Watchung residents may already be familiar with MaryAnn Hance, the borough's new deputy clerk, since she's been at the office since August 203.

Starting as a temporary employee, before becoming a permanent addition to borough staff in November, Hance has been the key contact for licenses and registrations at the office, as well as secretary for the Board of Health and the Youth Services Commission.

The Scotch Plains resident—and mother of borough CFO Bill Hance—added a new title to her job this month, after the Borough Council appointed her deputy clerk beginning July 1.

And tomorrow night, she'll add a new duty to her work load: she'll step in for Borough Clerk Michelle DeRocco at the council's meeting. DeRocco will be vacationing, so Hance will fulfill the clerk's duties at the meeting.

Is she nervous?

"Yes," Hance said, hesitantly. "She (DeRocco) has always done that job since she came in."

At the council meetings, the clerk provides documentation to the council members on items on the agenda, coordinates with Mayor Gerald Mobus on the flow of the meeting, and records the votes and actions taken by the council.   

Hance has completed four of the seven courses required for clerk certification by the state, but is only planning to complete the finance course in the future. "It's so important to everything we do here," she said.