GREENWOOD TWP — Newly hired treasurer Jill Clark took her seat at the table at Tuesday’s meeting, and at the same time, the Greenwood Town Board set the process for hiring a new township clerk, who will take over the job duties of the elected clerk in mid-March, basically a week after the township election on March 10.
The board approved the job description and salary, which are almost identical to the current elected position, with a few minor changes specifying required meetings to include the board of audit and annual meeting. Additionally, the clerk would be in charge of updating information on the township’s website, something now done by the township’s tech provider which meant that information didn’t always get up in a timely manner.
Chair Lois Roskoski had obtained information from other townships in the county to compare wages, and she noted the current township salary of $2,316 a month was comparable to townships of similar sizes. The board set the salary the same as currently, noting it was for a work schedule of 20 hours a week. This salary is similar to the clerk’s salary in Breitung Township, she said, noting that Breitung had a fire department, police department, a campground, and miles of township roads to maintain. If additional time is required, board approval will be needed and it would be paid at the rate of $27 per hour.
The township office hours will remain the same at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. It was noted the clerk works additional hours outside of the regular office hours.
The board will be advertising for the position soon, and they set interviews for Feb. 23 and 24.
The township clerk is responsible for performing administrative work to conduct the business activities of the township. This includes implementing township policies, preparation of board agendas and keeping records of all board proceedings, handling correspondence on behalf of the township. The position requires communicating and working directly with the town board and with the treasurer to make sure the clerk and treasurer financial books balance. The job requires knowledge of township ordinances, resolutions, and policies; knowledge of state laws overseeing townships; knowledge of state and county election procedures; ability to perform mathematical calculations and maintain accurate records; ability to self-supervise, compose correspondence, minutes, and reports; ability to represent the township is a professional manner; skills in operating office equipment including CTAS accounting system; ability to work irregular hours as needed; and other additional duties.
New treasurer
Clark did have a few questions and requested a few changes from the board. She noted the board needed to be signing off on a cash control statement each month, which would include the township’s checking accounts. She also asked the board to approve cashing out the current investment CDs and allowing her to research other investment options. She said she was unsure if the current investment vehicle was proper for governmental funds.
She said she would like to see the township investing in separate CDs for each fund, so it would be easier to track interest to the proper accounts.
The board noted that Clark would be out of town a couple of times this winter, due to travel scheduled before she was hired for this position. Clark asked the board to approve some additional hours for January, since she was spending time on training, and also wanted to work with the deputy treasurer, Karen Saarela, so she could assume full treasurer duties for the period of time that Clark would be gone.
The board approved up to 25 additional hours in January for the treasurer, who is paid hourly with a limit of 20 hours a month. The deputy clerk is paid hourly, as needed, and does not require board approval.
Clark would also like to see the township transition back to doing its own payroll, instead of using ADP. She said it would take a little time to transition all the information, but it could be done a little at a time to be ready to make the switch for 2027. This way, all the township information would be in their CTAS accounting system.
Township election
The March township election will be a quiet one. One person filed for each of the two open supervisor seats. Incumbent Paul Skubic filed for his seat, and Paul Thompson filed for the seat currently held by John Bassing, who chose not to run again. Thompson is the president of the Greenwood Recreation Committee and was one of the leaders of the group that worked to build and fundraiser for the new pickleball courts. Thompson ran for the open treasurer seat last March, and won that election, but the election was made moot by the fact that voters approved the move to a hired clerk and treasurer system, and he was never seated in the position.
The board appointed election judges for 2026: Kathy Lovgren (head judge), Bergetta Indihar, Sue Larson, Pat Garry, Ruth DeLuca, Nancy Eichholz, Cindy Skubic, Nancy Ralston, Kathy Sacchetti, and Shelby Karakas. Judges will be paid $18 per hour, and $20 for head judge. The absentee ballot board is Lovgren, Ralston, Indihar, and Sacchetti.
Absentee voting for the township election has not yet opened, and applications will be available on the township website, township office, or the county’s website. Clerk Debby Spicer noted that ballots must be received by election day to be counted, and reminded voters they can cast their absentee ballot in person at the township office, during office hours. She noted that mail service can be very slow, so to be sure to get applications for absentee ballots in early and then in the mail well before the election.