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Town Clerk, New Canaan, CT
The Town Clerk's Office serves
as a resource for others within our community by providing direction, guidance,
information and assistance. It often provides the professional link between
residents, local governing bodies and State agencies. The Town Clerk is also the
official keeper of the Town Seal.
The Town's Charter and the Connecticut General Statutes define the Town Clerk's
duties and functions. The Town Clerk is an elected official who is responsible
for the preservation and safekeeping of the Town's official records and
documents. Deeds, mortgages, liens, assignments, survey maps, and other
instruments concerning title to land are recorded, indexed and microfilmed.
Official notices of meetings and most agendas are posted here for public
inspection. Original records, which are safeguarded in the Town Clerk's vault,
date back to 1801 when New Canaan was incorporated as a town.
The meeting records of Boards and Commissions are kept on file, Notaries Public
are sworn in, Trade Names and Military Discharges are recorded, and a number of
other permits and licenses are sold through the Town Clerk's Office.
The Town Clerk serves as the Town's Registrar of Vital Statistics and issues
birth, marriage and death certificates in addition to handling other matters
pertaining to vital records. The Town Clerk also issues dog licenses
and sponsors a low-cost rabies clinic annually at Town Hall.
As a chief election official, the Town Clerk registers new voters, is
responsible for the execution of the absentee ballot process, the execution of
referenda, and for the calling of a recanvass when a vote is close. Other
responsibilities include administering training sessions for poll workers in
conjunction with the Registrars of Voters, reporting and issuing the Town's
final election results, administering the Oath of Office to all elected and
appointed officials, and keeping the Secretary of State apprised on the status
of all Town officials.
Local candidates and political campaign committees register with the Town Clerk,
who provides information concerning Campaign Finance Guidelines to political
parties and individuals seeking public office.
People from all political parties, special interest groups, and others regularly
request information and guidance from the Town Clerk. The Town
Clerk and her staff are committed to providing that information in an impartial,
friendly, and helpful way. And if we don't know an answer, we'll do our very
best to help you find one! |