Chatham-Kent’s municipal clerk has left the building.
Judy Shantz, who has worked in municipal service for the past 36 years, retired as of Oct. 30. She just oversaw her fifth and final municipal election.
The Ridgetown native said she first dipped her toe into the waters of civil service while looking for a summer job during university.
“I saw this building in Ridgetown and thought, ‘I don’t even know what they do in there, but they’ve got to be balancing something,” the former accounting student said. “It was the Ridgetown office.”
This was pre-amalgamation, and almost pre-computers. In fact, computers are a reason she got that first job.
“I went in and they were just going to computers. ‘We’re doing computer training every morning so we need somebody to answer phones and do the front counter,’” she said.
From there, she worked in Harwich Township, then Dover. Through it all, she held various positions in title, but said most were jack-of-all-trades type jobs, doing a little bit of a variety of work.
She returned to Ridgetown as deputy treasurer. Five years later, amalgamation hit.
“We were worried at the time. We didn’t know if we’d have jobs,” Shantz said.
Her solution was to apply for multiple jobs for the new Chatham-Kent. She landed a spot in customer service back in her hometown.
Several years later, she moved to the Civic Centre as manager of licensing.
Eight years after that, Shantz replaced Eleanor Mifflin as clerk of C-K. That was Jan. 1, 2011.
Being a city clerk was not on her scorecard when she was in school; not at any point.
“I can say in kindergarten that I didn’t put up my hand and say, ‘I want to be a municipal clerk.’ But here I am today,” she said.
However, she embraced the position and its challenges.
“The clerk role, I do think it is me. I want to be fair. I want to have the integrity. I am very organized,” she said. “I think for part of the clerk role, it’s an unbiased position. I’m here to help administration, I’m here to help councillors to prepare their notices of motion. I‘m here for the public to be able to get in front of council to say what their concerns are. I liked being able to help all sides.”
And she’s proud of the profession that ultimately chose her.
“Even though I didn’t say that in Kindergarten, I think it was my true calling. I feel like I’ve done it to the best of my ability,” she said.
As for what the future holds for Shantz, she said that in the short term, it will be all about spending time with family and friends. And not worrying about keeping people happy on Monday nights.
“Who knows what the new year is going to bring? I’m just going to relax for November and December. And see if I can turn it all off up here,” she said, pointing to her head.
Chris Bantok has taken over for Shantz as municipal clerk. She wishes him well…from a comfortable chair in her home in Ridgetown.
