MUSCODA - Perhaps many local folks looked at the calendar last Saturday morning and smiled because they didn’t have to go to work. Cinda Johnson, Muscoda Village Clerk, could smile because December 3 was the 40th anniversary of the day she officially started her life’s work. She indicated she plans to continue her job and see what the future may bring.

Actually, Cinda has been working for the village longer than 40 years. She was a member of the Riverdale High School Class of 1982 and in her junior year she started in a “Work Study” program that yielded some credit. Barry Schultz was the business education teacher. During her junior and senior years Cinda and another student, Susan Schwabe, worked after school typing material regarding various grant applications that were successfully sought by Mary Hanrahan, raising money to help Muscoda’s growing industries.

Cinda also worked for a short time in the school office during August of 1982. Plus she helped Joe Drone, Muscoda Utilities Superintendent, with filing and keeping track of various records..

All that background perhaps helped her earn the December 3, 1988 action giving her the full-time Deputy Clerk-Treasurer position, a job she held until the retirement of Clerk Elaine Eiling, who had held the position for 18 ½ years.

Cinda’s position became known as Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer. Duties include administration of elections, preparation of annual budgets and meeting agendas as well as posting meeting notices, compliance with open meeting laws and responses to open record requests, record keeping, minutes, accounting and payroll, billing, utilities and various other tasks.

She notes technology has changed the job dramatically. Record keeping was originally done with pen and paper. Today, records are kept in digital format. However, Cinda says she does not completely trust electronics so she keeps the “important stuff” on paper and in the vault.

She has worked with six village presidents – John Hanrahan, April 1977 to April 1991; Robert Johnson, April 1991 to October, 1992; Larry Miller, October 1992 to April, 2001; Anthony Broadbent, April 2001 to April 2009; Brent Stadele, April, 2009 to April, 2013; Dorothy Hackl, April 2013 to the present time.

Cinda is quick to thank the many people she has worked with through the years, including village presidents, village board members, committee members, volunteers, village employees and particularly front office staff including former deputy clerk Laura Faga as well as Amy Louis and Reg Nankee who work with her presently.

She noted that the village election crew does an amazing job with no problems even during hot contests. Originally the poll workers “just had to show up” but now they are required to have special training. The Muscoda voting machines were audited by the state one time and apparently no problems were found.