By Jodi Wolfe
Staff Writer

Ed Cyr has seen a great number of changes serving as Allentown’s town clerk for 30 years.

Cyr, who received a certificate of achievement for his 30 years by the New Hampshire City and Town Clerks Association, spent his first few years as town clerk working out of his home.

Then the town clerk’s office moved into Cyr’s business, Cyr-Rogers Insurance Agency on Route 3. Three years ago, the town clerk’s office moved into the Allenstown Municipal Building on School Street.

ALMOST THERE – Allenstown Town Clerk Ed Cyr poses with his 30-year certificate from the New Hampshire City and Town Clerks Association. His predecessor, Achille Lefebvre, served in that same job for 35 years. (Jodi Wolfe Photo)

When Cyr started out, there were no computers, cell phones or fax machines. All the cars in the town had to be registered by March 31, instead of the last day of the owners’birthday months. Votes were counted by hand. It would take 10 or 15 people five to eight hours to count all the votes, Cyr said.

“Now we can do it in a half hour on a computer,” he said.

With a population of 4,850, the town would need another full-time employee if the town clerk’s office still ran on typewriters today, Cyr said.

Voting always went smoothly under him, Cyr said.

“We were fortunate,” he said.

“We had a good crew at all our elections.”

No one ever asked for a recount or a revote, he said.

There was one year where two candidates for a seat on the board of selectmen were tied, but instead of a revote, the two candidates flipped a coin.

In last four years, Cyr has seen some of Allenstown’s largest voter turnouts – 1,808 residents came out to vote in the 2000 presidential election and 2,200 residents came out this past November.

Cyr has enjoyed working in the town he was born and raised in.

“It was more of service type thing,” he said. “I know all the people. It’s very rewarding.”

Even after 30 years, Cyr plans to continue working as town clerk.

“It’s an enjoyable ride and I look forward to a few more years as long as I’m healthy and able to do it,” he said.

In his spare time, Cyr enjoys golfing, traveling and spending time with his family. He lives with his wife, Rose Ann. Their three children and four grandchildren live nearby in Bow, North Andover, Mass., and West Hartford, Conn.

He and his wife have enjoyed golf trips to Myrtle Beach, trips to Florida, cruises, a trip to Aruba and a trip to Barbados.

For his 50th birthday, Cyr’s wife and daughters gave him a trip to Red Sox Fantasy Baseball Camp in Winter Haven, Fla. He got to play with some of the old Red Sox legends, including Ted Williams and Bobby Doer.

Out of all the fantasy baseball campers, Cyr was the only one to get a picture with Ted Williams, thanks to Gilly Garos, of Garos Packing Company in Hooksett. Garos and Williams would fish and hunt together.

“I told Ted that if he didn’t take a picture with me, his friend Gil wouldn’t take him fishing,” Cyr said.

To this day, Cyr still has the picture of him and Williams at his home.