Clerk of Council Office

The oldest position in the City of Savannahs Government. Definition of A CITY CLERK a public officer charged with recording the official proceedings and vital statistics of a city First Known Use of CITY CLERK 1793

 Appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the City

Council Record City Council proceedings Legislative record Contracts and official bonds City seal custodian Oaths and affirmations City elections Access to public records

State Law and local laws: Elections Code Georgia Code Georgia Open Records/Open Meeting Laws City of Savannah Code of Ordinances Attestation Swearing in new Police officers Rules of Council Public hearings Certify Documents Notarize Council Papers and Public Documents

Elections:
Local elections official Oversee contract services with Chatham County

Elections Board

Records Management:
Safe keeping and access Retention and disposition Research

Legislative and Administrative Support:

Agendas and Minutes Ordinances and Resolutions Municipal Code Codification Contracts, Deeds and Agreements Boards, Commissions and Authorities Petitions Local government historian Integrity of local government processes and records Public accessibility to local government processes and records

Clerk of Council Office Responsibilities

 The Clerk of Councils

Office maintains the records of City government from 1789 to the present in a storage vault.
maintained in the vault: minute, index, contract, deed, cemetery, ordinances, resolutions and code books Papers are maintained in acid proof file folders in the vault: Council papers, contracts, petitions, surety bonds, insurance forms, zoning, aldermanic districts, historic and Victorian districts maps

Research is provided by the

The following books and papers are

Clerk of Council Office to the Mayor and Alderman, City Attorney, City departments, citizens, legal departments, legal communities and other Municipalities. All records are open to the public and citizens are provided the opportunity to come in and research the records in the vault.

 Petitions
Alcohol 90 in 2012 Damage 137 in 2012
Encroachment 35 in 2012

In 2012, the Clerk of

Anti Litem 45 in 2012

(Lawsuits against the city)

Cemetery 65 in 2012 174 new deeds came in Zoning 24 in 2012

Miscellaneous 33 in 2012 Examples: Service Weapon, street renaming, Resolution request

Council office handled a total of 429 petitions A total of 34 Civil suits were filed in the office and sent to the City Attorney The Clerk of Council office received 69 Contracts and 11 Deeds to be recorded and on file, in 2012

 In 2011, the Clerk of

Council office sent out and posted 33 Public notices of meetings being held by the Mayor and Council of the City of Savannah
On average that was 2.75

meetings per month

In 2012, 86 public notices

were posted in 2012

On average that was 7.16

meetings per month

Regular, Special, 48 hour Summary, Workshops, Retreats, Town Hall Meetings, Executive Sessions, Public Hearings

 Attends City Council meetings and special meetings, recording

the items before Council and actions taken regarding the disposition of such items:

Draft and transcribe a summary of the actions of the regular City

Council meeting within 48-hours as prescribed by state law. Transcribe minutes from a DVD of the meeting, notes and the meeting agenda. Make corrections or amendments to the previous meeting minutes. Review and proof minutes for corrections before signing and filing.
Distribute to Council, staff, City Attorney, and State of Georgia. File a hard copy in the official Council Minute book in the vault. Council papers from each meeting such as ordinances and

resolutions are dated and signed by Mayor and attested by Clerk of Council. All council papers alcohol petitions, zoning petitions, ordinances, resolutions, deeds, agendas, and miscellaneous documentation are filed in0 acid-proof folders in the vault. Place minutes on the Citys webpage and CINC.

Agenda Items Received from the Clerk of Council

Approval of the Minutes Resolution Presentations Alcohol Beverage license

Agenda Items Actions

Notify petitioners, City

hearings* Zoning hearings* Ordinances Resolutions Miscellaneous and continued items

staff and MPC on action taken for alcohol licenses, zoning hearings, miscellaneous petitions, show cause hearings, and appointments Attest and file copies of all contracts approved in Council.

Alcohol, Zoning and Charter amendments must be advertised and posted prior to Council meetings*

 The Clerk of Councils

Zoning Process:
Provide zoning applications

Office receives various fees and bonds which are filed and then forwarded to the Revenue Department
Zoning application fees Surety bonds Pawnbrokers Qualifying fees City Code Escorts Copies

upon submission review for accuracy. Submit to MPC; staff reports findings to Planning Commission Upon completion of this process the MPC report and recommendations are forwarded to the Clerk of Council to advertise a public hearing notifying the petitioner who is responsible for picking up a sign and posting it on the property

 Responsible for processing Cemetery Interment Rights &

Cemetery Transfer Petitions for the municipal cemeteries. Work daily with Cemetery Director and staff to research, verify, update, and maintain cemetery records
Cemetery Interment Rights Receive Cemetery deed from Cemetery Director upon

completion of sale. Forward to City Manager for her signature and then attest. Enters all pertinent information from original Cemetery Interment Rights into online cemetery index log and the corresponding cemetery book. cemetery book on file in the Office of the Clerk of Council. Return the original Cemetery Interment Rights to Cemetery Director to be forward to the owners.

Copies Cemetery Interment Rights onto a corresponding

Cemetery Transfer Petitions

Verifies lot ownership for all incoming cemetery transfer

petitions. Assigns each a petition number and enters information in the online Petition Log and petition form. Types letters and transfer certificates and mails to petitioner(s), new owner(s), and Cemetery Director upon approval by Clerk of Council. Document transfer in the cemetery books Upon request, provide copies of deeds, Transfers can be amended or rescinded when necessary by the Clerk of Council to correct cemetery purchases or transfer errors.

Prepares a monthly Cemetery Transfer list for

inclusion in the City Council minute book.

 Cemetery Transfers 2011 = 45 2012 = 65

New Cemetery Burial

Rights (Deeds)
2011 = 79 2012 = 174

 Responsible for maintaining and keeping current membership list for

51 Boards, Commissions and Authorities totaling over 500 citizen volunteers. Communicates with contact person for each board, commission or authority for pertinent up-to-date information. Types letters to board members regarding term expirations, new appointees, and thank you letters to applicants not selected. Creates listing for quarterly public notice and distributes to City Council members, Mayor, City Manager, Public Information Office, other city staff, and local media. Compiles submitted applications and prepares binders for each City Council member for review and recommendations. Places Boards, Commissions and Authorities on the work session/ City Council agendas for recommendations and approval.

Updates each Board, Commission and Authority quarterly and publishes on the City website and CINC

 There 141 applications received and 118 Appointments made in 2011. In 2012, there were 196 applications received and 147 Appointments made. The Clerk of Councils office coordinates with the Board liaison and city staff to maintain an attendance list of all Boards, Commissions and Authorities

2011 in comparison to 2012

Elections
City of Savannah Municipal

Election/ Election Supervisor

The Clerk of Council Contracts

Mandated election training The City elections are held every

four years. The next scheduled election is November 10, 2015 with the runoff being Tuesday, December 1, 2015. The Clerk of Council qualifies all candidates. council members training booklet and register new them for newly elected training

with the Chatham County Elections Board to conduct the City of Savannah Municipal Elections

Financial Disclosure forms for

Prepare and maintain new

previous elections are maintained on file through the Office of the Clerk of Council through December 2010.

 Plan and coordinate Mayor and Council Inauguration

Location, Set up, Entertainment, Food,

Invitations, Volunteers and Financial Contributors, Program, Vendors, Printers, Payments, New Council Members format and invitation list, Public Notice, Minutes, Preside, Provide and maintain oath of office, Contact judges

Boards, Commissions and

Authorities appreciation reception Coordinate program location, distribute invitations, volunteers, catering and gifts

Council Retreats

Coordinate with location,

provide and prepare material, setup equipment, provide breakfast, lunch and refreshments

 Maintain, update and

notify Municipal Code Cooperation for yearly supplements to city code and Municode.
Forward ordinances to

There were 41 ordinances

Municode upon completion of Council minutes for subsequent supplement to 2013 City code in hardcopy and electronically to the Citys webpage

adopted by City Council in 2012 and 31 were sent to Municode for codification We have received supplement No. 7 to the 2003 City Code which is incorporated into the bound copy of the City Code and is distributed to City departments, Legal departments, Lawyers and Law libraries

As a general rule municipalities recodify their City code every 10 years

 Research and prepare

commemorative resolutions for city council, 14 created in 2012. Certify documents such as: actions taken in council meetings, council minutes, ordinances, resolutions, city codes: International Property Maintenance Code, Fire Code, Electrical Code, Building Code, Plumbing Code, Swimming Pool Code, etc.

Attest signature of Mayor,

City Manager, City Attorney and Finance Director/ Chief Financial Officer. Receive and respond to request for open meetings, open records information.

Served as Assistant to the Clerk of Council for 9 years prior to being appointed Clerk of Council in 1985. Certified Georgia Mandated Municipal Clerk in 1991 at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Member and Past President of the Georgia Municipal Clerk and Finance Officers Association, served on the GMA Board of Directors, chaired GMA Women in Municipal Government, served on GMA policy committee and served as a GMA appointed voting delegate to the NLC. IIMC Region III Director (Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida) Member and Past President of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) IIMC Municipal Clerks Education Foundation (MCEF) Board Member Received IIMC Master Municipal Clerk Certification 1 of 4 in Georgia and 1,225 World wide. Hosted IIMC Board Meeting, IIMC Region III Meeting, IIMC Meeting Administration Committee, IIMC Educational Summit, IIMC Retired Clerks Association Meeting 2 years. Hosted Clerks from around the country, Canada, the Netherland, the UK and scheduled to host guest from the UK March 2013 and the IIMC Board of Directors Meeting in November 2013.

 City Clerk, noun:

a mortal being with highly supernatural powers; capable of producing voluminous bundles of paper routinely, while deciphering and recording mystical messages resulting from numerous voices speaking at once; successfully administers the local electoral process in a neutral and confident manner amidst tumultuous political storms; provides vital information for legislative decision-making amongst senior groups of other mortal beings with dissimilar powers; while continuing professional development and State mandated Clerks training.

Know the Georgia Code, the Election Code, the Open Records/Open

meetings law and the City Municipal Code . . . ensure that city policies conform with county, state, Federal laws, and the latest court rulings . . . confer with attorneys . . . confer with developers . . . confer with candidates . . . confer with citizens. . . confer with city employees, develop city council agendas . . . Manage. . . record and circulate all city council actions, resolutions, and minutes attest, notarize, process, file, research, retrieve, maintain, monitor, plan, evaluate, receive, sign, countersign, conduct, open, close, seal and deliver upon request every document that flows into and out of City Hall. be an expert on all aspects of everything and everybody in City Hall .

City Clerk :a noun often referred to as Super Clerk

 Samples of corresponding actions on: Council meetings Council papers Petitions Zoning Public Notices Cemetery Deeds/Transfers Certifications Agenda items Letters to applicants/petitioners City Code of Ordinance Actions on Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Authorities Police Officer Oath