Town Clerk - Nancy Robinson              Office Hours are Monday-Thursday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.     Phone #  802-672-3334 x1   Fax #  802-672-5395     email: clerk@bridgewatervt.org     Mailing address - 45 Southgate Loop, Bridgewater, VT 05034

In many Vermont municipalities the municipal clerk is the most visible elected official and as such is expected to be informed about all aspects of town business from animals to zoning.  The municipal clerk is required by law to be the receiver and recorder of the town archives.   Municipal clerks are responsible for recording and preserving the town's public records which includes such diverse documents as land records, minutes, permits, plats, vital records, licenses and election and tax information. Proceedings of the annual and special town meetings are recorded and filed by the municipal clerk.

While many of the municipal clerk's duties and responsibilities are clearly defined in state statutes, others are a result of custom, such as receiving telephone inquiries dealing with anything from dog complaints to landfill hours.

A municipal clerk is chosen from the legally qualified voters of a town at the annual meeting on the first Tuesday in March.  In towns not using the Australian ballot system, the municipal clerk need not be elected by paper ballot as is required for some officers. The municipal clerk can be voted in by voice, a show of hands or by dividing the house.  The Bridgewater Clerk is voted into office for a three year term.  There are no state statutes mandating the office hours of a Vermont municipal clerk.  The clerk, therefore, has the authority to set these hours which are usually determined by the amount of work to be done.

A municipal clerk, whether of a town, city or village is a voting member of the board of civil authority and the board of abatement and is the clerk of the board.  The municipal clerk is also an ex officio notary public.