“This is a letter we didn’t want to get,” Mayor Rusty Giulio said during the Feb. 21 Boulder City Council meeting.
He was referencing City Clerk Ellen Harne’s resignation, one that came as a surprise to city officials. Giulio. Harne and Giulio grew up together in Boulder, attending Jefferson High School at the same time, and have worked together for almost five years as clerk and mayor.
Harne said it was bittersweet for her to turn in her resignation, as she thinks fondly of her time in the office.
“It’s been a pleasure,” she said. “We should be very proud of all we’ve accomplished.”
These accomplishments, in large part, involve updating ordinances and putting policies into place that apply to subdivisions, annexations and buildings for lease or rent. Harne has also helped enhance the city’s holiday festivities by adding more lights and making the event larger in scope, bringing out more community members.
Harne said it was a difficult decision, but she chose to leave her role in Boulder to carve out time for her own interests.
“I did some soul-searching and found that outside of work I don’t have personal interests or hobbies, and I haven’t continued cultivating friendships I’ve had in the past.”
For too long, she said, she’s immersed herself in work, and, although she starts a new position as an accountant with the city of Helena on March 16 – after finishing her work with the city of Boulder on March 15 – she wants to keep her workload to 40 hours a week and make more time with her children and grandchildren.
“I’ve had to forego activities with them because of work issues, and I don’t want that to be the case,” she said. “I want to see what else there is out there for me to discover and enjoy.”
Harne said she will be contracting with the city short-term and will help the next clerk ease into the position, which relieves Boulder City Accounting Assistant Rose Perna.
Perna – who said she is nervous to speak in public – stood before the City Council at the Feb. 21 meeting and shared a few words about Harne.
“I’ll miss her as a boss and as a person,” she said at the meeting
Mayor Giulio also shared his appreciation for Harne during the meeting.
“[Harne] has done an extremely good job,” he said.
Discussion took place during the meeting about how to move forward with the position Harne is leaving vacant. City Council Chairman Drew Dawson recommended the city use Westaff, an employment agency based in Helena. The job posting will start around $24 an hour, depending on experience.
Perna said she applauds Harne for “stepping up” and “not leaving [the city] in a bind.”
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, Perna added, as she said such acts come naturally to Harne.
“She takes things on that nobody expects her to,” Perna said.
For this reason and many others, Perna said Harne will be missed by “not only the community, but all the people she works with.”
Harne said she has enjoyed the experience of being clerk and has learned a great deal, especially in the last few years.
“The pandemic forced us to relook at how to keep the community engaged and involved while we remained transparent,” Harne said. “That was a very large concern for our elected officials. Ever since I’ve been here, they’ve strived for consistency and transparency.”
Harne said she feels optimistic about the direction of the City Council and is hopeful for Boulder moving forward.
She believes in Boulder, she said, a place that’s “still home” and always will be.
Harne said she will miss working with Boulder residents, but she looks forward to seeing them around when she comes to visit. She encourages residents to get involved, as that’s what it will take for Boulder to move forward successfully:
“It’s important they know where their tax dollars are being spent and it’s good for them to voice their concerns and provide that community guidance to our officials.”
