There’s a new clerk in town

The Town of Grafton will soon have a new clerk.

Sara Jacoby will begin work in that position Monday, Jan. 4, before she is officially appointed at the Town Board meeting Wednesday, Jan. 13.

Jacoby said she is excited for the opportunity to work with town residents and supervisors.

“I knew this would be a great opportunity. I’m really fascinated by how local government works with people,” she said.

“I want to help people through the processes like navigating codes and ordinances. I think the town is a progressive community.”

Before joining the town, Jacoby was the manager of operations at the Luxembourg American Cultural Society and Center in Belgium for nearly 10 years. She said her past work experience suits her well for the position.

“From paying bills to organizing Luxembourg Fest, I think I can use my critical thinking and problem solving to help residents in this role,” Jacoby said. “It’s similar to a customer service, and I also think I bear interaction gracefully.”

Town Chairman Lester Bartel said about 40 people applied for the position.

“After several interviews, she stood out as our best choice. She will bring an array of skills that range from customer service to accounting, record keeping and organization,” he said.

“She has a cheerful attitude and is a self-starter.”

Jacoby replaces Lisa Kien, who is returning to her previous job at ARI Network in Menomonee Falls.

Jacoby was born in Belgium and is a resident of Random Lake. She said she has been well acquainted with the Grafton area throughout her life and remembers her family parking in farm fields in Grafton when she was a child.

“It’s crazy to see how different it is now,” she said. “Today, Grafton is the closest place to me where anything is. Random Lake doesn’t have any grocery stores.

“Because there is so much in Grafton, we spend a lot of time there, and the restaurants are amazing.”

Jacoby studied architectural technology at Milwaukee Area Technical College and said her new role provides an opportunity to be closer to that field. She will continue in a part-time role for the Luxembourg Cultural Center on weekends throughout January to help people earn dual citizenship.

Jacoby has a 16-year-old son, Brody Sepstead, and believes her new role will allow the two of them to spend more time together.

“He’s only going to hang with me for another two years. We like to take trips and do a lot of fishing,” Jacoby said, noting she intends take her son to Canada in the summer.

Jacoby will be appointed to a two-year term. The full-time position pays $42,000 annually.

“She has a cheerful attitude and is a self-starter,” Bartel said. “We see the transition from Lisa to be a smooth and seamless one.”