SHUTESBURY — An Amherst native with experience as an academic administrator at American University will be Shutesbury’s first appointed town clerk.

The Select Board Tuesday voted 3-0 to name Calvin Elison, a 2014 graduate of the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Public Charter School, to the position. Residents at a special Town Meeting and then via a ballot vote agreed to change it from an elected position.

“This was exactly the kind of role I was looking for when I moved home, and it was just sort of serendipitous that it happened to be open at the time,” Elison said during his July 1 interview.

Elison was selected over one other finalist, Shutesbury resident Damon Herring. An exact starting date for Elison is still to be determined.

Select Board Chairwoman Melissa Makepeace-O’Neil said the board had a choice between two excellent candidates, but voted for Elison, in part, due to his enthusiasm for records management.

Select Board member James Walton said the interviews with Elison and his cover letter and resume will make him a good fit, both for what he’s trying to do for his career and what the town needs.

Elison will work 25 hours per week with a salary range up to $38,161 annually.

The idea of having the town’s chief election officer appointed came after Town Clerk Grace Bannasch left for an appointed full-time position in Groton last summer. Since that time, Bannasch continued to provide some assistance, though this spring the town turned to Matteo Pangallo to serve as the interim town clerk and election administrator, adding to his responsibilities as the town’s land use clerk.

Though Elison grew up in Amherst, he spent a lot of time with his grandparents in Shutesbury. After studying international relations at American University as an undergraduate and graduate student, he did an internship at the U.S. Senate and then served as an academic administrator at American, before returning to the region in December.

Elison said he brings administrative experience and interpersonal and organizational skills, and intends to collaborate with the Select Board and ensure transparency.

Some of his initial work will be preparing for the state primary in September. “The priority, at least in my mind immediately, is that things on election day go as smoothly as they possibly can,” Elison said.

The town clerk role is about public service, he said.

“For me, I like the grit of the day-to-day work. I like being a problem solver, and I like making peoples’ days 5% better,” Elison said. “And this is exactly the kind of position where this is true.”