Terri Rouke is retiring after 20 years working for the Village of Pelham, including 18 as the village clerk. Her daughter, Sarah LoPuzzo, is her successor. 

In a joint statement, Mayor Chance Mullen and former Mayors Mike Volpe, Tim Cassidy, Ed Hotchkiss and Art Scinta said, “After more than two decades in Pelham municipal government, she has become an irreplaceable source of history and institutional knowledge. She has served during the terms of five different mayors and has been deeply involved in the most visible day-to-day village operations—administering parking lots, taking minutes at many late night land-use board meetings and fielding resident inquiries about everything imaginable—always with kindness and respect.” 

Rouke began her career with the Pelham Police Department and eventually took on the job of clerk in 2004. 

“I started 20 years ago and I started working in the police department part-time and then I came over to village hall and the police department, so I was working two jobs,” said Rouke. “And then I took over as village clerk in 2004, and the best part of my job—I love my job and not many people can say that—is the people.”

At a farewell event Wednesday at village hall, members of the community gathered to thank Rouke and wish her well in retirement. 

Resident Marilyn Hoyt said “for many of us, Terri actually reflects the face of Pelham. She is the person who helps you with parking, with building permits and with confusion over how to run a parade. She has always been there for us, and we look forward to working with Sarah, but we will never forget Terri.”   

“She has been a model civil servant, a loyal Pelhamite, and for each of us, a friend,” said the statement from the mayors.