06/18/2026
A Tribute to Clark Baston presented at the Town of North Yarmouth Annual Town Meeting on June 15th, 2026
Today we recognize Clark Baston for 50 years of service to the Town of North Yarmouth—although anyone who knows Clark understands that "service" is really just another word for "never actually leaving work."
A lifelong resident of North Yarmouth, Clark comes from good local stock, being the son of Richard and Rosalyn Baston, who were also lifelong residents. In fact, there may be Baston fingerprints on nearly every road, building, fire truck, and committee meeting in town history.
Clark joined the Fire Department in 1976 as a teenager. Like most teenagers, he was looking for excitement. Unlike most teenagers, he found it by responding to emergencies and eventually becoming Fire Chief from 2008 to 2012.
His Public Works career officially began in September 1995 as part-time winter plow help. Apparently, once the town discovered he knew how to operate equipment and show up on time, they never let him leave. He became a full-time Public Works employee in April 1998, and Road Commissioner in July 2008.
Not content with just one full-time job, Clark has also served as Cemetery Commissioner since 1996, a member of the Wescustogo Hall Committee since 1997, North Yarmouth School Fund Trustee since 2005, and on the Wescustogo Hall & Community Center Building Committee in 2018 & 2019. The Town Clerk has already expressed confidence that retirement won't keep Clark away for long. In fact, she believes there are still a few committees in town that haven't managed to sign him up yet.
Over 31 years in Public Works, Clark has plowed through countless winters, battled spring and fall storms, paved roads, dug ditches, cleared culverts, and dismantled more beaver dams than most people knew existed. Local beavers eventually learned that building in North Yarmouth came also came with a temporary residency agreement.
One of our favorite memories was the year Clark proudly painted the town's name on a plow—only to misspell it. Fortunately, the eagle-eyed Public Works staff caught the mistake before the plow saw its first snowfall, proving that quality control is alive and well in the Public Works Department.
He also answered his share of dead wildlife calls. One particularly memorable incident involving a seagull near Toddy Brook Golf Course remains legendary. Out of respect for public decency—and because some stories improve with age—we'll leave the details out. Just know that those who witnessed it are probably still laughing.
In November 2015, Clark had a close encounter with the Grim Reaper, who apparently had plans of his own. Fortunately, Clark's wife, brother-in-law, and Chief Payson weren't about to let those plans succeed. Together, they helped derail the Grim Reaper's agenda and reminded him that Clark still had roads to plow, beaver dams to break up, and committee meetings to attend. Realizing he was outmatched, the Grim Reaper abandoned the mission and moved on to easier assignments.
Of course, we can't talk about Clark's retirement without mentioning his promise to the Town Clerk that they would retire together. As it turns out, Clark's definition of "together" and everyone else's definition were a little different. Clark is retiring this month, while the Town Clerk still has another few years to go. Some might call that breaking a promise; Clark would probably call it "adjusting the timeline." Either way, she's still waiting.
After decades of service, Clark leaves behind roads that are safer, a fire department that is stronger, a community that is better connected, and a town that is unquestionably better because of his efforts.
So today we thank Clark Baston for 50 years of dedication, leadership, hard work, and stubborn refusal to sit still.
We wish him a long, happy retirement.
And if history is any guide, we'll see him at the next committee meeting
