Department Functions of the Town Clerk

Vital Records

The primary objective of the vital records function of the Department is to obtain and preserve documentary evidence concerning birth, marriages, and deaths that is necessary to protect the rights of individuals.

Municipal clerks file vital records for events, which occur in the State of Maine. If a child is born in Maine, a copy of the birth certificate is filed in the town/city where the birth occurred and the town/city where the mother resides. A death certificate is filed in the municipality where the death occurred, and the municipality where the deceased resided. A marriage license is filed where the bride and groom applied for the license. Note: All vital records are also filed with the State of Maine Office of Vital Records in Augusta.

Birth certificates are necessary to enroll in school, apply for a driver's license, secure a passport or travel visa, participate in any athletic program, and apply for social security and other public program benefits.

Death certificates are necessary for many critical legal functions, including burial procedures and the processing of insurance benefits, estate settlement, and transfer of stock, bonds, personal property, and real estate.

Official Town Records

As Custodian of Records, the Town Clerk's Office serves as the official filing center for all Town resolutions, ordinances, contracts, minutes, and documents adopted by the Town Select Board. The Clerk handles requests for information regarding Town documents. Requests for copies of records shall be submitted in writing. Preservation of historical records is an ongoing effort of the Department.

The chief monument to the history of a town is its public archives. Preservation of archives is universally recognized as a proper and natural function of government. Public records are public property, and stewardship over records is a government responsibility vital to the public trust. The town's public records are owned by the people in the same sense that citizens own Town Hall, the parks, the streets and sidewalks, and the funds in the treasury.

The Town's archives, administered by the Town Clerk's Office, are charged by law with a special role in protecting and maintaining the recorded information of the Town of Ogunquit. Like other public assets, the Town's records are held in trust for the citizens by custodians, that is, the heads of Town departments. Once permanent records are no longer required for current business, they are submitted to the Clerk's Office for storage. Here they are protected and permanently preserved as historical, cultural, and legal assets for use by the Town government and the public.

The Town's archives are the most important municipal asset of all. Archives and records are unique and irreplaceable and document the conduct of the people's business, including the rights, privileges, and property of individual citizens. Archives help us to understand our past and open a broad range of possibilities for planning better futures for our citizens.

Select Board Meetings

The Department is responsible for the storage, reproduction, distribution, and archiving of Select Board agendas, documents, and the official meeting minutes.

Election Administration

The Clerk's Department coordinates all election procedures on the municipal level for the federal and state elections. For every federal or state election, the Department is responsible for:

Hiring and training of election workers
Coordinating the absentee ballot process
Conducting absentee voting off Town Hall premises
Testing the electronic tabulation machine to ensure proper programming
Ensuring that all state statutes regarding election administration are complied with correctly

For all municipal elections, the Department coordinates every aspect of the election process, and the Clerk is additionally responsible for:

Preparation of nomination petitions
Printing of ballots
Preparation of all "closing of the polls" paperwork regarding the final tabulation of election results and ballot security

Overall, the main objective of the election administration function is to ensure a fair and impartial election process and to secure and protect the individual rights of every Ogunquit voter.

Business Registration

The Town Clerk's Department works with the Fire, Land Use, and Police Departments to ensure the proper inspection and regulatory requirements are met prior to the Town registering certain businesses to operate in the Town of Ogunquit.

Dog License

Per State Statues, every owner of a dog six months of age or older shall license the dog with the Town Clerk's Office, if the dog resides with its owner in Ogunquit.

Hunting & Fishing Licenses

Hunting and fishing licenses for residents of Maine may be purchased at the Town Clerk's Office.

Municipal Code of Ordinances & Town Policy Manual

The Clerk's Department maintains and updates the Ogunquit Municipal Code, which serves as the laws and regulations for the Town of Ogunquit.

Other Services Available in Town Clerk's Office

Notary Services are available in the Clerk's Office. A photo ID with a signature must be presented before notarizing documents can occur. There is a $5 fee for non-residents.