Chris Berendt/Sampson Independent Teresa Frack, far left, has resigned as deputy clerk for Garland. There will be a closed session of the Garland Board of Commissioners Monday to discuss personnel, where they are expected to formally accept the resignation.

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GARLAND — Less than three weeks after the town’s clerk and finance officer handed in her resignation, the deputy clerk has followed suit, leaving the town to once again start from square one with its staff.

Teresa Frack was hired in the deputy capacity at the end of May. Five months later, she is reportedly leaving the post for another job.

Garland mayor Winifred Murphy sent a notice Wednesday of a special meeting being called for 2 p.m. Friday to discuss personnel in closed session. That notice was later rescinded and rescheduled due to scheduling conflicts with commissioners that would prevent a quorum from being present Friday.

“This special meeting is being rescheduled for Monday, Nov. 5, at 1:30 pm.,” Murphy stated. “Our deputy town clerk resigned on Tuesday and will be leaving in a week to accept another position. It is urgent that we be able to move forward with this personnel action.”

Frack has worked as deputy clerk for Garland since May 25. Her hire followed closed-door interviews and a 3-2 vote, with dissenting commissioners leaning toward another candidate. Pam Cashwell had been hired as the town clerk just a month earlier, on April 26, having essentially volunteered in the capacity for the previous two months.

Cashwell, and later Frack, assisted the town in providing stability and much-needed assistance in finances, bookkeeping and everyday issues the town has been forced to resolve this year. Commissioners, as well as Murphy, were working at the town’s main office for months to assist as the town worked through budgetary and internal control issues that saw the previous clerk and deputy clerk dismissed.

When Cashwell was hired, and then Frack came on board, it marked the first time in months the town was fully staffed.

Now, the town must make another hire.

When Cashwell vacated her post in early October, Jennifer Gray was invited in for an interview during an Oct. 12 emergency meeting of the board. Murphy formally announced Cashwell’s resignation as town clerk and finance officer and Gray’s hire as her successor at the end of that meeting.

Murphy later said Gray was “strongly favored” during the initial hiring process for deputy clerk in May that ultimately saw Frack get the job. Gray started in the head clerk capacity at the beginning of this week.

Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 121 or via email at sicrime@heartlandpublications.com.