After three years, he accepts combined office with Village of River Hills

The Town of Saukville is in the market for a new clerk following the announcement that Chris Lear is taking a position with the Village of River Hills.

Lear’s last day with the town will be June 20. In River Hills, he will become the village manager and clerk/treasurer, a recently combined position.

With a population of 1,200, River Hills is slightly smaller than the Town of Saukville.

Lear will start his new job June 25.

He took the town clerk’s position on an interim basis in 2009, after Walter Clarke took the position of buisness manager with the Northern Ozaukee School District.

Before Lear could accept the town clerk’s position on a permanent arrangement, voters approved a referendum changing the position from an elected to an appointed office.

It was the part-time nature of the town job that was especially appealing, because Lear was also a part-time lay minister at Living Hope Church in Saukville.

As the congregation grew, it hired a full-time lay minister earlier this year.

“Hiring a full-time lay minister was voted on by the congregation, and I supported it. In essence, I voted myself out of a job,” Lear said.

That started the search for a full-time municipal position.

Prior to coming to the town, Lear had an extensive background in municipal government, including stints as the administrator in the villages of Saukville and Germantown.

Lear said he was drawn to the full-time River Hills position because of the community’s proximity to his home in Saukville.

“Being chosen for this position is a blessing, because we have a 15-year-old son at the high school and I am adamant about not  pulling him out of his school at this point in his education,” Lear said.

The town has begun advertising the clerk vacancy with cover letters and resumes being accepted until July 9.

A farewell reception for Lear will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, at Town Hall, 3762 Lakeland Rd., prior to the monthly meeting of the Town Board.

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