BATH — Bath has appointed a new acting city clerk after Mary White, who has served as clerk for more than two decades, quietly retired Monday.

City councilors unanimously appointed Deputy City Clerk Mary Howe to fill White’s post for the time being. She was sworn in Wednesday during the regular council meeting.

“Mary White, who has been our city clerk for 23 years has retired, as of Monday,” City Council chairwoman Mari Eosco announced Wednesday. “And Mary Howe has been working in the clerk’s office for a year as of today, I believe.”

Prior to coming to Bath City Hall, Howe worked as the town clerk in Woolwich and as the deputy town clerk in Freeport.

Howe served as the deputy town clerk in Freeport for nine years before deciding it was time to take a position as town clerk. So in the summer of 2017, Howe took over as Woolwich town clerk and deputy tax collector following the retirement of longtime Town Clerk Janice Bradford.

Howe served in that position through the November elections before stepping down and taking a deputy town clerk position in Bath.

Howe was also appointed registrar of voters unanimously by the council.

White had served as the city clerk for Bath for nearly a quarter of a century. According to Eosco, she retired Monday — the same day as her husband.

Over her 23 years as town clerk, White was an institution at city hall. As councilors came and went, White was a steady presence in Bath, keeping councilors on track and reliably running the city’s elections. More than just a city employee, White developed a reputation as a maternal figure for many councilors and was affectionately referred to as “Mother Mary.”

“Mary has left her mark in a very big way for the city of Bath and she has taken very good care of us as a city, but also specifically us as a council,” said Eosco. “We wish them a really wonderful, quiet time to themselves (in retirement).”

nstrout@timesrecord.com

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