RACHEL DEANE - Candidate for Town Clerk (3-year term)

RACHEL DEANE
she/her/hers

Rachel has lived in Durham for almost 6 years.  She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire (Durham) and has obtained a NHTCA/NHCTCA Joint Certification Program 2023       

Below Rachel describes her previous experience and why she would like to be Town Clerk:

I have worked in municipal government for over ten years, and I am currently serving as the Deputy Town Clerk-Tax Collector for the Town of Durham, a role I have held turn since 2019. I’m a NH-State Certified Tax Collector and commissioned as a NH Justice of the Peace and Notary Public.  I participate in several professional organizations, including the NH City and Town Clerk’s Association, the NH Tax Collector’s Association, and the New England Municipal Clerk’s Association.  I’m currently serving on the legislative committee for the NH City and Town Clerk Association.

Outside of my work for the Town of Durham, I am an ardent supporter of Court Appointed Special Advocates of New Hampshire (CASA-NH), an organization that mobilizes and trains volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children. Additionally, I volunteer for the ORHS Basketball Boosters and have served on the boards for both the ORCSD Long Range Planning Committee and Oyster River Parents and Preschoolers (ORPP).  

Before I was hired as the Deputy Town Clerk-Tax Collector in Durham, I worked as a Deputy Town Clerk-Tax Collector in Lee, NH, an Assistant Town Clerk in Raymond, NH, a Senior Administrative Assistant for the University of New Hampshire, and as a Brownfields Redevelopment Research Assistant for the Northeast-Midwest Institute in Washington, D.C.

Since I began my career in municipal government, I have come to realize that I have a passion for helping others in my community. I derive great personal satisfaction in getting to know my Durham neighbors and helping them obtain the assistance and services they need.  I also view the Town Clerk’s role in running local elections to be an important component to our self-governance and I am humbled by that sacred duty.  I pledge to the citizens of Durham that I will protect the integrity of our elections by assisting our elected officials in running them in a trusted and professional manner. In my combined role as Tax Collector, I will ensure residents continue to have ease of access to multiple payment options and up-to-date information on their property tax bills.  If elected, I will ensure that the Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s office continues to be a welcoming institution that is run with skill, competence, compassion, and respect for all.