What does a Municipal Clerk do?

A municipal clerk is in charge of record keeping and administrative duties for a local or regional government office. Clerks may work for a court or city council, and are often employed to keep track of meetings and reports. City or regional services may also be administered by a municipal clerk, and clerks are often in charge of distributing various licenses and registrations to the general public.

When working in a courtroom, a clerk is typically in charge of organizing the court's schedule and preparing the docket. Depending on the size of the local court, all forms and paperwork involved with the court's proceedings may be handled by a municipal clerk. This includes making copies of files and maintaining court records. Day to day actives within the court are also managed by municipal clerks.

Municipal clerks that work with a regional or city council are employed to record minutes of meetings and help conduct local elections. Reports of a council meeting's proceedings are often typed up and distributed to the public by a municipal clerk. The city services that may be administered as part of a municipal clerk's duties include the issuing of licenses for activities and events, such as marriage and hunting. Permits for use of local property or for businesses are also sometimes distributed by a municipal clerk. Voter registration and the management of election day polling places may also be part of a clerk's job function.

Within a local city or other regional office, a municipal clerk will do office work such as typing, scanning, archiving of documents and records, as well as filing and mailing. The job requires interacting with the public, both through the management of city services and possibly as a representative of the city or region at public civic events. Skills used daily by a clerk include basic computer and office equipment knowledge, customer service, as well as technical and descriptive report writing.

Clerks usually work a typical 40 hour work week, with possible weekend and evening business hours as necessary to attend council meetings and other city or regional events. Though much of the work may be conducted in an office environment, the administration of services to the public could require time standing and walking. Employment as a clerk may require a college degree as well as previous administrative experience. Certification as a municipal clerk is offered through a variety of regional institutions and organizations, and typically requires a combination of classes and test taking. The certification requirements to work as a clerk will vary depending on the region and city.