442:, and municipal supervisor of elections. In some smaller towns' governments, recorders additionally fill the role of financial officer. Many municipalities delegate some or all of these duties to an employee with the title of city or town clerk, while others may divide them between the recorder and the clerk. The recorder or clerk may even have authority by ordinance to issue warrants for arrest, although this power normally resides in a municipal judge.
299:
complicated due to the input and iterative modification by numerous departments and agencies, both within and external to the organization. Software applications that can easily assemble agendas, minutes, and even automatically transcribe the meetings are now becoming more common. Often, these agendas and meeting minutes are downloadable by interested citizens by accessing the organization's website.
50:, the position is elected, but in many others, the clerk is appointed to their post. In the UK, a town or parish clerk is appointed by the town or parish council members. In almost all cases, the actual title of the clerk reflects the type of municipality they work for; thus, instead of simply being known as the clerk, the position is generally referred to as the
315:, the city clerk is the local official who administers democratic processes such as elections, access to city records, and all legislative actions ensuring transparency to the public. The city clerk acts as a compliance officer for federal, state, and local statutes including the Political Reform Act, the Brown Act, and the
409:
in the judicial department in which the county is located.") For example, marriage licenses and dog licenses are issued by town clerks while business certificates and real property deeds are maintained by county clerks. Appointed historians are also required at each level. City clerks may administer
298:
for the legislative and committee meetings. Official meetings of municipalities can become a serious chore as the activity in the town increases with a larger population. The task of assembling the agenda packets with supporting documents can take several days for a single meeting. It becomes more
134:
All
Canadian local governments will have a position in their organization responsible for the duties of the clerk, working closely with other statutory positions, including the chief administrative officer and chief financial officer. Clerks are not elected in Canada, and are apolitical. This is an
110:. The early keepers of the archives were often called remembrancers, and before writing came into use, their memory was public record. When the early colonists came to America, one of the first offices established was that of clerk. The colony at Plymouth appointed a person to act as a recorder.
89:
The duties of a municipal clerk vary even more than their titles. In the United
Kingdom, a clerk is generally responsible for a local council (town or parish). Particularly in the United States, it is difficult to fully describe a clerk's duties, because there are hundreds of different jobs a clerk
381:
in each county: the sheriff, the surrogate, and the county clerk, the last of whose term is five years. The county clerk is responsible the supervision of elections, the filing and recording of all documents in real estate ownership/transfer, the processing passport applications, assisting
302:
Clerks may also be responsible for issuing licenses, overseeing local elections, maintaining financial records, serving as registrar of vital statistics, and increasingly, for assuring the transparency of the municipality's conduct of business.
168:
Title of the clerk may vary from local government to local government. In
British Columbia, the clerk is often referred to as the corporate officer of the municipal government, as established in that province's
290:, the clerk often serves as the official keeper of the municipal records, and as such, is sometimes described as the "historian" of the community. Sometimes the clerk's office includes presenting the
90:
may fulfill. In some U.S. states, there are provisions in the state constitutions delineating the clerk's duties, but in other states, each municipality decides for itself what role the clerk plays.
357:. The duties of town clerks vary slightly in each community. Massachusetts clerks who have been in office five or more years may be elected by special ballot initiative to a lifetime term with
337:
level, which is a subdivision of the county. Such clerks are sometimes required to serve more than one governmental unit, due to the often overlapping jurisdictions that exist in
Illinois.
248:
is the parish clerk, usually part-time, but still a paid official, whose main responsibility is the administration and minuting of parish council meetings and parish council finance. The
255:
On ceremonial occasions, some town clerks will wear a gown of black silk ottoman/grosgrain of the lay pattern with panel sleeves and a flap collar. The gown is trimmed with rows of
165:
In
Ontario, the clerk issues marriage licences and burial permits, and registers deaths on behalf of the provincial government. They also are authorized to perform civil weddings.
123:
519:
185:, for over a century, the chief administrative officer of a city or borough was also legally designated the town clerk. This continued until the 1970s, when the city and
498:"60.33 Duties of town clerk. :: Chapter 60. Towns. :: 2010 Wisconsin Code :: Wisconsin Code :: US Codes and Statutes :: US Law :: Justia"
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individuals who wish to become a notary public, the issuance of identification cards, the filing of business trade names, among other administrative duties.
122:, for over a century, the chief administrative officer of a city or borough was also legally designated the town clerk. This continued until 1993, when the
220:, the town clerk is the senior administrative officer of the city, borough or town, usually the most senior salaried employee of the council. In most
913:
928:
454:, either alone or with subordinate clerks, performs all administrative work that does not require the powers of the elected municipal council.
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406:
138:
Provincial legislation lays out the key duties of the clerk, and can vary from province to province, but often includes the following:
573:
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of the municipal government in the absence of the actual mayor. Recorders also serve as members of and secretary to the city or town
271:. However, many town clerks will not wear ceremonial dress as the role has been modernised in many towns across the United Kingdom.
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903:
684:
520:"Duties of the City Clerk Under California Law In a General Law California City « Michael Reiter, Attorney at Law Blog"
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in Class IV towns (those with fewer than 2,000 people) and in some larger municipalities. By default, recorders act as
551:
873:"West Virginia Code §8-10-4. Powers and duties of recorder or clerk relating to warrants, oaths, sureties and bonds"
159:
933:
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319:. The city clerk manages public inquiries and relationships and arranges for ceremonial and official functions.
275:
237:
190:
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important measure, considering many
Canadian clerks are tasked with the duty of administering local elections.
898:
316:
831:"West Virginia Code §8-5-7. Certain officers; wards or election districts; residency and other requirements"
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and gentleman-commoners in the ancient universities of Oxford and
Cambridge. The town clerk may also wear a
805:
378:
17:
663:
86:
The office has existed for centuries, though in some places it is now being merged with other positions.
483:
https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/features/word/search/?search_word_type=Dictionary&word=clerk
374:
205:
198:
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and county clerks who have separately defined responsibilities. (Under
Article XIII, §13(a) of the
236:, and the chief executives of large authorities sometimes still do. The equivalent officer in
228:, although the original name is retained in most smaller towns. The town clerks of the larger
398:
497:
358:
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was passed and the officer became called the 'general manager of the local council/shire'.
43:
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elections but, outside cities, county election commissioners head the election apparatus.
8:
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ensuring the accurate taking of council minutes/recording of the decisions of council;
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was the clerk to the council (now also designated chief executive) and in (non-town)
221:
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are not elected, but instead "shall be appointed, and be subject to removal, by the
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at age 70, after which they may remain in office if they run for successive terms.
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who read official documents publicly and at the opening of a meeting read public
35:
795:, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed February 24, 2022.
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declared that every such person (along with his or her rural counterpart, the
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in the
English-speaking world. In some communities, including most in the
182:
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is an important executive position with a staff and significant budget.
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ensuring the public is provided with access to local government records;
830:
370:
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806:"Constitution of The State of New York, Article 13 - Public Officers"
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268:
792:
328:
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The professional body for town clerks in the United
Kingdom is the
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and tassels. This gown is similar to the gown of undergraduate
186:
256:
107:
103:
852:"West Virginia Code §8-10-3. Powers and duties of recorder"
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changed the title again, this time to chief executive.
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certifying copies of bylaws and resolutions of council;
189:
administrative procedures were largely merged and the
98:
The origins of the position of clerk are unclear. In
543:
Literacy and orality in ancient Greece - Google Books
349:, the town clerk is the chief election official of a
278:, who represent over 5000 clerks across the country.
759:"Clerk's Duties :: DeKalb Township, Illinois"
890:
685:"Milton, Delaware, Town Clerk job description"
738:"Technology for Transparency | Our Town"
162:(FOI) head for the purposes of FOI requests.
637:
635:
481:Macquarie Dictionary (online) 'clerk', see
632:
492:
490:
224:the town clerk has now been renamed the
407:appellate division of the supreme court
158:Many clerks also act as a government's
151:administering oaths and affidavits; and
14:
914:Local government in the United Kingdom
891:
735:
540:Thomas, Rosalind (25 September 1992).
539:
517:
487:
42:English) is a senior official of many
929:Local government in the United States
574:"TOWN CLERK - WESTERLY, Rhode Island"
793:History of the County Clerk's Office
78:. Other titles also exist, such as
24:
810:New York State Department of State
736:Louise, Sarah (26 February 2009).
201:the chief administrative officer.
25:
945:
211:
780:"New Jersey Department of State"
522:. Michaelreiterlaw.wordpress.com
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377:(1947), there are three elected
353:and the keeper of permanent and
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102:there were secretaries for each
919:Local government in New Zealand
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331:, clerks may also exist on the
276:Society of Local Council Clerks
34:(pronounced "clark" /klɑːk/ in
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608:
587:
566:
546:. Cambridge University Press.
533:
518:Reiter, Michael (2011-06-03).
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154:keeping of the corporate seal.
13:
1:
904:Local government in Australia
664:"Town Clerk, job description"
620:www.eveshamtowncouncil.gov.uk
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422:Code provides for an elected
364:
306:
124:NSW Local Government Act 1993
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7:
875:. West Virginia Legislature
854:. West Virginia Legislature
833:. West Virginia Legislature
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401:, the county clerks within
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27:Municipal government office
10:
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909:Local government in Canada
616:"Mayor of Evesham Regalia"
375:Constitution of New Jersey
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393:law provides for elected
373:, as provided for in the
206:Local Government Act 2002
191:Local Government Act 1974
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716:"Town of Brant New York"
576:. Westerly.govoffice.com
379:constitutional officers
197:) should henceforth be
934:Management occupations
924:Government occupations
645:. cityofcarlsbadnm.com
595:"Michaels Civic Robes"
160:Freedom of Information
399:New York Constitution
44:municipal governments
899:City and town clerks
761:. Dekalbtownship.com
450:In Switzerland, the
359:mandatory retirement
250:Town Clerk of London
232:frequently received
267:similar to that of
222:unitary authorities
452:communal secretary
317:Public Records Act
84:corporate officer.
464:Recorder of deeds
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877:. Retrieved
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692:the original
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643:"City Clerk"
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666:. Memun.org
446:Switzerland
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183:New Zealand
177:New Zealand
893:Categories
879:2018-05-24
858:2018-05-24
837:2018-05-24
765:2011-07-10
744:2011-07-10
722:2011-07-10
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625:2019-07-12
601:2011-07-10
580:2011-07-10
559:2011-07-10
526:2011-07-10
504:2011-07-10
470:References
371:New Jersey
365:New Jersey
313:California
307:California
269:barristers
60:city clerk
52:town clerk
40:Australian
815:5 January
440:archivist
242:districts
114:Australia
458:See also
424:recorder
386:New York
334:township
329:Illinois
323:Illinois
246:parishes
238:counties
80:recorder
432:council
296:minutes
286:In the
216:In the
94:History
36:British
550:
292:agenda
261:fellow
199:styled
187:county
130:Canada
108:curses
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104:polis
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418:The
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