Augusta hires Waterville’s city clerk

Waterville City Clerk and Registrar of Voters Patty Dubois testifies May 1, 2019, during a hearing on voter eligibility before the Waterville Voter Registration Appeals board in Waterville. Morning Sentinel file

Augusta has hired Waterville’s city clerk — filling a key vacant position in Augusta while creating one in Waterville.

Patti Dubois, who is in her second stint as city clerk in Waterville and has also filled the same role in Bangor, is expected to start her new job as Augusta’s city clerk on June 8.

Augusta City Manager William Bridgeo said Dubois comes with extensive experience and a reputation as one of the most capable municipal clerks in Maine. He said while Augusta was without a clerk, city staff working to fill her role would often go to her for advice and guidance. He said increases in the city’s pay scales last year meant to help Augusta attract and keep quality workers was instrumental in being able to recruit her away from Waterville.

Due to her depth of experience, Bridgeo said, Dubois will start at the top of the city’s pay scale for city clerk, treasurer and tax collector, at $94,000 per year.

In Waterville, Dubois is currently paid $78,000 a year and was slated to go up to $82,000 annually on July 1, according to Waterville City Manager Mike Roy.

“The city of Augusta is getting one of the best clerks in Maine; she’s been terrific in Waterville,” Roy said. “Waterville is going to miss Patti Dubois. We’re very sad but I’m also glad for her.

“It’s certainly a good jump in compensation, and she deserves that,” he added. “Augusta’s offer was just too strong, and I’m glad she’s able to advance herself economically and professionally, too.”

Dubois, a Winslow resident who has two grown daughters, said the tax collector role of the Augusta job will be new to her. The challenge of that new role was part of what interested her in the job. She also said the increased pay was a factor, too.

“Ultimately I’m starting to plan for my retirement and an increase in pay will make for a more comfortable retirement,” Dubois said. “And I think I could do some good things in Augusta, and make some positive changes, so I’m excited for that as well.

“I have a lot of experience with elections and I’m thinking I’ll make some improvements,” she added, “and hopefully the voters will see it’s well-organized and have a positive voting experience.”

Dubois will join Augusta a little more than a month before the July 14 state and local election, a prelude to the presidential election in November.

“We have a couple of elections coming up, including a massive presidential election in November,” Bridgeo said. “We needed to pull out all the stops to see if we could find a qualified city clerk. And we were able to entice her into coming to work for us. That’s certainly a relief.”

When it comes to elections, Roy said Dubois is a “take charge” kind of person who shows great respect for people’s voting rights. He said she takes the election process seriously, while making sure people feel welcomed and that the process is secure.

Roy said Waterville would advertise to fill the soon-to-be vacant clerk’s position and he anticipated there are people already working for the city who will be interested in the position.

Augusta has been without a city clerk since the late Barbara Geaghan left after only a few months on the job early this year. Bridgeo said he could not discuss why she left the post.

After Geaghan left, Tracy Roy, Augusta’s deputy finance director, treasurer, tax collector and city clerk, played double duty with her job and city clerk duties.

Dubois said she’ll miss Waterville.

“It was a very difficult decision to make, I’m comfortable here, it’s a great staff,” she said. “I have relationships with people here in and out of government, so it took some time to come to the decision.”

Dubois said she enjoys being a city clerk because it provides an opportunity to see all aspects of municipal government, no two days are the same and it is an interesting job.

“Hopefully people will understand I’m approachable and will do whatever I can to accommodate individual requests as long as they fall within the parameters of the law,” she said. “I treat everyone the same, my philosophy is to treat everyone equally and provide good service, and I hope the citizens of Augusta will find that acceptable.”

Dubois was city clerk in Waterville from 2001 to 2004, then left for the city clerk’s job in Bangor which she held from 2004 to 2011, before returning to Waterville in 2011.