ROLE OF THE CLERKAlaska Assoc. of Municipal Clerks

Annual Conference

November 2017

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INTRODUCTIONS

Jamie Newman, MMC, City of Wasilla

• First Class City in Second Class Borough - Population 8,500

• Strong Mayor form of Government, Police and Dispatch Services, Recreation Services, Library, Museum

• Streets, Airport, Sewer and Water, Planning & Zoning, Sales Tax, Cemetery

Laurie Sica, MMC, City & Borough of Juneau

• Home Rule Municipality - Population 32,000

• City Manager form of Government

• Education, Planning & Zoning, Water & Sewer, Parks & Rec, Ambulance, Library, Transit, Building Inspection, Harbors, Docks, Airport, Hospital, Cemetery, Taxation (areawide)

• Fire, Police, Streets (non-areawide)

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - OBJECTIVES

1. Discuss the varied roles and responsibilities of the municipal clerk in Alaska.

2. Discuss what it means to be a leader within your organization.

3. Discuss the importance of professional development and continuing education.

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IMPORTANT ROLE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

•The municipal clerk is an important part of the executive team in any municipality.

•The clerk generally the first position filled in a newly formed municipality.

•The clerk’s office is the hub of local government and provides a direct link between citizens and their government by facilitating citizen participation in an open decision making process.

•In most communities, the clerk is hired by and works directly for the governing body.

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - MANDATED DUTIES AS 29.20.380

•Attend Meetings and Keep Minutes

•Custody of Municipal Seal (attest/seal official documents)

•Notice Public Meetings

•Public Records Inspection

•Records Manager

•Index Permanent Records

•Codify Ordinances

•Authenticate or Certify Records

•Prepare Agendas/Packets

•Administer Local Elections

•Take Oaths

•Parliamentary Advisor

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ROLE OF THE CLERK – PUBLIC RECORDS

•AS 40.25.110/Local Code

•Discovery

•Processing

•Tracking

•Delivery

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Public Records

ROLE OF THE CLERK – AGENDA PACKET

•Calendaring

•Agenda Item Process

•Public Notice

•Packet Creation/Distribution

•Post Meeting Duties

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Agenda Packet

ROLE OF THE CLERK - MEETINGS

•Room Preparation

•Supplies

•Equipment Testing

•Audio/Video Recording

•Minutes

•Parliamentary Advisor

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Meetings

ROLE OF THE CLERK - ELECTIONS

•Planning/Calendaring

•Legal Notices/Deadlines

•Workers/Facilities

•Types of Voting

•Candidate Filing/Certification

•Ballot Propositions

•Ballot Layout/Printing

•Election Certification

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Elections

ROLE OF THE CLERK – CODIFICATION

•Codify Ordinances (codebook)

•In-House or Contract Publisher

•Hard Copy and/or Online

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - CUSTOMARY DUTIES

APOC Reporting

Appeals

Bond Documentation/Closings

Budget Development

Cemetery

Commission/Board Staffing

Contracts/Leases

Customer Service (internal and external)

Draft Legislation

Human Resources

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Other Administrative

Support Functions

ROLE OF THE CLERK - CUSTOMARY DUTIES

Employee Management

Gaming Permits

Liquor Licenses

Notary Public

Plan/Execute Community Receptions/Events

PIO for Local Emergencies

Policies and Procedures

Travel Arrangements

Training

Treasurer

Utility Billing

Website/Social Medial Content Management

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Other Administrative

Support Functions

ROLE OF THE CLERK – RECORDS MANAGEMENT

•AS 40.21.070/Local Code

•Retention Schedules

•Classification

•Compliance

•Policies and Procedures

•Training

•Access/Destruction

•Preservation/Disaster Recovery

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Records Management

ROLE OF THE CLERK - DIFFERENT HATS

ClerkHistorical

Managerial

Political

Professional

Leadership

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - HISTORICAL

•Meeting Minutes

•Action by Governing Body

•Codification of Ordinances

•Records Preservation

•Terms of Office

•Election Results

•Infrastructure Documents

•Land Use Records

•Financials

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - MANAGERIAL

•Strategic Planning

•Operational Planning

•Organizer

•Liaison

•Supervisor

•Figurehead

•Spokesperson

•Negotiator

•Coach/Trainer

•Team Builder

•Team Player

•Mentor

•Problem Solver

•Hiring Authority

•Compliance Officer

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - POLITICAL

•Maintain Neutrality

•Perception is Reality

•Social Media – Caution

•Public Statements Outside Work – Caution

•Think Before You Speak

•Equal Treatment To All

•IIMC – Code of Ethics

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - PROFESSIONAL

Improve upon your professionalpresence: • Be flexible (compromise when you can)

• Honor deadlines

• Pursue excellence

• Listen more, talk less

• Practice diplomacy and tact

• Be a person of character and respect

• Lead by example

• Be punctual

• Dress the part

“You need to show up each day the way you want to be perceived – which is simple to say, but difficult to accomplish unless you do your homework and really know yourself.”

Suzy Monford, CEO Andronico’s

Confidence

Excellence

Impact

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ROLE OF THE CLERK – PROFESSIONAL

Market yourself as a professional: •When you are paid a compliment – own it!

•Dress for success. Public meetings and events? You will be perceived as a professional if you dress and act like one.

•Communication skills. How you communicate verbally and in writing is important. • Tone

• Delivery

• Pride in yourself and profession

• Confidence and expertise

•Manners (protocol)

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ROLE OF THE CLERK – LEADERSHIP

You are a leader, continually strive for/to:

•Authenticity

•Honesty

•Delegate

•Communicate

•Confidence

•Commitment

•Positivity

•Creativity

•Inspire

•Approachability

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ROLE OF THE CLERK – EDUCATION

Tools for your professional image:

Education State Conferences

Master Academies

Northwest Clerks Institute

National Conference (IIMC)

Certification - CMC and MMC

AAMC & IIMC

Get involved, serve on a committee!

Other Professional Organizations

• National Association of Parliamentarians

• ARMA

• Toastmasters

• Volunteering in Community

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ROLE OF THE CLERK – EDUCATION

A well educated clerk is a SUCCESSFUL clerk!

Develop your professional skills and networks.

Take on opportunities to get involved with new challenges and get experience building other skill sets.

Networking provides more resources and moral support.

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - RESOURCES

AAMC - alaskaclerks.org

CCAC - californiacityclerks.org

OAMR - oamr.org

WMCA - wmcaclerks.org

IIMC - iimc.com

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IIMCInternational Institute of Municipal Clerks

AAMCAlaska Assoc. of Municipal Clerks

CCACCity Clerks Assoc. of

California

OAMROregon Assoc. of

Municipal Recorders

WMCAWashington

Municipal Clerks Association

ROLE OF THE CLERK - TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Conferences

•AAMC: November

•WMCA: March

•CCAC: April

• IIMC: May

•OAMR: September

Academies (spring, fall)

•AAMC: November

•WMCA: March and October

•CCAC: February and October

•OAMR: September and April

• IIMC: May

Northwest Clerks Institute 2018

•Professional Development I: June 3 - 8

•Professional Development II: June 10 - 15

•Professional Development III: June 17 - 22

•Professional Development IV: June 11 - 14

Athenian Dialogues

•Visit State Association and IIMC Websites

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - CODE OF ETHICS

I do hereby subscribe to the following principles and ethics which I affirm will govern my personal conduct as municipal clerk:

1. To uphold constitutional government and the laws of my community.

2. To so conduct my public and private life as to be an example to my fellow citizens.

3. To impart to my profession those standards of quality and integrity that the conduct of the affairs of my office shall be above reproach and to merit public confidence in our community.

4. To be ever mindful of my neutrality and impartiality, rendering equal service to all and to extend the same treatment I wish to receive myself.

5. To record that which is true and preserve that which is entrusted to me as if it were my own.

6. To strive constantly to improve the administration of the affairs of my office consistent with applicable laws and through sound management practices to produce continued progress and so fulfill my responsibilities to my community and others.

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ROLE OF THE CLERK - IN SUMMARY

“No other office in municipal service has so many contacts. It serves the mayor, the city council, the city manager (when there is one) and all administrative departments without exception. All of them call upon it, almost daily, for some service or information. Its work is not spectacular, but it demands versatility, alertness, accuracy, and no end of patience. The public does not realize how many loose ends of city administration this office pulls together.”

--Professor William Bennett Munro (1934)

political scientist who wrote one of the first textbooks on municipal administration

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CREDITS

Thank you to Nova, Ali, and Virginia for your work in the development of this presentation.

Nova M. Javier, MMCKodiak Island Borough Clerk

Ali Spietz, MMCCity Clerk/Public Records OfficerCity of Mercer Island, WA

Virginia Olsen, CMCCity Clerk/Community Relations Director City of Mountlake Terrace, WA

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