The town of Natick last week bid farewell to longtime Town Clerk Diane Packer upon her retirement, and this week will begin its new tradition of appointing clerks
During the Sept. 20 Select Board meeting at about the 11-minute, 30-second mark, board member Richard Sidney read a resolution for Packer, who was raised in town and graduated from Natick High on her route to being elected town clerk in 2010. In between, Packer and her husband raised 2 children here, and she served as a Town Meeting member, School Committee chair, and assistant director for the Council on Aging.
Among Packer’s accomplishments as clerk was overseeing local and federal elections during the COVID-19 pandemic, and always doing her job with “expressive style,” according to the resolution.
Those in attendance at the Select Board meeting gave Packer a standing ovation after the resolution was read. Packer shared a few words, including that “it’s been a great run and I’ve really enjoyed it.” She shared appreciation for both the administration and residents who have supported her over the years.
Diane Packer, foreground, at a Select Board meeting earlier this year
We thank Ms. Packer for her support for our endeavors over the past few years as well.
Packer is set to retire on Oct. 8.
Appointing a new town clerk
Packer’s successor will be Lynn P. Kelly. The Select Board is scheduled to vote on approving her appointment at its Sept. 27 meeting.
The town voted this past spring to switch the town clerk office from an elected to appointed one after Town Meeting had approved such a change last year.
Kelly’s experience includes serving as the town of Harvard’s Town Clerk over the past year. Before that, Kelly served as assistant town clerk in Hopkinton (2018-2022) and Rutland, Mass. (2014-2018)
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