Carrie Jones

Jul 23, 2025

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Swan Agency Real Estate.

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MOUNT DESERT—The Town of Mount Desert, led by Town Clerk Claire Woolfolk took top prize at NEMCI & A (New England Municipal Clerk Institute and Academy) regional competition. The prize wasn’t for best budget, beautiful views, or anything like that.

It was for an interactive poster.

This, however, wasn’t just any poster. It was art created by Woolfolk via knowledge and quilt squares and it represented not just the Town of Mount Desert, but the community and the places and people who have comprised its history and some who still are.

”The assignment was for year-one students to make a poster representing ourselves and our municipality,” Woolfolk explained Tuesday. “Since I’m a quilter, I chose nine locations/points of interest and used 16 people throughout the town’s history as the cornerstones.”

When she presented the quilt-poster to the selectboard during its meeting July 21, there were ohs, ahs, and sighs of appreciation. Some board members left their seats to peer more closely at the art.

“Claire is a talented artist, as you see from the poster she created,” Town Manager Durlin Lunt said Wednesday. “She creates images in her mind before transposing them to a physical form for all to enjoy. Her preferred medium involves sewing and quilting, but she could create visual art using any materials of her choosing.”

The poster is interactive. You unclip it to expose the entire piece.

“The program is the NEMCI (New England Municipal Clerk Institute, a regional group of the six New England states of municipal clerks). The program is an intensive three-year training. Each year consists of 22 two-hour classes in six days,” Woolfolk said.

Mount Desert won first place in the regional competition, placing first out of thirty students from six New England states.

“NEMCI and other regional or national governmental professional organizations are an important component of municipal professional development. Town of Mount Desert Department Heads are always encouraged to be active in,” Lunt said. “We can learn so much from our peer groups and educate their members as well through sharing best practices. Claire enthusiastically avails herself of such opportunities.”

It’s a lot of work, which Woolfolk is used to. She’s worked in the Mount Desert clerk’s office since 2010, beginning as an assistant clerk and by 2015, she was the head clerk for the town. A town clerk makes sure that town’s records are kept and that its elections are safe and secure.

“I’ve been wanting to make a quilt for the town for years and decided to take this opportunity. It was a rewarding assignment and I learned a lot about the people who built this community and the accomplishments that make it such a special place,” Woolfolk said.

Woolfolk made the entire poster herself.

She’s quick to point out, however, “I had input from some of our residents, co-workers and the MDI Historical Society.”

The quilt features figures like Dorothy Renault and Joseph Curtis, Karol Hagberg and Stephen Smith and iconic places such as Thuya Gardens, the Somesville Bridge, and the Fish House in Otter Creek. There is extensive narrative to go along with the deftly created images.

She’ll complete the quilt for good in the future. She might change out a few blocks as well.

Photos: Shaun Farrar/Bar Harbor Story

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ABOUT NEMCI&A

The New England Municipal Clerks’ Institute & Academy (NEMCI&A) is an intensive program of continuing professional education for those in attendance. The purpose is to assist Clerks in developing and maintaining the high level of administrative expertise needed for the successful operation of increasingly complex municipal governments. Population changes, increased municipal responsibilities and extensive social and legislative changes have increased both the difficulty and importance of the clerk’s function. With increased responsibility comes a need for professional education to aid the municipal clerk in acquiring the necessary new skills and knowledge, while developing and strengthening those already in use. Over 500 cities and towns have sent clerks to the New England Municipal Clerks’ Institute and Academy.

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The Following Two Images are Paid Content From The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce Thanking Its Sponsors and Partners for Independence Day

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MOUNT DESERT 365 CURRENT JOB POSTINGS:

All postings can be accessed here.

• Director of Development for Camp Beech Cliff
• Director of Finance for Camp Beech Cliff
• Place-based Class Teacher: Grades 3-5 for The Community School
• Chief Financial Officer for Land & Garden Preserve
• Chief Operating Officer for Land & Garden Preserve
• Gardener – Thuya Garden for Land & Garden Preserve
• Groundskeeper – Thuya Garden for Land & Garden Preserve
• Head Grower for Land & Garden Preserve
• Public Works Office Coordinator for the Town of Mount Desert
• Town Manager for the Town of Mount Desert
• Registered Community Health Nurse for Mount Desert Nursing Association (Part Time)
• Caretaker for Seaside United Church of Christ

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CLERK JOBS THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND

Principal Office Assistant – Finance/Town Clerk

• Yarmouth, MA
• View Ad

Assistant Town Clerk

• Town of Branford, CT
• View Ad

City Clerk/Clerk of the Council

• City of Newton
• View Ad

Election Supervisor

• City of Newton
• View Ad

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