City Of Clarksville Selects New City Clerk
Tim Stewart
During executive session following the meeting of the Clarksville Board of Aldermen
Monday, May 5, board members voted unanimously to hire Jennifer Calvin as the new city
clerk.
Calvin has been serving the City of Clarksville since she was appointed deputy city clerk
April 7. She was brought in to serve in the capacity following the resignation of the city’s
previous clerk, Pamela Smith. Smith resigned effective April 4, shortly after former City
Treasurer Jeana Thomas resigned her position effective March 14.
Clarksville Mayor Jo Anne Smiley reports a total of 14 applications were received for the
city clerk position. Smiley notes 12 of the candidates met with her in a sort of “pre-
interview” to further explore the specifics of the position.
The Board of Aldermen interviewed six individuals, and Calvin was officially selected as
the new city clerk with last Monday’s unanimous vote.
“I’m delighted to have her on board,” Smiley said. “The responsibility of the city clerk is
major. She has given us evidence in the time she has been here that she is up to the task
and I look forward to working with her.”
Smiley expressed her pleasure “to have someone here to begin the task of organizing
everything.”
“I am very excited about the challenge,” Calvin said of her new position. “I am learning new
things day to day.”
Calvin is a lifelong resident of Pike County. She was born and raised in Louisiana, and
graduated from Louisiana High School. For the last four years she has lived in Frankford
with her husband A.J., her nine-year-old son Justin, and her two-year-old daughter
Emalee.
The last two years Calvin spent at home with Emalee. For ten years prior she worked with
the Northeast Community Action Corporation (NECAC) in Bowling Green.
While at NECAC Calvin contributed to the organization’s weatherization, housing and utility
assistance programs. “I learned a lot there,” she said of her time with the nonprofit.
Calvin’s grandparents are Clarksville residents and she notes the family tie to the
Clarksville community has been of benefit to her in her duties. “That’s helped a lot,” she
said of residents’ familiarity with her grandparents.
“The people, the mayor, the aldermen, they’re all wonderful to work with,” Calvin said of
her time thus far in city hall. “There are a lot of good things to happen here.”
Along with the inherent challenges of serving as a city clerk, Calvin faces the additional
burden of overcoming the backlog of work created by the departure of the aforementioned
former city personnel, and the lack of staff to conduct the business of the city.
City officials had been receiving applications for the position of city treasurer as well as
city clerk. “At this point we’re just kind of on hold,” Smiley said of the search for a new
treasurer.
Smiley noted that city administration is currently focused on Calvin’s assimilation to her
new position. For the time being Calvin will be assuming various duties previously
assigned to the city treasurer, including the management of the Sexton Cemetery and
associated record keeping.
“It’s a big challenge,” Calvin said.
Smiley reports the city is exploring various options regarding the position of city treasurer,
and city officials are “taking it one step at a time.” In its recent audit of Clarksville, the city’s
accounting firm suggested the possibility of outsourcing certain administrative duties,
unless city officials are able to secure personnel capable of performing the requisite
duties of the treasurer position.
Smiley notes for now Calvin will continue to manage the administrative functions of the city
as she is able. City officials will continue to evaluate the situation until a permanent
solution can be developed regarding the treasurer position.
In other Clarksville news, clarification is needed regarding an issue in the Board of
Aldermen story appearing in last week’s issue. At the time last Monday’s evening was
adjourned to executive session, the board was to discuss the issue of a proposal made by
Ed Orchard to assist the city in its pursuit of a telecommunications tower.
The board later decided not to discuss the issue in closed session, and discussed the
matter after reconvening open session. Smiley promptly notified the Trib of this change
Tuesday morning following the board meeting. The issue, however, had already gone to
press for publication containing the statement that the issue was to be discussed in
executive session.
The People’s Tribune regrets the error.
Jennifer Calvin Chosen To Fill Position