After helping form the position of Dunbarton Town Administrator a decade ago, Janice VanDeBogart looks forward to her retirement in June and spending more time with her husband of seven years.

A resident of Dunbarton for 31 years, VanDeBogart started out as the town’s deputy town clerk in 1983, took a job as secretary to the Board of Selectmen several years later and was promoted to administrative assistant to the board for four years before she ended her string of service in the town administrator’s seat.

VanDeBogart is the first and only town administrator Dunbarton has ever had.

“It’s been wonderful working with her,” said longtime Selectman Leslie Hammond, touting VanDeBogart’s finesse in dealing with the public and departments competing for time and funding on a daily basis.

“It’s kind of a unique individual who can deal with people every day coming in here,” Hammond added. “That’s what I’ll be looking for when we’re hiring people.”

VanDeBogart, 60, said she chose to retire now to prevent the loss of her health insurance subsidy, which the state has said it will take away from town employees who are at least 60 years of age and have 20 years under their belts if they do not retire before July 1.

Her husband, Jan, was the town’s road agent for six years before retiring two years ago, VanDeBogart said.

While she admits she is exhausted, VanDeBogart said she will deeply miss the day-today interactions with neighborly Dunbarton residents and town officials that made her feel at home in the town offices.

“This is really a community atmosphere, and I’ve loved it,” said VanDeBogart. “Those faces that I saw when I first moved here 31 years ago, those faces are gone. There’s new faces, but I can see the spirit is still there.”

VanDeBogart is an avid painter on the side, working in acrylics and oils. While she hasn’t yet sold any of the 30 or so art pieces she’s finished so far, she hopes to make her hobby into something lucrative eventually, she said.

She also hopes to do some traveling with her husband, including visiting family out West.

In the meantime, the Board of Selectmen has just begun the process of searching for her replacement.

The deadline for applications was Monday, March 31. As of Tuesday, April 1, seven applications had been filed.

With her last day falling on June 27, the intent is to get someone into the position in mid-May to cross train with VanDeBogart. The money to allow this was put into the budget Dunbarton voters passed at the Town Meeting on March 11.

In addition to VanDeBogart, secretary Janet Plamondon is also leaving her job with the town to spend time with a new grandchild who is on the way, Hammond said. The new town administrator would have to learn both jobs.

“What I anticipate we’re going to do is we’re going to select some individuals to act as a screening committee,” Hammond said. The committee would then rank the candidates and submit their recommendations to the selectmen for final reviews.

Hammond said VanDeBogart makes about $50,000, and the salary for the chosen candidate would be negotiated at some number below that.

VanDeBogart said the biggest challenge for whoever fills her spot will be getting to know the town front and back. Being a longtime resident, she said she has been at a great advantage in being able to recall history for answers to present-day questions. Whoever it is, VanDeBogart said she knows he or she will enjoy working for the town of Dunbarton.

“I think it’s rewarding in the people you meet and the friends you make. It’s fun, interesting, challenging and stressful all at the same time,” she said.