Hilary Gilleand

ALPENA – The Alpena Township Board of Trustees appointed Hilary Gilleand as the new township Treasurer during a special meeting held on Wednesday at the township’s office.

The vote to appoint Gilleand passed unanimously among the board members present for the vote, Cash Kroll was absent.

The appointment fills the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of treasurer Laura Ellory-Somers, who is stepping down at the end of the month after years of service to spend more time with her family. The board has been actively searching for a replacement since early this year.

According to township officials, Gilleand will serve out the remainder of Ellory-Somers’ term, which runs through November 2028. The position will then be subject to election. Michigan law requires the appointee to be a registered voter residing in the township. Gilleand is expected to begin duties on June 1 following a transition period.

In a previous article in The News, Alpena Township Supervisor Abbi Kaszubowski emphasized the critical role of the treasurer in managing the township’s finances.

“Key duties involve tax collection, maintaining accurate financial records, and ensuring compliance with the general property tax,” Kaszubowski said. “They also hold a voting seat at the board table.”

Gilleand is from the Alpena area and after time in college and living outside of Michigan for a spell, she said she is happy she moved back to the area.

“I was born and raised in Alpena, I graduated from Alpena High School and went to Hollins University in Virginia,” Gilleand said. “I spent a few years in Indiana, where I met my husband and we moved back to Alpena in 2015.”

Gilleand has prior experience working in a law firm and earned a degree while attending school in Indiana.

“I have a bachelor’s degree in English,” Gilleand said. “The last ten years I’ve worked for a law firm in various roles including paralegal, bookkeeper, and office manager.”

She said her responsibilities at the law firm have prepared her for her new job as treasurer.

“I was responsible for all invoicing, accounts payable, accounts receivable and creating reports,” Gilleand said. “I was integral in creating and maintaining the annual budget, later on I took more of a supervisory role and trained the new bookkeeper.”

The board conducted interviews with candidates in recent weeks before making the decision to appoint Gilleand to the position.

“We received over 50 applications and selected five candidates to interview, one of which withdrew their application the day before interviews,” Kaszubowski said. “The three interviewing officials selected Hilary as our top candidate.”

Kaszubowski said Gilleand’s qualifications and previous work experience made her the right choice, out of a pool of very good candidates.

“She has experience with accounts receivable, financial reporting and preparation, auditing and budgeting as well as knowledge of taxes and some assessing,” Kaszubowski said.

One of the top priorities for the new treasurer early on will be learning the ropes and absorbing as much information as possible from the experienced Ellory-Somers before she begins her retirement.

“Her priorities will include learning the day-to-day processes and the software used at the township, also catching up on any current events pertaining to the township,” Kaszubowski said. “The current Treasurer has been compiling materials and creating step by step instructions as a resource for her, with the mindset of setting the township up for success.”

Appointing a new treasurer, as opposed to electing someone to the position, is an important process that must be handled with thorough analysis and consideration. Kaszubowski wants township residents to know the board came to their conclusion diligently.

“Appointing a new township Treasurer is an important responsibility, and the goal is to ensure the position is filled by someone who is trustworthy, competent, and committed to serving the community with integrity,” Kaszubowski said. “This change should be seen as an opportunity to continue strong financial stewardship while also bringing a fresh perspective to the role.”

Gilleand explained her new role and spoke directly to township residents about her goals as she takes over for Ellory-Somers.

“I’m looking forward to serving my community and I hope that I am able to continue the positive work done by my predecessor,” Gilleand said. “My approach is to be open, honest and to serve with integrity.”