Julia Hansen has been appointed as the Acting Town Clerk and Tax Collector in the Town of Gardiner to replace longtime clerk Michelle Mosher, who retired at the end of 2022.

Hansen’s appointment was formalized at the board’s January 10 meeting.

Since there are still three years left on Mosher’s original four-year term, Hansen will have to run in this November’s election if she wants to retain the job.

Hansen has served as Deputy Town Clerk under Mosher since 2019.

Hansen is the daughter of past Gardiner Town Board member Barney Hansen.

Hansen will be paid an annual salary of $48,000.

During town board discussions about the 2023 budget, Mosher unsuccessfully lobbied for an 8.75 percent raise as she approached the end of her 26th year in office.

The board denied Mosher’s request, instead offering a 5.0 percent raise on top of her annual salary of $63,581.

Shortly after being turned down for the larger pay increase, Mosher announced her retirement.

Though the board was unwilling to grant the pay raise, it voted to name the town meeting room in Mosher’s honor before she left.

In other news, the board voted unanimously to allow Supervisor Marybeth Majestic to sign a three-year memorandum of agreement with the town’s United Public Service Employees Union.

Majestic said the proposed salary increases for the town’s Highway Department employees will be 7.0 percent in 2023, 3.75 percent in 2024 and 3.75 percent in 2025.

Majestic said ongoing discussions about the Awosting Club will be held at a special meeting at 7 p.m. on January 17.

Majestic reported that the town received 2022 payments for sales and mortgage taxes that exceeded the town’s 2022 anticipated budget revenues by $212,960. She said the funds would go into the town’s unexpended fund balance.

“These are unanticipated positive things that affect our fund balance,” Majestic said. “We don’t have a crystal ball, so it’s kind of beyond our control. It’s good news for our finances.”

Majestic said an ice skating rink will again be open to the public at Majestic Park once it’s cold enough for ice to form.

“The weather has been less than cooperative,” she said. “We just ask that while we wait for the cold weather that people respect the fragility of the temporary construction and stay off of it.”

Michael MacElhiney was reappointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals. He was approved by a 5-0 vote to serve a five-term term through 2027.

The board approved a change in the schedule for the town’s transfer station. The station is currently open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

The board added Thursday to the schedule with the same daily hours.

“In our 2023 budget, we budgeted for the transfer station to be open for a fourth day,” Majestic said. “Our transfer station attendant has requested that we add Thursday.”

Majestic said adding Thursday simplifies the schedule for staff and residents.

“We have been all over the place with our scheduling,” Majestic said. “Now we’ll be open Wednesday through Saturday. It’s also a nice schedule for the employees to have a few days off in a row.”

The board approved the change in schedule with a 5-0 vote.

Joan Parker was approved to replace Michael Hartner as chair of the town’s Environmental Conservation Commission (ECC).

Parker was appointed by a vote of 4-1 with Town Board member Carol Richman casting the lone negative vote.