Maria Boileau on left

LOCK HAVEN — It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Maria Boileau.

First, she left her job as Clinton County’s director of elections and voter registration in October 2017 and became the Lock Haven city planner. But, because an important election was coming up, the county re-hired her as a part-time elections advisor.

And now, nearly a year later, she will return to her role as the director of elections, with new responsibilities as deputy chief clerk.

The county has not had an easy time filling the director of elections position. After Boileau’s departure, former Grants Administrator Leah Mothersbaugh stepped up as acting director of elections. Then, in January, the county hired former Keystone Central School District employee Kristin Petruzzi as director. But she resigned abruptly in late June, leaving the position open once again.

At their voting meeting Thursday, county commissioners said Boileau showed interest in returning to the county and applied for the director of elections and voter registrar position. Though commissioners advertised the job and considered other candidates, they all agreed Boileau was the best person for the job.

Boileau was hired in 2012 as director of elections with a starting salary of $42,018. But with experience and raises over her five-year voter registrar stint, she left the position with a salary of $48,237.

Once she became city planner, Boileau’s salary jumped to almost $51,000. Now, upon her return to the county, she will make $44,330.

Chief Clerk Jann Meyers said that during salary negotiations, the commissioners and Boileau reached an agreement on a salary roughly halfway between her outgoing salary and the current starting salary for the position, which commissioners changed to $38,011 several months ago.

Since Boileau left her full-time employment with the county in October, she has remained on the payroll as part-time elections advisor, helping Mothersbaugh and Petruzzi during the November general election and May primary election, respectively.

Boileau was not able to return a request for comment Thursday.

Mothersbaugh recently left her position as assistant planner and grants administrator in the county planning department, leaving the county with yet another important position to fill.