelson Hay, deputy registrar and assistant clerk, are hoping to become Richmond’s next town clerk, an elective position with a two-year term, who essentially runs the town.

(Under Richmond’s form of government, the town clerk oversees the town’s day-to-day operations and responds directly to the part-time, five-member Town Council, the de facto town executive.

(The proposed Home Rule Charter, up for a vote on Nov. 4, calls for the clerk and council members’ elected terms to be extended to four years, and to create a position of town administrator. Those changes, if approved, would take effect in 2012.)

Bowen and Hay face off Tuesday in a Democratic primary. The winner will face Republican Paul H. Michaud on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Morgan, 63, has served in the office for 20 years, taking over as town clerk in June 2003 when Patricia Valliere stepped down.

Bowen, the current deputy, was hired as a clerk in September 2002 and appointed deputy in June 2003. As deputy town clerk, Bowen fills in for Morgan in her absence.

Over the years, Bowen has also worked in the treasurer’s office — stepping in when the office was vacant to help with paying the town’s bills and payroll. She also served as the clerk for the planning and zoning boards, and now volunteers with the Information Technology Committee.

Hay joined the clerk’s office in July 2003. As deputy registrar she handles the elections along with Morgan and also serves as the clerk of the Home Rule Charter Commission.

“My biggest asset,” Hay says, “is the election.

“She [Bowen] is not familiar with [elections] at all,” she adds, “and that is a large part of the town clerk’s responsibility.”

Bowen says she’s the one with the most experience, having worked in various positions in Town Hall.

“And I trained Tracy,” she says.

If elected, Bowen says she will focus on streamlining operations in Town Hall and increasing inter-departmental communication with an eye to cost reductions.

Hays, meanwhile, says she would focus on improving communications and reducing the staff turnover.

Hay has been endorsed by the Democratic Town Committee.

marmenta@projo.com