Wenham Waits On Formal Selectman Resignation, Town Clerk Resigns

WENHAM, MA — As Wenham officials wait for the formal, written resignation of at least one of two selectmen, the Wenham town clerk resigned as well, on Friday.

Selectmen John Clemenzi and Jack Wilhelm both stepped down on Tuesday night, following a discrimination complaint against the town and Clemenzi and calls for resignation. The announcement was made during a Zoom meeting on Tuesday and Chairman Gary Cheeseman issued a statement the next day.

A new statement on the Wenham website said as of 1 p.m. on Friday, the Town Clerk had not received the written resignation of John Clemenzi. Wilhelm's resignation was not mentioned.

Wenham Town Clerk Dianne Bucco's resignation was announced on Friday, two days after the selectmen's announcement.

A statement on the Wenham website from Chairman Cheeseman said Bucco's resignation will go into effect on Feb. 3. Bucco served as town clerk for six years.

The statement reads in part:

"Highlights during her time as Town Clerk include 16 smoothly run elections, including 5 dog tag elections with the Buker School students. Dianne has completed an inventory of our records and successfully prepared them for digitization in an effort to maintain their proper preservation. She assisted with the U.S. Census leading Wenham to an excellent 84% return rate. She has provided many innovative and informative programs, articles and events for our community, one of which is the popular “Cutest Dog in Wenham” contest."

Bucco told Patch that her resignation had nothing to do with the resignation of the selectmen. Instead, she is pursing a town clerk position in Manchester-By-The-Sea.

"I love this position. I love being here in Wenham. But the challenge to do this job in another location was too strong to pass up," Bucco told Patch in an email, "The position of the town clerk is not to vary with any of such upheaval but to continue on as the independent branch of the government that it is."