BERNE — Anita Clayton said that she has the necessary experience to serve as town clerk. A Democrat, she is running on the Democratic line.

Clayton, 61, has lived in Berne for the last 33 years. She grew up in Delmar before moving to the area. She originally worked as a legal secretary for a law office, and also helped manage her family’s local chain of salons, known as John’s Beauty Salon.

“We loved the country and the rural aspect of the town,” she said.

Clayton has completed one four-year term as town clerk. Prior to that, she served for eight years as deputy town clerk as well as the clerk for the town’s planning board, zoning board of appeals, and the building department. She is a member of town clerks associations’ for the state, Albany County, and Schoharie County.

“I really like the job,” she said. “I’ve met so many great people.”

She said she enjoys being able to work with people and learn how the town’s government functions. Her tasks include managing human resources, handling employees’ files, record-keeping, and keeping vital statistics. She has also attended conferences and state training, she said.

“I have a lot of experience; I have a lot of training,” she said “This is not a job you can just step into without any type of background whatsoever.”

She added that she still faces challenges while working as town clerk, but that she has the knowledge to know where to look to find a solution. Additionally she has to be available to present marriage licenses and death certificates. Death certificates in particular mean she has to be on call.

“The town clerk is not unlike a gatekeeper to the town,” she said.

Should she be re-elected, Clayton said that she would like to continue working on managing the town’s records, possibly arranging a larger system to store the records, as well as continuing to streamline the town’s payroll system and update its retirement system, she said.

Clayton also keeps a record of comments from those who visit Switzkill Farm, and said she would like to see further improvements at the town-owned property.

“The residents love it; it’s beautiful,” she said. “It could just be utilized so much.

Clayton is paid $41,937 annually as town clerk, according to minutes of the town’s 2017 organizational meeting.

“I think that the salary is very comparable to the job,” said Clayton.

Her office hours were set before she was elected town clerk, she said, and she noted that they are approved by the town board. She is available Monday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, about 30 hours in total.

Outside of the hours she is available in the town hall, she also attends town board meetings and town board work meetings, issues certificates, drops off money to the bank once it reaches a certain amount, and picks up items needed by the town. Clayton said that she works a full-time job as town clerk and is also on call 24/7 in case she is needed for something like a death certificate.

“I do a lot of things outside of those hours when I sit at that office,” she said.

Clayton concluded that she feels she has the education and experience to continue serving in this role.

“I have a rapport with the town residents that I have really worked hard to establish,” she said. “And I would like to be their town clerk for the next four years.”