The municipal clerk stands as the only staff role that South Carolina law requires of every city and town, no matter its size or form of government. The International Institute of Municipal Clerks marks Professional Municipal Clerks Week every year to call attention to clerks. The 52nd annual observance will take place May 2 – 8. The role of clerks often does not gain attention, but they fulfill a crucial function for local government.
Responsibilities for clerks include preparing the agendas for council meetings and then creating minutes of the meetings. Clerks also maintain the records of a city’s ordinances and council’s resolutions, as well as the records of appointed commissions and committees. Many clerks also serve in financial and administrative roles.
Clerks must also keep up with the technological needs of local government, and that aspect of their work has taken on a major new dimension during the COVID-19 pandemic since many councils have gathered remotely in electronic meetings for the first time. Clerks played a critical role in working out the many technical and training issues of ensuring that councilmembers can participate in these meetings and that the public can watch them and even take part in public hearings.
The SC Municipal Finance Officers, Clerks and Treasurers Association provides training for each of those professions, and it is a cosponsor of the Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Institute. It’s a three-year program that counts toward the International Institute of Municipal Clerks’ Certified Municipal Clerks designation.
Learn more about Municipal Clerks Week and view a sample resolution that city and town councils can use in May to recognize their clerks’ work.