Mary Ann Silva has been Town Clerk for 18 years now and hopes to end her career after three more years. Her opponent for the position in the upcoming town elections, Loren Franklin, believes that she has the qualifications for the job.

The two personalities butted heads at Candidate's Night, an event hosted by WCTV on Thursday night, over a recent conflict.

Though many of the questions asked on the floor that night came from citizens with personal questions pertaining directly to the current Town Clerk (which Silva answered briefly and directed citizens to the office during regular hours), tensions rose toward the end of the discussion.

Franklin said she is running for the position in order to support her two sons.

"I'm trying to find a full time job that compliments my degree and my 30 years of experience," she said in her introduction.

Silva pointed out her 18 years of experience, claiming that she is "proud to to hold" the position of Town Clerk. Rather than taking time to talk about herself, she wanted to "counter some of the items that have been said about my office that have demeaned me, in my opinion, and the Clerk's office. So, I would like the opportunity to set this record straight."

Q: When asked about the requirements for becoming a notary:

Franklin: You have to be part of the Notary Association and you have to have high ethical standards as you notarize documents for residents. You do have to have some legal background so that you know what you're notarizing. You have to follow the rules and regulations and you are appointed by the governor... If you do not have a good enough reason to become a notary, you cannot become one.

Silva: I am a notary and I have been for 28 years... I was never given any legal training. In Massachusetts if you can get a practicing attorney and three upstanding citizens to sign off your application and verify that you are in good standing, you can, too, become a notary... Nothing else that she has stated did I go through.

Q: Can you speak about accountability?

Silva: One of the things that I was first elected I worried about how I would prove to the voters that I was the best candidate for the job. I would put in ten and twelve hour days five days a week. I would also began filling out a timesheet which I have done since day one. You can come into my office and you can see my files. If you don't believe the timesheet, you can pull up to town hall between 6:30 and 7 in the morning and find my car here. I put my hours in, I don't take advantage of the position, and I try my hardest to show the voters and support the voters and let them know that they picked the right person.

Franklin: My question would be: How do the voters actually know what the Town Clerk is doing? Do they know that there are different rules for the Town Clerk's office than any other over office within Town Hall? ...And who sanctioned those rules? Is it legal council? Is it Town Administrator? The Town Clerk can make their own rules because they are accountable to no one and I have believed that if the Town Clerk is responsible only to the voters, I don't think the voters would agree to letting someone go from a job because of a stomach virus.

Silva: Ladies and gentlemen, the Town Clerk must follow Mass General Law, the town charter, the town by-laws... The Town Clerk has four rules in her office: no cellphones... if you call out sick; you need to talk to your direct supervisor; you are not to be tardy: we start at 8 o'clock, I expect you to be at your desk at 8 o'clock and not sitting at your desk. I put those rules through, I checked them out with Town Council. They are not above and beyond the contract. I know the contract through and through... I don't terminate people for being ill but the contract states that when it's the three month probationary period an employee can be discharged for a reason or for no reason. Now I would hate to sit here and have to list the reasons why I made such a decision. But, if Ms Franklin would like me to, I could list the reasons.

(Audience members voiced their disapproval at this proposition.)

Closing Remarks

Franklin: I have a lot more ideas and I bring experience, the different things that I've learned, to help bring the Town Clerk's office to the 21st century.

Silva: Your Town Clerk's office has slowly joined the 21st century under the restraints of a very small budget. We do the best that we can with what we have... Unfortunately people think that it's so easy, but the state has to catch up with the 21^st century. If they're slow to do that, then that affects us... I hope that you would vote for me. I have about 18 years of experience. My 18 years of professionalism, accessibility, communication, would prove to the town that I am the best candidate for the job.