Elections

The pandemic was especially challenging for the Town Clerk's office, multiplying the number of Absentee ballots tenfold, making it necessary to devise and implement a large new operational infrastructure from scratch. With the help of exceptional staff and scores of volunteers, the election of November 2020 was executed flawlessly.

You can read the article about this here: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/Absentee-ballot-applications-flood-Stamford-15430250.php

 

Legislative

Lyda Ruijter has taken a keen interest in the shortcomings and dilemmas of the legislative representation of the Town Clerk's office. While over 400 duties are assigned to the Town Clerk by the State Statutes: the authority to access the required resources to perform those duties is missing from the legislative code, leading to dilemmas and undue pressures. By actively communicating with the Stamford delegation in Hartford, she is offering solutions to address this legislative void. An appointment to the legislative committee of the CT Town Clerk Association is evidence of the respect Lyda has received from her peers for her active role in office.

 

Archives

1. After decades of neglect, 22 linear feet of old historical books abandoned in the Old Police Station on Haig Avenue, that belonged to the Town Clerk of Stamford. They were inventoried, partially transferred to the CT State Archives, and partially moved to a new location. Some 20 'lost' maps belonging to the land records of Stamford were retrieved.
   
   You can read the article about this here: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/Old-police-station-guards-Stamford-history-12904251.php
   
   
2. Under the leadership of Lyda Ruijter, the Original Deed of Stamford is currently preserved and restored by NEDCC (Northeast Document Conservation Center). Lyda was on a mission to locate descendants of the original Native Americans who co-signed this Deed together with the white settlers, in 1641. She is proud to have connected with Chief Vincent Mann and Michaeline, the Mother of the Turtle Clan, and is working with the public schools, and with the support of many groups in Stamford, to rebuild this lost connection.

You can read the article about the Original Deed here: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/Stamford-town-clerk-keeps-the-tidbits-that-13450503.php

You can read the article about the Turtle Clan here: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/A-time-to-reengage-Turtle-Clan-leaders-16181349.php

 

Community Outreach

To make the community leaders and the community at large aware of the important role of the Town Clerk in city and state government, Lyda Ruijter started an annual Open House, where visitors are welcome to mingle with staff and visit the Open Archive.

You can read the article about this here: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/Stamford-town-clerk-keeps-the-tidbits-that-13450503.php