Sedona AZ (July 8, 2015) – The position of City Clerk is one of the most common positions in municipal government worldwide. It is also one of the least understood offices in local government. The municipal clerk is one of the oldest of public servants and traces back before biblical times. Over the years, municipal clerks have become the hub of government, the direct link between the residents of their community and their government. The City Clerk is the historian of the community.
The job duties of City Clerks vary extensively from one community to another based on its size and structure. Here in Sedona, the City Clerk’s Office is responsible for City Council support and prepares City Council meeting agendas and packets, completes meeting minutes and action item lists, and ensures compliance with the State Open Meeting Law. We also maintain all City records such as ordinances, resolutions, deeds, contracts and more, comply with State records retention laws and guidelines, provide records for public inspection, and coordinate public records requests. Another responsibility is that of serving as the election official for the City which includes conducting City elections, providing candidate packets, and accepting filings including political finance campaign reports. We also process Peddler/Solicitor Permits for door-to-door contacts.
The City Clerk’s Office also manages the Sedona Citizens Connect application. This is a smartphone application which allows Sedona residents to report non-emergency civic issues, such as potholes, flooding, and abandoned vehicles. Sedona Citizens Connect allows a user to capture a photo, video, or audio of the issue. The user then uploads the media, along with GPS location information pulled from the device, and submits a report directly to the City. The report is routed by the City Clerk’s Office to the appropriate staff for follow up. Feedback is available to the user based on the action taken by the department handling the report. The mobile app is free for iPhone, Android, and Windows smartphone devices. To download the App, search for “Sedona Citizens Connect.” In addition, if you do not have a smartphone, you can report an issue via the City’s website at www.SedonaAZ.gov. On the homepage, click on the “Report It!” button. Using Sedona Citizens Connect allows the City to use technology to save both time and money while improving accountability and responsiveness.
Other duties of our office include administering loyalty oaths, publishing ordinances and other official documents, posting meeting notices, recording legal documents, serving as custodian of the City Seal, preparing proclamations, notarizing documents, and serving as the initial point of contact for citizens. Our customers include the public, elected and appointed officials, City staff, and other intergovernmental contacts.
In 1934, the eminent political scientist Professor William Bennett Munro said,
“No other office in municipal service has so many contacts. It serves the mayor, the city council, the city manager (when there is one), and all administrative departments without exception. All of them call upon it, almost daily, for some service or information. Its work is not spectacular, but it demands versatility, alertness, accuracy, and no end of patience. The public does not realize how many loose ends of city administration this office pulls together.” Although written over 80 years ago, this still holds true today.
The Sedona City Clerk’s Office would like to thank our citizens for the opportunity to serve this wonderful City and hope that we can be of assistance to you when needed.
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