CHESTERVILLE — Town Clerk Heather Wheeler turned in her keys Thursday morning and verbally resigned, leaving the Town Office closed indefinitely, Selectman Guy Iverson announced at Thursday night’s board meeting.

Representatives from the Maine Department of Motor Vehicles removed all materials related to vehicle registrations from the Town Office on Thursday afternoon, he said. 

The Town Office is closed until further notice while alternative arrangements are made for vehicle registrations, dog licenses and tax payments, he said.  For now, residents will have to go to Mexico or Augusta to register vehicles.

Iverson, who is chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said Wheeler did not give a written resignation and did not speak with the selectmen.

Wheeler was also the tax collector.

The full board voted at their regular meeting Thursday night to accept her resignation from both positions.

Resident Kathy Gregory said, “The whole town knew (Wheeler was considering resigning), except the selectmen. People have been talking about it since the first of the week.” 

Iverson said the board will post the positions. 

Selectman Tiffany Estabrook said the New Sharon Town Office is open Monday and Friday mornings, and Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Their town clerk may be willing to fill in at the Chesterville Town Office on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Wednesday mornings, she said.

“We have not spoken to her yet,” Estabrook said. 

The board will speak with nearby towns to see if their clerks can assist the town, Iverson said.

Thursday’s events were the latest in a monthslong string of resignations from town offices. In September, Selectmen Anne Lambert and David Archer quit a week after a special town meeting to use $3,500 from undesignated funds to pay IRS penalties related to payroll taxes.

Some selectmen learned after that meeting that the penalties had already been paid. Lambert said she didn’t say anything about the IRS payment at the special town meeting because the town’s attorney advised the board not to talk about it.

Lambert said she was stressed out and Archer gave no reason for his resignation.

In October, road foreman Ron Powers resigned as a result of Selectman Paul Caldwell’s “badgering,” Powers said.

Iverson said at the time that Caldwell and Powers had an argument over culverts.

Estabrook was elected to fill Archer’s seat; Tyler Jenness was chosen to replace Lambert.

In December, Caldwell resigned and the seat remains vacant.

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