Clerk of Council

City of Delaware•Delaware, OH

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Clerk of Council serves as the liaison between the legislative and administrative branches of the city government and requires cross-divisional communication to carry out the responsibilities of the position. The position provides administrative support to City Council and resource support to all City departments and residents and performs other duties as provided by the Charter or required by Council. The Clerk of Council has a considerable amount of direct interaction with the public on behalf of Council and frequently serves as a liaison for communication and as a first-line contact for Council members.

Requirements

Associates degree from an accredited college or university in public administration, business administration, political science, public relations or a related field is required.
Notary Public commission required (or ability to obtain commission within 3 months from date of hire).
Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) certification required (or ability to obtain within 3 years from date of hire).
Five (5) or more years of progressive responsibility in an administrative support position, office management, paralegal work, or closely related field.
Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel, Publisher, Access, SharePoint, OneNote, and Teams), Granicus, Cisco Webex, Adobe, DocuSign and other computer software.
Government structure and legislative process.
City codes, ordinances, regulations and procedures related to its operation.
Executive office terminology, practices, procedures, and equipment.
Use of correct English including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.
Principles, practices, and procedures related to public recordkeeping and municipal elections.
Functions, authority, responsibilities, and limitations of an elected City Council member.
Knowledge of techniques to effectively represent the City in contacts with government agencies, community groups, and various business and professional organizations.
Excellent organization, attention to detail, accuracy, time management, and critical thinking skills.
Using tact, discretion, initiative, and independent judgment within established guidelines.
Civic engagement and customer service.
Analyzing and resolving office administrative situations and problems.
Preparing complex, concise, accurate documents; strong proofreading, composition and editing skills.
Social media applications.
Strong organizational, interpersonal, and oral and written communication skills; highly organized, treats people with respect, keeps commitments, and inspires the trust of others.
Picks up on technical concepts quickly and demonstrates the ability to learn new skills and knowledge.
Understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, or regulations to specific situations, including the ability to analyze and interpret City ordinances, administrative codes, policies and procedures and apply them to organizational situations.
Maintain a high level of confidentiality about information within the office and exercise independent judgment and discretion.
Exercise sound judgment and discretion regarding matters of a sensitive and confidential nature encountered in carrying out the duties of the position.
Prepare correspondence.
Understand and follow written and oral instructions, policies and procedures.
Be honest, dependable, and trustworthy.
Maintain effective working relationships.
Establish and maintain professional working relationships with supervisors, peers, government officials, community organizations, business leaders, and the news media.
Communicate effectively, both in oral and written form.
Foster a team-oriented work environment while working with others to accomplish organizational goals and objectives.
Project and present a favorable and professional image.
Work in a professional office environment.
Manage multiple priorities and efficiently organize and prioritize work assignments, projects, and activities.
Operate a multi-line phone system.
Approachable and composed individual with a proven commitment to excellent customer service.
Majority of work is performed in an office environment where the physical demands require sitting for extended periods of time; frequent use of computers and standard office equipment; may work under the stress of deadlines.
Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing or other communication capabilities, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to discern verbal instructions and to communicate effectively with others in person and over the telephone.
Sufficient visual acuity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to comprehend written work instructions and to review, evaluate and prepare a variety of written materials on a computer for extended periods of time.
Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to operate standard office equipment and computer systems.
Sufficient personal mobility and flexibility, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to work in an office setting and to sit for extended periods of time.
Sufficient ability and strength to lift, carry, or otherwise move objects up to ten (10) pounds for varying distances.
Computer, copier, phone, and other standard/modern office equipment; computer software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Granicus, Cisco Webex, Adobe, DocuSign, and other applicable computer software).

Nice To Haves

Relevant experience in local government operations, along with knowledge of parliamentary procedure and public records requirements, is preferred.
Any equivalent combination of education and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the essential functions of the position.

Responsibilities

Attends all Council and Council committee meetings generally occurring after-hours, on an average of eight to ten times per month, and occasional work sessions held on Saturdays.
Prepares the records of proceedings ensuring that the minutes accurately reflect the policies, recommendations and/or decisions of Council or its committees.
Advertises all public meeting dates and publication of legislation as required by the Charter to provide the opportunity for public participation in the legislative process.
Ensures adherence to Ohio Sunshine Laws regarding open meetings and encourages public participation.
Coordinates the drafting and preparation of routine ordinances, resolutions, and proclamations ensuring adequacy and accuracy; ensures that Council’s signatures and proper certifications are on legal documents in compliance with municipal code, ordinances, and Ohio laws.
Coordinates the preparation of packets for meetings of Council, boards, and commissions.
Ensures that agenda items and supporting documentation are provided in packets and packets are available to members, staff and the public in a timely manner.
Evaluates and implements technology solutions to improve the efficiency of Council operations, including but not limited to digital storage and retrieval of City Council permanent records; agenda material production; meeting management, including public participation and recording; post-meeting reporting; and the Board and Commission applications process.
Manages and supervises assigned employees, including directing, training, and evaluating staff to ensure effective performance.
Accepts all filings for annexations, initiative petitions and referendum petitions.
Follows proper procedures for filings and monitors progress.
Maintains and follows legal timelines.
Upon service of a petition for annexation, prepares legislation for Council’s consideration.
Following acceptance of the annexation, coordinates notification of various entities and service providers affected by the annexation.
Coordinates Code updates and ensures timely and accurate submission of Code changes to the service provider.
Plans, manages, and coordinates the appointment process for Council boards and commissions.
Coordinates and ensures accurate document/record archival and retrieval of Council records pursuant to the City’s record retention schedule and promotes organizational efficiency through continued technology advancement as it relates to records management.
In coordination with City staff, may respond to public records requests and ensure that records are provided in compliance with the Public Records Act.
Prepares proclamations for the Mayor to present on ceremonial occasions; coordinates participation of the Mayor and Council members in special events, ceremonial functions, grand openings, dedications, etc.
Maintains City Council calendar and works with members to schedule meetings and other appointments.
Provides onboarding services to newly elected Council members.
Supervises the coordination of travel and training arrangements for Council members and board and commission members.
Prepares and maintains accurate records regarding travel for audit purposes.
Maintains Council’s page on the City website to include posting of legislation and meeting minutes.
Receives, monitors and responds to correspondence for the Mayor and Council members.
Responds to citizen complaints on behalf of Council and coordinates timely responses from staff on these matters.
In coordination with City staff, may respond to media requests for routine legislative information and the status of Council matters.
Conducts research; provides information and administrative support for members of Council.
Prepares reports and surveys other entities in response to Council’s requests for additional information and analysis to aid Council in its decision-making processes.
Maintains membership rosters, including office terms for Council, boards, commissions and task forces.
Performs all assignments, notifications and advertising as required by state and local law.
Prepares the annual operating budget for City Council based upon equipment, supply and personnel needs for the work unit.
Monitors expenditures and supervises the process for requisition and payment.
Serves as back-up to Executive Assistant.
Performs all other duties as assigned.