The person in charge of a city’s administrative functions is known as the city clerk. His job is to ensure that daily operations run smoothly and accurately. He usually backs up the city manager, the mayor, the city council, and any other personnel directly involved in the city’s management.
In addition to maintaining all official files and records, the clerk is responsible for overseeing fiscal operations such as paying vendors and suppliers on a regular basis. He is frequently called upon to prepare budgets, review expenditures for accuracy and validity, and submit budget revision requests to the city manager. He is usually in charge of the petty cash funds for general office expenses.
If the city government structure includes a mayor and a city council, the city clerk is usually responsible for preparing the agendas for each of their meetings and notifying city commissions if their input is needed for certain agenda items. The planning and environmental impact commissions, as well as the design review board and the public works council, are common examples of these commissions. The agenda packets are usually assembled the clerk and distributed to the council members. The clerk usually records and edits the minutes of the meetings before distributing them to the council members.
The city clerk is frequently in charge of municipal election details when the city holds elections. This usually entails preparing and verifying ballot information, as well as mailing or handing out ballots at city hall. He is frequently tasked with appointing and training election workers, as well as counting and verifying election results.
When municipal codes or city charters are changed, the clerk is usually responsible for making sure that proper notices are published in local newspapers. If public hearings on issues affecting citizens are held, he is expected to post notices of the meetings as soon as possible. The city clerk is responsible for keeping all files and historical records pertaining to the city’s government in a safe and secure location.
This clerk is usually in charge of vetting, hiring, and supervising his assistants. The city clerk is usually in charge of public bid notifications and bid processing when city buildings or properties require repairs or maintenance. The clerk is usually in charge of overseeing contracts with the winning contractors.
A high school diploma or equivalent is usually required for a city clerk position. A bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field is preferred in most cities. It’s a plus if you have office management or administrative support experience. To handle the wide range of responsibilities that a person with this job has, excellent organizational skills are usually required.