PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL (CITY) CLERKS WEEK May 5 – 11, 2024
A Proclamation of great significance was issued by Pine Bluff City Council on Monday, May 6, 2024, resolving that the week of May 5 – 11, 2024, is designated as “Professional Municipal Clerks Week.” It is a momentous occasion to recognize the invaluable contributions of the City Clerk, Chief Deputy, and Deputy Clerks to their communities.
The Proclamation extends appreciation to all Municipal (City Clerk), Chief Deputies, and Deputy Clerks for the services they provide their communities. Specifically, the Proclamation cites that the Clerk “serves as the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies and agencies of government at other levels.”
The Proclamation, presented to City Clerk Janice L. Roberts and signed by Mayor Shirley M. Washington honors the Pine Bluff City Clerks for their tireless efforts in improving the administration of their duties. It acknowledges their commitment to education and professional development, which is crucial for the effective functioning of their roles.
The International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC), a professional association of City, Town, Township, Village, Borough, Deputy, and County Clerks, sponsors Municipal Clerks Week. IIMC has over 16,000 members in the United States, Canada, and 15 other countries.
IIMC President Mary Ann Hess, MMC, and City Clerk for the City of Laurel, Mississippi, urges Municipal and Deputy Clerks to highlight the importance of their roles and functions and the impact the Municipal Clerk’s office has on the public.
Professor William Bennett Munro, author of one of the first textbooks written on the topic of municipal administration, wrote, “No other office in municipal service has so many contacts. It serves the Mayor, the City Council, the City Attorney, and all administrative departments, without exception. All of them call upon it, almost daily, for some service or information.”
The functions of the Clerk necessitate a thorough knowledge of law procedure, administration, and interpersonal relations. IIMC further challenges Clerks to fervently pursue continuing education opportunities and professional networking. These activities are not just beneficial, but essential, to establish their proper role as a member of the municipal executive team.
Janice L. Roberts has served as Pine Bluffs City Clerk since January 1, 2021, and has been a member of IIMC since then. City Clerk Roberts is also very active in the Arkansas City Clerk’s, Recorder’s & Treasurer’s Association, Arkansas Municipal League, Women in Government, Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Gamma Nu Alumnae Chapter, AM&N/UAPB National Alumni Association, Inc., National League of Cities, and National Association of University Women, Inc…
200 East 8th Avenue Suite 202 Pine Bluff, AR 71601
Phone: (870) 730-2006
Fax: (870) 543-1811
