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IIMC Region IX Report
Alaska ✽ California ✽ Hawaii ✽ Oregon ✽ Washington
News From The Directors
Conference News:
by Joann Tilton
The Wisconsin Municipal Clerks
Association and the Conference
Host Committee deserve a
huge round of applause for
a job well done with the 68th
Annual IIMC Conference. The
conference theme of “Quench
Your Thirst for Education”
was backed by a contentfilled program starting with the
Athenian Dialogues and the
Advanced Academy Sessions.
Clerks learned about cloud
computing and virtualization in
the public service environment,
addressing the urgency of your
overloaded leadership circuits,
citizen engagement, open
records requests, civility in the
work place, evolving digital
government,
communicating
your fiscal position to the Board
and much more. As always,
the true value of attending the
annual conference comes in
the form of networking with
clerks from around the world.
There is tremendous value in
hearing about the challenges
and opportunities others face
on a daily basis. It reminds
us we are not alone and we
have much to learn from those
around us.
Wednesday night brought the
all-conference event at the
Harley Davidson Museum.
It was an incredible display
of iconic and legendary
motorcycles, including the one
featured in Easy Rider. You
did not have to be a motorcycle
enthusiast to know you were
visiting a piece of Americana.
Region IX Directors
Alice J. Attwood, CMC
tonasket@nvinet.com
(509) 486 - 2132
Joann Tilton, MMC
jtilton@ci.manteca.ca.us
(209) 456 - 8011
As billed, the evening featured
famous Wisconsin fare and live
entertainment, which included
plenty of crowd participation!
Check out photos taken at the
annual conference by clicking
here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/
iimcconference/
The Region IX dinner was held
at Ward’s House of Prime.
The menu of heavy appetizers
was absolutely delicious. Of
the 57 Region IX conference
attendees, 50 attended the
dinner. Our event coordinator
Julie and main servers Amanda
and Franzi, kept the food
and beverages coming while
everyone mixed and mingled. A
great time was had by all.
At the Annual Business
Meeting held the morning
of May 22, President Marc
Lemoine presented certificates
and resolutions of appreciation
to outgoing committee chairs
and region directors. The oath
of office was administered
to incoming board members/
region directors. It was reported
an election was not held as
only one candidate for IIMC
Vice President filed and with
that incoming Vice President
Vincent Buttiglieri took the oath
of office. Oaths were then
continued on page 2
News From The Directors continued
continued from page 1
administered to Immediate Past
President Marc Lemoine and
IIMC President Brenda Young.
It was a toss-up as to who had
the biggest smile, the incoming
or the outgoing President!
On behalf of Region IX, we
extend a sincere thank you
to Immediate Past President
Lemoine for his leadership, his
sense of humor and his service
to the IIMC membership. Region
IX welcomes Vice President
Buttiglieri to the Executive
Committee and to President
Young: we offer support and
a commitment to professional
excellence throughout the
2014-15 year.
The
2015
IIMC
Annual
Conference will be held in
Hartford, Connecticut and
plans are moving forward as
we speak. Mark your calendar
now – and we hope to see you
in Hartford!
Upcoming Events
69th IIMC Annual Conference
Hartford, Connecticut
May 17 ‐ 20, 2015
70th IIMC Annual Conference
Omaha, Nebraska
May 22 ‐ 25, 2016
71st IIMC Annual Conference
Montreal, Quebec
May 21 ‐ 24, 2017
IIMC Board of
Director’s Board
Developmentand
Annual Meeting in
Milwaukee:
by Joann Tilton
The IIMC Board of Directors
arrived in Milwaukee on
Thursday, May 15 to prepare for
a full day of Board Development
and a Board meeting on May 16
and 17. Alice and I would like to
share the highlights of our time
in Board Development – which
was a review and update of
IIMC’s Strategic Plan, as well
as what transpired at the Board
meeting.
Strategic Plan
The Key Result Areas (KRA)
for the existing Strategic Plan
consist of KRA #1 Membership,
KRA #2 Finance, KRA #3
Communications Technology,
KRA #4 Board Development,
and KRA #5 Education.
The Board walked through the
objectives for each KRA noting
those completed and those ongoing and/or in process. Here
are just a few of the reported
accomplishments to date:
1. An increase in membership
– we are approaching
10,000 members.
2. A healthy financial position
for the organization. The
Board, along with staff, has
taken steps to implement
and monitor sound financial
practices. IIMC currently has
IIMC Headquarters
over $402,000 in restricted
reserves which indicates
the efforts of the Board and
staff to monitor and control
spending, as well as setting
policy regarding sound
investments, is achieving
the
desired
outcome
– a financially healthy
organization.
3. A healthy budget has
enabled appropriation of
funds for the development
of
online
education
programs (in process) and
weekly e-briefings, online
forms and online payments,
as part of KRA #3.
4. New
Board
Member
Orientation and weekly
Board updates provided
by staff. These efforts
have greatly improved
the communication and
connection between Board
Members and staff.
5. Creation of 27 Ed2Go online
courses and by year-end
2014 IIMC will have six (6)
additional online courses
through Captus Press.
The following captures the areas
the Board would like to add to or
continue on with in the Strategic
Plan: member retention and
buy-in; a marketing strategy
for the organization and for
the profession; updating of the
website and its functionality;
Board Member/Region Director
orientation, recruitment and
development;
education
structure;
certification
continued on page 3
phone (909) 944 - 4162 ✽ fax (909) 944 - 8545 ✽ www.iimc.com
News From The Directors continued
continued from page 2
promotion;
staff
needs
assessment (under way by
the Executive Director); and a
member needs assessment.
Board Agenda
While the IIMC Board’s agenda
was lengthy and the packet
was thick (158 pages), the
major items on the agenda
were the financial updates,
the report and recommended
constitutional
amendments
from the Constitution Task
Force (the amendments will
come to the membership for a
vote in 2015), and a discussion
around the need for a Director
of Education or similar position.
A report from the Education
Resource
Group
(ERG)
was included in the agenda
packet (page 155). The report
highlighted the assistance
provided to the Education
Department over the course of
the past year.
The Board clearly expressed
appreciation for the efforts of
the ERG and the Education
Department staff on behalf
of IIMC and its members.
However, it was the consensus
of the Board the position of
Director of Education or a similar
title (Director of Professional
Development,
Professional
Development
Coordinator,
etc.) should be reviewed and
proposed for the 2015 budget.
It was felt the position is needed
to continue the visioning of
education and certification
programs, following the trends
in local government and within
the City Clerk profession,
assisting those states without
institute programs or that
may have issues with existing
institutes
The
Executive
Director
will finalize the staff needs
assessment, incorporating this
position, and bring findings
and recommendations forward
to the Budget and Planning
Committee in August. The
Committee will review the
recommendations for inclusion
in the 2015 budget, which will
be presented to the full Board
at the mid-year meeting in
November.
Once available, the Board
meeting minutes will be
made available to you. Until
then, please feel free to ask
questions of Alice or me related
to any item listed on the Board’s
agenda, which is posted on
the IIMC Website under Board
of Directors, Agendas and
Minutes or by clicking here:
http://www.iimc.com/
ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/
Item/346.
Directors Travel
Report:
by Alice Attwood
Joann Tilton and I have started
2014 out with gusto! In March
we attended the WMCA
Annual Conference in Pasco,
Washington where President
(now Past President) Scott
Passey presided over the
conference. Scott was very
IIMC Headquarters
much in sync with his theme of
“Seek and Destroy”. Next was
California inApril, travelling to the
CCAC Conference in beautiful
Pasadena where President
Nanci Lima was a wonderful
hostess. We are having a little
break in travel since returning
home from the May 18th – 23rd
IIMC Annual Conference in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The
conference in Milwaukee was
full of great sessions and we
were represented well with 57
Region IX attendees. A few of
the sessions included “Cutting
through the Social Media
Muck”, Robert’s Rules in the
Clerk’s World” and “Conflict,
Consensus and Solutions”
which I found most interesting.
De Hicks gave a General
Session that was humorous and
definitely made one think about
the most important lessons of
life.
In Milwaukee, Joann and I
along with the other IIMC Board
members, attended the VIP
Dinner which was held in the
Milwaukee Art Museum. The
Museum was spectacular and
the art work was from many
different periods. I feel fortunate
in my Region IX travels to be
able to see many wonderful
sights.
After our summer break,
Joann and I will be traveling
to the Riverhouse Hotel and
Convention Center in Bend,
Oregon for the OAMR Annual
Conference,
September
18th and 19th. I am sure that
continued on page 4
phone (909) 944 - 4162 ✽ fax (909) 944 - 8545 ✽ www.iimc.com
continued from page 3
President Norma Alley and
the OAMR Committees have
set up excellent classes for
their conference. Joann and I
have already been in contact
with Peggy Hawker who is
arranging a class designed
for first time attendees to the
OAMR Conference. Sign up
now!
Joann and I will be attending the
IIMC Board mid- year meeting
which will be held in California
this year. It is board policy that a
mid-year board meeting is held
near headquarters (Rancho
Cucamonga) California once
every 3 years. That meeting
will be held November 14th to
16th, 2014 at the Mission Inn
in Riverside, CA. Then directly
after the meeting Joann and
I will be flying to Anchorage,
Alaska for the AAMC Annual
Conference, which is November
17th and 18th, 2014. There we
will be hosted by President
Janey Hovendon.
Whew!!! Then it will be time
to snuggle down for a long
winter’s nap until March 2015,
yes I said 2015!
Thank you to all of the State
Associations and the Wisconsin
Municipal Clerks Association
and Hosts of the IIMC
Conference for their gracious
hospitality and providing such
important educational sessions
for all of our City Clerks.
Have a fun and safe summer!
Tori Barnett, MMC – Appointed as
Ontario’s Interim City Manager
Cindy Hughes, City Recorder/Executive Assistant, Eagle Point
Congratulations to Tori Barnett, MMC, on her recent appointment
as Ontario’s Interim City Manager. As city recorders, we fill many
roles and typically do whatever it takes to get the job done. As an
OAMR former President, Tori is a great example of an individual who
is willing to go the extra mile. Ontario’s City Council recognized her
experience and involvement with a multitude of projects which led
them to appoint her to serve as Interim City Manager. As quoted in
Ontario’s local paper, The Argus Observer, Ontario’s Mayor Cammack
stated, “She has the confidence of the Council.”
In an interview with Tori, she said she has served
as Ontario’s City Recorder for 20 years, with the
first two years as the City’s Deputy City Recorder.
Her appointment as Interim City Manager came as
a surprise to her but she’ll embrace the challenge
while continuing her duties as City Recorder.
Go TORI!
MCEF – Region IX Represents!
Kristie Smithers was unanimously appointed to the Municipal Clerk
Education Foundation Board of Directors at its meeting this past May.
Colleen Nicol has taken on the role of Secretary which places her
on the Executive Committee and our friend and IIMC Past President
Mary Lynne Stratta joined the Board at the same meeting. Watch for
new ideas and energy from these ladies!
The $30 for 30 years campaign is ongoing and the 2015 Hawaii raffle
has been launched. The attached flyers detail how you can be a part
of these two efforts. Please promote these in your States.
The Foundation combined endowments are resting at $1,992,890 squeaky close to reaching the $2 million mark. This year’s efforts will
boost us beyond that landmark number!
A huge thank you goes out to iCompass for creation of a new
endowment. Take their survey and $1 will be added! The survey
only takes a few minutes.
Your support of MCEF as associations and individuals has made a
huge difference – Thank You. Last year fifteen scholarships were
awarded in Region IX!
IIMC Headquarters
phone (909) 944 - 4162 ✽ fax (909) 944 - 8545 ✽ www.iimc.com
Rising to the Top with Commitment and Dedication
Kathy Payne, CMC,
City Recorder, St. Helens
On May 15, 2014, our Shady Cove
colleague was promoted to City
Administrator! Congratulations,
Aaron Prunty!
The road to success is not
always direct. Many times, there
are stepping stones along the
journey. Aaron’s story is that
sort of journey. He received a
Bachelor’s Degree in Political
Science. However, he didn’t work
in the public sector right away.
During his vacations, he would
attend workshops through the
League of Oregon Cities, working
toward a Local Government
Management Certificate.
He
also joined or volunteered with
professional
organizations
relevant to municipal work. His
goal was to get an education in
all facets of local government.
After many years in the private
sector, he decided to make
a career change.
In 2011,
he decided to go into local
government. In August 2012,
he was hired as the Assistant
to the City Administrator at the
City of Shady Cove. As the
Assistant, he was responsible
for many of the city recorder
duties. After just over a year, he
accepted the position as Interim
City Administrator. He worked
as Interim until May of this year
when he was appointed as the
permanent City Administrator.
Since he began working for Shady
Cove, he has continued to attend
many workshops and trainings
so that he can stay current
on relevant topics.
He also
reached out to the community,
the Chamber of Commerce, and
business owners, working hard to
get to know them and for them to
know who Aaron is. He believes
that the Council recognized his
commitment and dedication to
the City and the community and
felt that he was the best candidate
for the job.
Aaron will continue to strive to
be a positive influence in his
community and help to foster
relationships
between
the
community and local officials. He
wants the City Council to have
accurate and timely information so
that they can make well-informed
decisions for the residents they
represent. His goal is to promote
a sense of community through
efficient and effective leadership.
Sounds like they picked the right
person for the job!
he would give to other city
recorders. He advises us to
constantly challenge ourselves
and not accept the status quo.
He encourages us to keep up
with what’s going on in the field
and to maintain relationships with
peers. And just as he did, look
for ways to improve. It seems
easier to sometimes just keep
doing what you’re doing, but just
because “that’s the way we’ve
always done it” doesn’t mean
it’s always the best way to do
it. OAMR is a great resource.
Between networking with other
members and use of the list-serv,
there is so much knowledge to be
gained.
If there is any place Aaron would
want to be, it’s with his family.
No matter what they are doing,
spending time with his wife and
two children makes him the
happiest. If they’re smiling, he is
smiling. He also enjoys camping,
fishing and riding motorcycles.
Please join me in congratulating
Aaron on his promotion! You may
send him an email at caassist@
shadycove.net.
Aaron was asked what advice
IIMC Headquarters
phone (909) 944 - 4162 ✽ fax (909) 944 - 8545 ✽ www.iimc.com
Northwest Clerks Institute Director Update
Northwest Clerks Institute (NCI)
Director Dema Harris, who
serves the states of Alaska,
Oregon and Washington, retired
at the end of June following the
2014 Professional Development
program in Tacoma, WA. Dema
was hired as NCI Director in 2004
and has led the Institute for 11
years.
Dema Harris
Region IX before she heads to
the golf course this summer. She
said, “As the last week of the 2014
Northwest Clerks Institute winds
down, I have been reflecting on the
purpose and goals of this program.
The past eleven years has always
been about the education and
professional development of the
Clerks served by the program. It
has been much more than a job;
one that has brought me great
joy and many new friendships.
While I may have been a positive
influence in the lives of those
attending, the same is true for
their impact on my life. Working in
local government is a challenge; I
wish the best for all of you in this
journey. Thank you all so much.”
Peggy said she is grateful to
Dema for mentoring her during
all three weeks of this year’s
Institute at the University of Puget
Sound. “I’m thrilled to take the
helm as incoming Director of NCI
and, having been able to shadow
Dema during Institute, feel better
prepared for the job. Getting to
know the Clerks has been the
highlight. I have great passion
for their work and am proud
to join this highly professional
organization. I intend to maintain
the high standards and quality
programs the Clerks have come to
expect under Dema’s exceptional
leadership.”
Peggy Flynn
Following an extensive RFQ
process conducted earlier this
year, the three states hired Peggy
Flynn as the new NCI Director. Dema’s
dedication
to
the
professional
development
of
municipal clerks as well as her
motherly attention to all will be
truly missed. She has touched the
professional lives of over 1,000
Clerks and Recorders during her
tenure as Institute Director. In 2010,
Dema received the IIMC Institute
Director of the Year award. One of
the testimonials submitted with the
nomination stated, “Dema Harris
is an incomparable, irreplaceable
asset to NCI. She takes you in
with open arms, nurtures your self
esteem and brings you where only
she knew you could go.” How
fortunate we have been to have
this inspirational woman by our
side.
We contacted Dema to see if she
wanted to share anything with
Peggy comes to the Northwest
Clerks Institute with decades
of experience as a leader
of
people,
projects
and
organizations. Peggy’s work
focuses
on
communication,
training, project management
and public affairs. Her career
began in Washington, D.C. where
she worked for a senior Member
of Congress. After relocating
to Seattle, she earned an MBA
in general management at the
University
of
Washington’s
Executive MBA Program. She’s
been involved in various startup organizations, including the
Washington State Convention
Center. She was adjunct lecturer
at WSU’s hotel and restaurant
school in Seattle. As a selfemployed consultant, Flynn’s work
spans the business, non-profit and
government sectors.
IIMC Headquarters
Thanks to Peggy for taking the ball
and running with it. We trust she’ll
do a great job and we appreciate
all that she has to offer.
There are no words to thank
Dema enough for her dedication
to
continued
learning
and
professional development and
helping to shape new leaders in
the municipal clerk profession.
She is a true and valued friend
and mentor to many. We wish
her a very happy and fulfilling
retirement!
phone (909) 944 - 4162 ✽ fax (909) 944 - 8545 ✽ www.iimc.com
Members Receiving Certifications
Alaska
Brenda J. Ballou, CMC
Thomas C. Moran, CMC
Tani R.W. Schoneman, CMC
Deputy City Clerk
City Clerk
Borough Clerk
City of Seward
City of Nome
Bristol Bay Borough
City Clerk
Assistant City Clerk
Assistant City Clerk
Deputy City Clerk
City Clerk
City Clerk
Records Management Analyst
Deputy City Clerk
Deputy City Clerk
Assistant Analyst
Administrative Secretary
City of Dinuba
City of Chula Vista
City of Cerritos
City of Arcata
City of Santa Monica
City of Temple City
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Sunnyvale
City of Galt
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Santa Rosa
Deputy City Recorder
City Recorder
City of Newberg
City of Aurora
City Clerk/HR Generalist
Deputy Clerk/Admin/Payroll Asst.
Deputy Clerk/Treasurer
Deputy City Clerk
Permit Tech/Deputy Clerk
Deputy City Clerk
City of Milton
Clallam Transit System
City of Tonasket
City of Kirkland
Town of Woodway
City of Seattle
California
Jayne Anderson, CMC
Kerry Bigelow, CMC
Brenda Cabrera, CMC
Bridget Dory, CMC
Sarah P. Gorman, CMC
Peggy Kuo, CMC
Laura Maguire, CMC
Lisa Natusch, CMC
Donna Settles, CMC
Leslie Terrell, CMC
Sandi Bliss, CMC
Oregon
Jennifer L. Nelson, CMC
Kelly A. Richardson, CMC
Washington
Katie Bolam, CMC
Alyeen Carlson, CMC
Deniece Miller, CMC
Anja Mullin, CMC
Heidi Napolitino, CMC
Emilia M. Sanchez, CMC
Members Earning Master Municipal Clerk Status
Alaska
Janey L. Hovenden, MMC
City Clerk
City of Fairbanks
City Clerk
City Clerk
Asst. City Clerk/HR Technician
City of El Cerrito
City of Lake Forest
City of Los Banos
Exec. Office Mgr./Clerk to the Board
Everett Community Transit
California
Cheryl Morse, MMC
Stephanie D. Smith, MMC
Jana R. Sousa, MMC
Washington
Jan McBride, MMC
IIMC Headquarters
phone (909) 944 - 4162 ✽ fax (909) 944 - 8545 ✽ www.iimc.com
Ed2Go
IIMC has approved online courses through Ed2Go. Courses completed through Ed2Go will earn 1 CMC Experience
point per 6 hours or 1 MMC Advanced Education point per 6 hours. Each course is approximately 24 hours long. The
following courses are now offered:
A-Z Grant Writing
Going Green at the Workplace
Advanced Grant Proposal Writing
High Speed Project Management
Accounting Fundamental (I and II)
Interpersonal Communication
Achieving Success with Difficult People
Keys to Effective Communication
Advanced Effective Grant Writing
Keys to Effective Editing
Building Teams That Work
Leadership
Business and Marketing Writing
Making Great Decisions
Effective Business Writing
Mastering Public Speaking
Effective Communication
Project Management Applications
Fundamentals of Supervision and Management (I and II)
Project Management Fundamentals
Fundamentals of Technical Writing
Success With Difficult People
Get Assertive!
Understanding the Human Resources Function
Get Grants
Writing Effective Grant Proposals
The Ed2Go network consists of more than 1,800 top colleges, universities, and other organizations. Each Ed2Go course
can be taken from home or the office, as they are taken completely online over a 6 week period. Each course will be
led by a well- qualified instructor, and through an accredited college in your area. Once enrolled, students will be able
to engage with their classmates, post questions and comments, and take quizzes that are automatically graded upon
completion. Upon successful completion of the course assessment, a certificate will be awarded. The average course price is $99. However, price does vary by the college or university course provider. Go here for
more information.
Region IX Educational Opportunities
Region IX provides many opportunities for members to attend educational classes and accumulate points toward
certification. Here is a list of the classes we know are scheduled to date. For further information on the classes listed
below, please refer to the various association websites:
WMCA
OAMR
AAMC
CCAC
NCI
IIMC
Washington Municipal Clerks Association Oregon Association of Municipal Recorders Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks City Clerks Association of California Northwest Clerks Institute International Institute of Municipal Clerks www.wmcaclerks.org
www.oamr.org
www.alaskaclerks.org
www.californiacityclerks.org
www.nwclerksinstitute.org
www.iimc.com
Please check the websites for more details; some classes may provide more points depending on the amount of out of
class preparation time involved.
Jul. 24 - Jul. 25 August 20-22 Sept. 9 - 12 Oct. 16 - 17 Dec. 3 - 5
Nuts and Bolts (CMC) CEPO Prof. Development Series (CMC & MMC) Technical Training for Clerks (CMC) Nuts and Bolts (CMC)
New Law & Election Seminar
CCAC CCAC CCAC CCAC
CCAC
On-Going Educational Opportunities:
IIMC On-Line Learning Information at www.iimc.com
Manteca, CA
Pomona, CA
Riverside, CA
Brea, CA
Monterey, CA
Alaska Association of Municipal
Clerks
Warm Greeting from Alaska
In Interior Alaska, we have
finally thawed out; however I
can’t remember a more mild
winter than this last one!
Janey Hovenden, CMC
AAMC President
(907) 459 - 6774
jjhovenden@ci.fairbanks.ak.us
Many Alaskan Clerks were
able to venture to Milwaukee,
WI for the 68th Annual IIMC
Conference and I had the
great honor of carrying the
Alaska Flag during the opening
ceremonies. It was great fun
(even if I was stuck in the Gift
Shoppe and missed the Harley
Davidson Museum).
Thank
you Joann for planning such a
great Region IX Dinner. The
hors d’oeuvres were awesome
and it was wonderful meeting
Clerks from around our region.
We are really gearing up for the
49th Annual Conference being
held in Anchorage, Alaska
November 16 through 18. The
Education and Conference
committees have been hard
at work planning for this
conference, which I might add,
is going to be great! Janice
Corbin will be presenting
“When the Role of Advisor and
Decision-Make Intersect” at the
Advanced Academy on Sunday,
November 16. Everyone is
welcome to join us!
It has been wonderful traveling
to the states of our Region. The
WMCA Conference in Pasco
was a lot of fun, both in learning
and laughter and they sure
know how to raise funds for
education. The California Clerks
really know how to showcase
their vendors and sponsors
who support their association.
The trip to the Comedy Club
was extraordinary; I don’t know
how long it’s been since I’ve
laughed that hard and long. I
am looking forward to going to
Bend in September to attend
OAMR and reconnect with
Norma who has been my travel
partner from Oregon this year.
Best wishes,
Janey Hovenden
AAMC President
Oregon Association of Municipal
Recorders
Norma Alley, MMC
OAMR President
(503) 537 - 1283
norma.alley@newbergoregon.gov
Serving on the OAMR Board
and especially as President
has been one of the most
rewarding experiences of my
life! Since my last article I
have conducted two Board
meetings; traveled to the
WMCA Conference, CCAC
Conference, and IIMC
Conference; attended two
state league Board meetings;
and attended two region
gatherings. This keeps me on
my toes.
The OAMR membership has
been active as well. We have
had three members receive
their Certified Municipal Clerk
certification since December
2013. Congratulations to
Nicole Morris, Tualatin; Kelly
Richardson, Aurora; and
Jennifer Nelson, Newberg!
Past President Tori Barnett,
MMC, City of Ontario and
Aaron Prunty, Shady Cove,
have both been recognized
by their Council for all their
dedication and hard work to
their City. Tori is currently
serving as the interim city
manager for her city and Aaron
was hired as the permanent
city administrator at Shady
Cove. This is a great show
of respect and trust from their
Councils. It’s moments when
I see people accomplishing
great things that makes me
excited to be a part of OAMR.
My motto as President
is “Turning Vision into
Accomplishments” and OAMR
is doing just that. A couple
years ago a few members
expressed interest in pursuing
the centralizing of our
conference locations. An Adhoc Committee has prepared
findings for the membership to
consider at our annual meeting
in September. As a Board,
we have the vision of records
accessibility. We are going
through our website freshening
up pages and making records
easier to locate. We are
already seeing such good
changes in the last couple
months and know this ongoing project will make such a
difference in the end.
I wish everyone a year full of
many blessings and lots of
laughter!
Washington Municipal Clerks
Association
Diana Quinn, CMC
WMCA President
(253) 833 - 2897
dianaq@algonawa.gov
For the past few years, the
Washington Municipal Clerks
Association (WMCA) has taken
a more proactive approach to
professional development. Getting
the attention of those who ultimately
approve our training dollars – the
elected officials – has been a key
focus. For the fourth consecutive
year, WMCA has participated as
a vendor at the Association of
Washington Cities (AWC) Annual
Conference that many elected
officials attend. The goal is to talk
with the Mayors, Councilmembers
and even City Managers about
what our organization offers, our
certification program, and how
our programs can benefit their
municipalities.
It’s interesting how many of these
elected officials are not aware of
our programs and how excited
they are to learn about them first
hand from the clerks themselves.
We emphasize the importance of
staying informed and up to date
about new legislation, particularly
public disclosure and records
laws, and technology from a risk
management perspective. We let
them know that we can help keep
their cities out of trouble and shine
a positive light on their agencies.
Speaking of risk management,
WMCA has also worked hard
to form partnerships with our
insurance liability pools to fund
training opportunities for municipal
clerks.
The Cities Insurance
Association of Washington (CIAW)
offers scholarships to trainings
including the Northwest Clerks
Institute (NCI) and the Washington
Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA)
now recognizes our professional
development program at NCI as a
reimbursable certification program.
These two entities as well as the
AWC Risk Management Service
Agency also work with WMCA to
sponsor speakers at conferences
and academy sessions.
Our fundraising efforts have been
strong to support our scholarship
program for new municipal clerks.
With our annual conference in
March, we often find that these
new clerks are not aware of the
Northwest Clerks Institute and
our certification program.
We
meet with these new clerks and
let them know about scholarships
and funding opportunities and
frequently, they end up at NCI in
June. Getting this training early
on helps them to hit the ground
running and gain confidence in
their new role in the clerk’s office.
They also meet other clerks and
form a network that helps them
when they return to work.
WMCA is working hard to
stress professionalism with our
membership and communicate
that message to City Managers
and Administrators, Mayors and
City Councilmembers. Gone are
the days of the shy clerk saying,
“Shucks, I’m just the clerk.” Now
we stand proudly with our CMC
and MMC designations after our
names and own it when our Mayor
says, “This is our City Clerk. He/
She runs the city.” We graciously
accept the compliment and thank
the Council for setting good
policies and working in concert
with us to fulfill the goals of the
organization.
These are some of our efforts
to
emphasize
professional
development and we would love to
hear what others states are doing
as well.
City Clerk Association of California
Nanci Lima, MMC
CCAC President
(559) 665 - 8615
nlima@ci.chowchilla.ca.us
We have been very busy this
year and as I look back I think we
might have been a little crazy. As
an organization we finally made
our membership completely
electronic. At a glance of a report
you can easily see how many
members we have and whether
they are primary or associate
members, lifetime, retired, or
honorary. No more counting on a
spreadsheet. We took on our own
electronic conference registration
and
that
worked
beyond
expectations, and very shortly we
will be launching a new website.
Most of this was done in the space
of three months by dedicated
volunteer Board Members. Now
do you understand crazy?
Our structural study in nearing
completion, we expect a report
from our consultants within the
next three-four months.
This
process has been enlightening
and we are excitedly awaiting the
results.
In April we held our 41st Annual
Conference in Pasadena, CA. My
theme this year has been Unity,
while we have three divisions we
Mindy Cuppy
are one organization. We stand
side by side with each other and
extend our hand when assistance
is needed by another clerk.
Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk of the City
of Rancho Cordova, was awarded
the 2014 Clerk of the Year. Her
Mayor’s nomination included
comments such as:
“Watching Mindy Cuppy come
into her new role as our City
Clerk in August 2008 is best
described as watching “a duck
take to water.”
Established a solid team of
the three-member City Clerk’s
Department
by
defining
roles and responsibilities,
cross-training,
supporting
continuing education for staff,
and brokering collaborative
approaches to meet Council
and organizational needs.
Responded
quickly
and
accurately to guide the Council
and the public through a last
minute special election ballot
measure.
Extended Public Records Act
request opportunities to the
City’s website and created a
staff role at Council meetings
for
“customer
service
ambassador,” showing that
she really understood what it
took to move beyond required
duties and find ways to engage
the public at their comfort level
in transparent government
Created
a
brand
new
Continuity of Government
Plan to be used in the event
of an extreme emergency and
continued on next page
continued from previous page
an Administrative Process
binder to ensure accuracy in
core responsibilities—all very
important to a new City
Completed almost all of her
requirements for Certified
Municipal Clerk (despite the
fact that she needed to wait
till she had been a member
of the International Institute
of Municipal Clerks for two
years!)
Mindy successfully moved the
City towards digital delivery
of an electronic agenda
packet, adding document
management and agenda
management systems that
saved staff time, increased
productivity and improved
access.
She also interacts with
regional leaders on our behalf,
and has gained a reputation
for Rancho Cordova that
speaks of collaboration and
savvy treatment of sometimes
sensitive issues.
This is
especially true when dealing
with election issues.
Our City places a high value
on entrepreneurial thinking
and Mindy has risen to that
challenge both inside and
outside our organization. She
has energetically gone after
grant funds to help offset
system changes and brought
in revenue.
Mindy’s
creativity
sparks
positive outcomes, and I
have never known her to say
she couldn’t do something.
She always figures a way
and is never afraid to take
on something that needs a
champion when her many
abilities can contribute to a
positive outcome.
On the lighter side, when faced
with a common challenge of enlisting staff action on records retention
and file clean-up, she started an annual tradition of clever and fun
competition among staff and departments with visible rewards.
An excellent example of how Mindy’s contributions have been viewed
by the staff was her invitation to serve on the City Manager’s closest
leadership circle, the Advisory Team. ”
Also, at our conference we raised over $9,000 to fund full registration
scholarships. I know everyone funds scholarships, but in the past CCAC
had funded partial scholarships to our Institutes. Last October at our Board
Goal Setting I challenged the fundraising committee to raise $12,000 for
full registration scholarships. I set the bar very high and they came within
$3,000 of reaching it. When I threw this challenge out, I’m pretty sure most
of the Board thought I was crazy. But I had a very good reason, it started
with meeting my roommates at my very first CEPO class (our leadership
institute). One of those wonderful ladies has not been able to return to
CEPO because her city couldn’t make up the difference in the traditional
partial scholarship CCAC awards. While the full registration scholarship
does not benefit her, it is because of her that I issued the challenge. The
following people received full registration scholarships:
August MMCA:
-Adria Jimenez - City of Downey (CCAC Full Scholarship)
-Peggy Kuo - City of Temple City (CCAC Full Scholarship)
-Kristina Santana - City of Santa Cruz (CCAC Full Scholarship)
September (Series 100) TTC:
-Angela Bustamante - City of Cudahy (CCAC Full Scholarship)
-Elizabeth Soto - City of Salinas (CCAC Full Scholarship)
-Claudia Isbell - City of Ontario (CCAC Full Scholarship)
-Ricca Charlon - City of Ridgecrest (CCAC Full Scholarship)
We also had one more change at our Technical Training for Clerks Institute
(TTC). We extended graduation to include all four series and we had our
first graduating class this June. Attached is a picture of the graduating
class, the bubbly lady in the middle in my deputy Joann McClendon. I
am so proud of her and I would not have been able to fulfill my duties as
President of CCAC without her support.
This has been a wonderful year for CCAC and me. I thank everyone who
has assisted me and been there whether in the office or been a sounding
board. No one can be President of any of our organizations alone.
Hawaii Raffle
Trip for Two, Airfare, &
Week’s Hotel on Waikiki Beach
Proceeds benefit IIMC Education
Programs
2013 Winner
Kim Meltzer
Clinton Township, MI
Visiting Honolulu City Clerk Bernice Mau
$5 EACH OR 5 FOR $20
Name____________________________ $ _______________
Phone_______________ Email ________________________
City_________________ State/Province/Country_________
Return flier and check payable to MCEF to:
MCEF Treasurer, 410 Washington Street, Iowa City, IA 52240
Winner drawn at IIMC Annual Conference in Hartford, CT, on May 20, 2015.
Winner need not be present to win.
SPONSORED BY AMERICAN LEGAL PUBLISHING
For ticket numbers or stubs email
rbollhauer@amlegal.com
The Municipal Clerrks Educattion Found
dation is a d
diverse tea
am of volu
unteers wh
ho are
p
passionate
ely committted to raissing endow
wed dollarrs whose e
earnings he
elp IIMC pursue its
educatio
onal objec
ctives.
Invest in municipal clerk educa
ation
FFund CMC
C scholarsh
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FFund MMC
C scholarsh
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SStrengthen
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a
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R
Remembe
er a loved one
o
TThank and honor a mentor
m
TThank and honor Insttitute Direc
ctors
SSponsor co
onference speakers
G
Give at a higher
h
Soc
ciety level
SSupport Sta
ate/Provin
ncial/Natio
onal grantss
B
Begin or grrow an endowment
P
Pay it forward
TThank MCE
EF for priorr scholarship
FFund educ
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H
Honor IIMC
C’s first Pressident Arth
hur J.
SShinners
9 SSupport IIM
MC education progra
ams
9
9
9
9
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9
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9
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9
9
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W
Walk the ta
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SStrengthen
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earning
H
Honor yourself
H
Honor your professio
on
H
Honor MCEF’s first President Lyle A.
SSchwarzko
opf
FFund Regio
onal confe
erence reg
gistration
g
grants
U
Upgrade technology
y for IIMC HQ
H
Honor past IIMC/MC
CEF Board
m
members
Increase a
awareness of MCEF’ss mission
M
Make a tax deductib
ble donatiion
SShow gratiitude to M
MCEF
SSupport Insstitute Dire
ector’s Collloquium
SStrengthen
n the profe
ession
TThank IIMC
C staff
me:
Nam
City
y/Agency:
dress:
Add
Amo
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$30
Other: $
Email:
y are you giving?
g
Why
Return fliier and check paya ble to MCEF to:
EF Treasure
er
MCE
410 Wasshington S treet
Iowa City,
C
IA 522
240
Fo
or credit ca
ard payme
ents call IIM
MC at 909--944-4162
Municipal Clerks Education Foundation
CONTACT: Dale Barstow
MCEF President
N
E
W
S
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
909/944-4162
Canadian Company Creates MCEF Endowment Fund For Municipal Clerk Education
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA – JUNE 3, 2014 – Canadian based iCompass Technologies has partnered with the
Municipal Clerks Education Foundation (MCEF) to create the iCompass Small Government Clerks Endowment
Fund to support education programs and funding for IIMC Municipal Clerks worldwide. MCEF’s Endowments
begin with a minimum donation of $5,000 with the interest generated from the fund to be dispersed to Municipal
Clerks attending IIMC Institutes, training and education programs.
“As MCEF nears the $2 million dollar mark in its fund, Endowments and contributions similar to iCompass’ will
only benefit our members,” said MCEF President Dale Barstow. “We appreciate the commitment iCompass is
making toward Clerk education.”
iCompass launched its Endowment at the IIMC Conference in Milwaukee in May by donating $1,000 to MCEF.
iCompass will provide MCEF with an additional dollar ($1) from every response it receives from its second annual
North American Clerks Survey: the survey will be distributed to more than 20,000 Municipal Clerks (need date)
with a focus on identifying key trends and challenges in the industry.
R
E
L
E
A
S
E
“As benefactor of the selfless and open nature of the Clerk community, iCompass is eager to contribute and
MCEF was a natural choice,” said iCompass CAO Paulin Laberge. “Our connection to one of the largest groups
of Clerks in the world provides the privilege of getting feedback across regions and local government types. We
plan this survey to be an annual contributor to forwarding better Clerking and better government.”
About MCEF
Established in 1984, the Municipal Clerks Education Foundation (MCEF) is the fundraising arm for the
International Institute of Municipal Clerks. IIMC uses these funds to promote, train and educate Municipal
Clerks, making them proficient in the services they provide for the citizens of their community.
About iCompass
For over 15 years iCompass has designed industry leading Meeting and Records Management Software for local
governments. We are known for saving small and medium local governments millions of dollars annually and
saving hours every meeting cycle. The end result is cloud-based software that delivers big city style meeting and
citizen engagement solutions in an affordable and easy to understand package.
About IIMC
Founded in 1947, IIMC is a professional nonprofit association with more than 10,000 members throughout North
America and 15 other countries. IIMC provides services and continuing educational development opportunities in
47 permanent college-and university-based learning centers. IIMC offers Municipal Clerks a Certified Municipal
Clerk Program (CMC), a Master Municipal Clerk Academy (MMCA) Program and other opportunities to benefit
members and the government entities they serve.
###
Phone (909) 944-4162
8331 Utica Avenue Suite 200 Rancho Cucamonga, California 91730
Messages (800) 251-1639 Fax (909) 944-8545 hq@iimc.com www.iimc.com