James R. Blatchford, who joined the Haverhill City Clerk’s office in December, has been promoted to assistant city clerk.
City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas said Blatchford replaces Laura Angus, who left the post in February to become benefit counselor to the Haverhill Retirement Board. Blatchford’s current position working on election matters won’t be filled because of the city’s current hiring freeze.
“His experience in government, ability to come up with new ideas and new processes” are among the reasons Koutoulas said she and Mayor James J. Fiorentini approved the promotion. She said she and Blatchford will also share responsibilities for the License Commission and he will still focus on elections and voting issues.
Blatchford, who is bilingual, served two, two-year terms on the Lawrence School Committee beginning in 2012. Before coming to work in Haverhill, he served as business development specialist for HBSS Connect Corp., Lowell. Blatchford is graduate of Lawrence High School and earned his bachelor’s from University of Massachusetts, Lowell.