The town of West Gardiner is holding a meeting Sunday for residents to learn about the seven candidates on the ballot for the town clerk and tax collector position.

The interim town clerk, Nancy T. O’Laughlin, said she’s never seen more than three candidates running for a position in her 35 years at the town office.

The meeting, scheduled for 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the West Gardiner Fire Department, will allow the public to find out more about the candidates and ask them questions, O’Laughlin said.

“We’ve been having so many questions that this is a chance for citizens to see who they are and talk to them, get their backgrounds,” she said.

The Town Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 22, and the town election is that morning.

O’Laughlin was appointed to the position, which includes town clerk, excise tax collector and administrator to the selectmen, in December after Heidi Peckham resigned for a job with the state. She said a reason so many are running for the three-year position could be that people without jobs want to get back to work.

The selectman are requesting residents at the Town Meeting approve paying $10,000 for the town clerk duties and $32,760 for excise tax collector and administrator to the selectmen, according to O’Laughlin. Last year the town approved paying Peckham $44,840 for the position.

The seven candidates on the ballot are Jennah K. Cunningham, Kim E. Flynn, Heather M. Hinkley, James R. Howe, Tabatha L. Hustus, Angela J. Phillis and Ann G. Plourde. O’Laughlin said none of them have worked for the town before.

Besides the town clerk position, Merton Hickey is running for re-election as selectman and no one is on the ballot for an open school board position.

Paul Koenig — 207-621-5663 pkoenig@centralmaine.com Twitter: @paul_koenig