Birmingham, Alabama 2019 IIMC Annual Conference - News Digest
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News Digest™ February 2015
The Premier Organization for Municipal Clerks Since 1947
Birmingham, Alabama
2019 IIMC Annual Conference
See page 11 for more information
Photo courtesy Ted Tucker
IIMC STAFF DIRECTORY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
News Digest™ ADMINISTRATION PRESIDENT
Brenda K. Young, MMC, Nashville, Indiana
Professionalism In Local • Executive Director
byoung@townofnashville.org
Government Through Chris Shalby
chriss@iimc.com PRESIDENT ELECT
Education Monica Martinez Simmons, MMC, Seattle, Washington
• Office Manager Monica.Simmons@seattle.gov
Volume LXVI No. II ISSN: 0145-2290 Denice Cox
February 2015 VICE PRESIDENT
denice@iimc.com
Vincent Buttiglieri, MMC, Township of Ocean, New Jersey
Published 11 times each year the News Digest • Finance Specialist vbuttiglieri@oceantwp.org
is a publication of Janet Pantaleon
The International Institute of Municipal Clerks IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
janetp@iimc.com Marc Lemoine, MMC, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
8331 Utica Avenue, Suite 200
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 • Administrative Coordinator mlemoine@winnipeg.ca
Maria E. Miranda
Chris Shalby, Publisher
chriss@iimc.com maria@iimc.com DIRECTORS - 2015 EXPIRATION
Shawn Cullinane, MMC - I, Lindenhurst, New York
Emily Maggard, Editor EDUCATION shawncullinaneclerk@gmail.com
Telephone: 909/944-4162 • (800/251-1639) • Director Professional Development Kelly J. Lovette, MMC -- III, Goose Creek, South Carolina
FAX: (909/944-8545) Jane Anne Long, Ed.D. klovette@cityofgoosecreek.com
E-mail: hq@iimc.com JaneLong@iimc.com Patty Dupuis, MMC - IV, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
• Certification Manager pattiecity@yahoo.com
Founded in 1947, IIMC has more than 60 years of experience
Terri Kowal, MMC - V, Auburn Hills, Michigan
improving the professionalism of Municipal Clerks. IIMC Ashley DiBlasi
has more than 9,500 members representing towns, small tkowal@auburnhills.org
ashley@iimc.com
municipalities and large urban jurisdictions of more than Linda Rappe, MMC - VI, Kasson, Minnesota
several million people. • Education Assistant zoning@cityofkasson.com
Kellie Carroll Lana McPherson, MMC - VII, De Soto, Kansas
IIMC is affiliated with 49 U.S., & Nine Canadian Associations. Kellie@iimc.com lmcpherson@desotoks.us
National affiliations: Joann Tilton, MMC - IX, Manteca, California
MEMBERSHIP jtilton@ci.manteca.ca.us
• ATAM (Portugal) • JOSZ (Hungary)
• Director of Member Services Jaap Paans, MMC - XI, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
• IAM (Israel) • SLCC (England)
• UDITE (Europe) • VVG (The Netherlands) Janis Daudt j.paans@griffie.rotterdam.nl
• IMASA (South Africa) • SOLAR (Scotland) janis@iimc.com
• NAMCB (Bulgaria) • ADSO (England) • Member Services Representative DIRECTORS – 2016 EXPIRATION
Tammy Schultz Paul Bergeron, MMC, I, Nashua, New Hampshire
tammys@iimc.com BergeronP@nashuanh.gov,
Kimberley Rau, MMC – II, Laurel, Maryland
Inside… Computerized Business Solutions krau@laurel.md.us
President’s Message.........................................................................3 • Doug Griffith Lynnette Ogden, MMC – III, Millport, Alabama
Ohio’s Provisional Ballot Use Declines...............................................4 dwgriffith@msn.com millporttownclerk@frontiernet.net
International Exchange of Municipal Clerks......................................5 Lanaii Benne, MMC – V, Franklin, Tennessee
When IIMC Comes to Birmingham, Expect Variety.........................11 Lanaiib@franklintn.gov
Nancy Vincent, MMC – VIII, Thornton, Colorado
Electronic Transparency and Open Data:
Nancy.vincent@cityofthornton.net
A Movement Worth Joining......................................................12
Alice Attwood, MMC – IX, Tonasket, Washington
MCEF Seeks Three Applicants for its Board Vacancies......................14
Tonasket@nvinet.com
“Don’t Be a ‘Clumper’: Making the Most of
Karla Graham, MMC – X, North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Your Conference Experience”.....................................................16
kgraham@cnv.org
Local Supervisors Bring Together
Tech and Non-profit to Mentor Kids..........................................17 DIRECTORS – 2017 EXPIRATION
Navigating the IIMC Annual Conference is a snAPP!.......................18 Andrew Pavlica, MMC, II, Garfield, New Jersey
Hartford Conference.......................................................................20 drewpav@optonline.net
Inspiring Women in Competition Policy.........................................22 Maryann Hess, MMC, IV, Laurel, Mississippi
California City Solutions: Teen CERT Program maryannhess@laurelms.com
in Long Beach Builds Career Paths............................................24 Anne B. Uecker, MMC, VI, St. Francis, Wisconsin
Cities to Watch in 2015...................................................................28
AnneU@stfranwi.org
Denise R. Chisum, MMC, VII, Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Laneways Are Coming to Life in America........................................30
Denise.Chisum@cityofls.net
Meet the World’s First Chief Resiliency Officer................................31
www.iimc.com Renee Cantin, CMC, VIII, Alamogordo, New Mexico
States’ Recovery From Great Recession is Slow and Uneven............32 rcantin@ci.alamogordo.nm.us
Iowa to offer Online Voter Registration..........................................33 Copyright 2015 by the Debi A. Wilcox, X, Whitby, Ontario, Canada
IIMC 2015 Study Abroad Program..................................................35 International Institute wilcoxd@whitby.ca
Calendar of Events . .......................................................................40 of Municipal Clerks. Bruce Poole, MMC, XI, Somerset, United Kingdom
IIMC Constitution...........................................................................41 bruce.poole2@btopenworld.com
All rights reserved.
2 February 2015
IIMC News Digest
President’s Message
Brenda K. Young, MMC
IIMC President, 2014-2015
Greetings from Nashville, Indiana! 35 concurrent education sessions in Hartford. What an
As I write this note, I am reminded of just how cold amazing opportunity we are being offered!
and how long winter can seem when we are coping with In 2014, I was fortunate to go on a site/planning visit
ever changing weather conditions and shorter day light to Hartford, the convention center and local surround-
hours. It would seem that when the ground is covered ings. What an amazing City for a conference! I know
in a beautiful white blanket of snow that the world that you will find Hartford a welcoming City with an
would somehow just go a bit slower. But, then, I look awesome state of the art convention center and many
at the stack of tasks mounted upon my desk, and I am establishments within walking distance of the Hotels and
reminded that the position of the Municipal Clerk is ever Center. Or, if you’re not up to walking, you can catch a
changing and growing. Serving my community is an ride on the complimentary door-to-door City Dash. The
honor that I take very seriously and strive to do my best All-Conference event will take us back in time to the
for all our residents. Our role is such an integral part of landmark Marquee 960 where delegates will experience
our community and a profession that never stands still. a chance to relive the Roaring ‘20s. When I walked
We must learn how to adjust and adapt to many situa- through the doors of the Marquee, I was just mesmerized
tions as the “Seasons Change and So Do We.” with its history. We can, for a few hours, experience what
IIMC is providing great educational opportunities it would have been like to have lived in the Roaring ‘20s.
to better equip all of us in our own seasons of change. I encourage you to join us as we don some ‘20s attire and
If you have not registered for the 69th IIMC Annual go back in time.
Conference in Hartford, CT, on May 17-20th, 2015, I I’m excited and ready to pack my bags. Hopefully,
would encourage you to take another look at the amazing you will join me in the great City of Hartford, CT, for the
educational and networking opportunities available. 69th IIMC Annual Conference.
Several years ago, the IIMC Board of Directors
listened to the members who wanted to attend the IIMC Best Wishes Always,
Conference but found it difficult to be out of the office for Brenda
a five-day Conference – so the change was implemented IIMC President 2014-2015
to best accommodate our busy work schedules. We have
changed and adapted to a four-day conference while still
providing the high level of educational opportunities and
points for our members who are working on their CMCs
and MMCs. My gratitude goes out to Executive Director
Chris Shalby, the entire IIMC Staff and the IIMC Confer-
ence Committee for being so dedicated in providing 16
hours of education that allow for a total of eight educa-
tion points. These hours and points are the same that
we have offered in years past – you are not losing any
opportunities. There will be two general sessions and
February 2015 3
IIMC News Digest
Ohio’s Provisional Ballot Use Declines
In the 2014 general election, Ohio recorded a large reduction in the rate of provisional ballots issued,
according to data from the office of Secretary of State John Husted. Provisionals made up 1.56 percent of total
ballots cast, a 41 percent reduction from a 2.66 percent rate during the 2010 midterm election.
The Secretary’s office credited the improvement to better voter list maintenance partly resulting from the
creation of an online change-of-address form for voters and data exchanges with the state Bureau of Motor
Vehicles.
The rate at which provisional ballots were rejected also declined significantly, from 0.3 percent of all
ballots cast in 2010 to 0.15 percent in 2014. Changes to the way provisional ballots are cast and counted may
be responsible for this decrease. Some polling locations serve multiple precincts; previously, a provisional
ballot was thrown out if the voter was at the right polling location but voted in the wrong precinct. In February
2014, Governor John Kasich signed a bill requiring poll workers to direct voters to the correct precinct. If the
worker fails to do so, the provisional ballot must be counted.
Of the total ballots cast in 2010, 0.13 percent were provisional that were rejected for being cast in the
wrong precinct. In 2014 this rejection rate fell to 0.04 percent.
See more at: www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/news/2015/02/05/ohios-provisional-ballot-use-declines
4 Feburary 2015
IIMC News Digest
International Exchange of Municipal Clerks:
Middletown, Monmouth County, NJ, USA &
District of Delfshaven, City of Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Name: Heidi R. Brunt, CMC Claudia Ramos, CMC
Age: 38 38
Position: Municipal Clerk Municipal Clerk
City-County -State: Middletown-Monmouth- New Jersey Delfshaven-Rotterdam-Zuid Holland
Budget: Middletown: $65 mil/ Delfshaven 45 ($56)mil / Rotterdam: 3,5 ($4,6) bil
Monmouth $ 4.8 bil
Inhabitance: 68,000 74,000
City Slogan: Biggest Small Town in New Jersey No hyperbole! Play to the result and show
what you’re worth
Constitution based: Republic Monarchy
Hero: George Washington Johan Rudolph Thorbecke
Coffee: Skim Cappuccino grande Caramel Latte Macchiato tall
Staff: Yes Yes
Pen preference: Black gel thick point Blue ball point
Introduction municipal elections. The elections were in March 2014
The 2014 IIMC International Exchange Program in The Netherlands and in November 2014 in the United
matched Heidi Brunt, CMC and Claudia Ramos, CMC. States. During the whole program, the Clerks stayed at
Heidi is a Municipal Clerk in Middletown, New Jersey in each other’s homes and became a part of their respective
the United States and Claudia is a Municipal Clerk at the families.
District of Delfshaven, one of the 14 district municipali-
ties in the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands.
The work environment of the two Clerks are compa-
rable, i.e. the cities have almost the same number of
inhabitants and size and even the total budgets are
approximately the same. The two Clerks share the same
view on their responsibilities in the work environment
and functional positions.
The Clerks agreed that they would like to experi-
ence the life of someone with the same profession on Continued on page 6
another continent. With the full support of their families,
the Clerks decided to make an effort and chose to be
a part of a three week exchange program during both
February 2015 5
IIMC News Digest
International Exchange of Muncipal Clerks…Continued from page 5
Background Information When the early colonists came to America, one of the
Claudia Ramos first offices established was that of Clerk. The colony at
Plymouth appointed a person to act as a recorder.
I have been working for the municipality of Rotter-
dam since 1998. I have been a Municipal Clerk since Clerks Position in the Organization in New Jersey
2009 for the District Council of Delfshaven. My office The Township Clerk has
has two staff members or more depending on the project responsibilities required by N.J.
we are working on. We have two governing bodies, the State Statutes which include acting
Board Council which counts 25 members (seven political as the secretary to the governing
parties) and the Township Committee which has three body, custodian of records, admin-
full time members and an Administrator. Both political istering local elections, and the
bodies have an appointment for District Chair which is issuing of licenses and permits.
like an extension of the Mayor of the city of Rotterdam. Residents may seek guidance from
In the Netherlands the Municipal Clerk’s profession is the Office of the Clerk for various services.
not that old. The profession was first designated in local
government in 2002. The profession was introduced by Foundation of our Profession
Municipal Law called “Dualism.” Dualism is a politi- The history and the foundation of a country give you
cal science understanding which indicates the division an insight on culture and mentality of its inhabitants.
between governance and representatives. The information will help you to empathize and to have a
Clerk’s Position in the Organization in pretty good view on situations and the daily work of the
Delfshaven municipality even politically.
The Clerk is appointed by the District Council as The Dutch Constitution
their first advisor and supporter. The Municipal Clerk has The Batavian-French period (1795-1813) led to radi-
a legal, secretarial, administrative, logistic and communi- cal changes and for the first time an elected Parliament
cative task. The Municipal Clerk falls directly under the met in the 1700s. After 1813 the Netherlands became
responsibility of the District Board Council. By law, the a monarchy under the House of Orange. The Parlia-
Municipal Clerk has a parallel position with the District ment, the Senate and the House should have a say in the
Administrator. The Administrator is officially responsible governance and cabinet members conducted the policy.
for the content and reports to the Township Committee. In many cases, the King had the last word. The liberal
Heidi Brunt Thorbecke was responsible for the new Constitution of
In the past 13 years as a public employee, 11 of the Netherlands which was implemented in 1848. The
them have been with the Township of Middletown as the cabinet members were now responsible for legislation
Municipal Clerk. I have six employees or more during the and policy, Parliament checked them. The King stayed on
busiest times of the year with elections or permit renew- as Head of State, but he stood outside the political deci-
als. The governing body is a Township Committee of five sion making; He was inviolable. These principles form
with an appointed Mayor each year. Middletown is an old the basis of the present Dutch Democracy.
settlement in New Jersey dating back to 1664, and we The American Constitution
just marked our 350th anniversary this year with a year-
The US Consti-
long celebration.
tution is based on
The origins of the position of “Clerk” are unclear. In some principles that
ancient Greece there were secretaries for each polis who were considered
read official documents publicly and at the opening of a in the thinking of
meeting read public messages. The early keepers of the the Enlightenment
archives were often called remembrancers, and before important: popular
writing came into use, their memory was public record.
Continued on page 7
6 Feburary 2015
IIMC News Digest
International Exchange of Muncipal Clerks…Continued from page 6
sovereignty (Rousseau) separation of powers (Montes- In the program schedule we were able to attend a
quieu) board by law or ‘government by law’ (Locke) state presentation by the Safety Region of Rotterdam Director
order based on Federalism and the Anglo-Saxon tradition on Disaster Response for the city. The Director was able
in public administration. to describe the city’s region for disaster response. The
The US reveres their Nations Founding Father goals of the safety region were spelled out as to improve
George Washington. A farmer, inventor, father, husband protection for inhabitants against safety risks, improve
and General then our country’s first President. After the the assistance offered during and after incidents, hazards
Revolutionary War with England, President Washing- and crisis, and to improve fire prevention. In addition
ton served two terms as President, then stepped down to fire prevention, medical assistance at accidents and
showing the country we didn’t want a monarch system disasters, risk management and centralized regional
anymore and we should give the people a choice. crisis management; increase overall managerial and
operational performance. The Netherlands is divided
“The love of my Country will be the ruling influence of into 25 safety regions of which Rotterdam-Rijnmond
my conduct” –George Washington is number seventeen. This region inhabits 1.2 million
We share Montesquieu people and is complex based on its large urban areas
and a world port.
One of the similar principles in this matter is that
both constitutions are based on separation of powers During the discussion of the disaster plan for the
(Montesquieu). By visiting the New Jersey State House region, Heidi spoke about recent US disasters such as
our contact, an Attorney for the Governor, gave Claudia Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, and Superstorm Sandy. The
an insight on how things are organized on state level. safety region has learned from those incidents, as far as
One of the issues he mentioned was the fact that, just the importance of communication among the emergency
like in the Netherlands, the Dutch judges are appointed services and the response time. They also communicate
by the head of the state and the appointment is for life to the public using many various TV, radio, internet, and
(until the age of 70). In the Netherlands the Head of the phone communications. Rotterdam-Rijnmond has also
State will be the King and in the state of New Jersey, created many alliances with public broadcasting, public
the Governor. Based on the Montesquieu philosophy, the transport, and Ministry of Defense, Royal Dutch Rescue
judge’s job is to interpret the law. Service, health services, the drinking water company, and
the energy company. These agreements are important to
Program and Learning Goals allow for seamless cooperation during a disaster.
Records Imaging and Disaster Response
Elections
Heidi wanted to pursue the process of a record imag-
In the Netherlands, there has been electronic voting
ing and management system. It was important for her to
since 2006. Since there have been some wireless security
discover new ways to attend to the records and how to
issues as a result they formed a special committee on
grow in the future.
Federal level investigating the matter. The committee is
Heidi was introduced to District Administrator called the “Van Beek committee.” In the year 2018 (the
Hilbert Keizer and had a tour to see how he was able to elections are every four years), The Netherlands will vote
work “in the cloud” and manage their imaging of records. electronically, again. The Administration of the elections
In the Netherlands they have truly developed a paperless is the responsibility of the Township Committee, meaning
environment. Desks are empty of files and reports, and that the Administrator has the leading role to organize
mail is opened and imaged appropriately before it lays and facilitate the elections. In many cases the Clerk is
on an employee’s desk. By working “in the cloud” and standby during the elections, in the event that something
having this advanced imaging workflow, employees can happens to the Administrator. As mentioned previously,
access their computer desktop and files from anywhere the Municipal Clerk only works for the board. The Clerk
even here in the United States. has a leading role in facilitating the process of the certi-
fying of the election results (which is done by the Mayor)
Continued on page 8
February 2015 7
IIMC News Digest
International Exchange of Muncipal Clerks…Continued from page 8
and the negotiations of the political parties. Clerk’s Chit Chat
In Middletown, NJ, USA they have been using elec- Getting the Job Done
tronic voting since 2006. The machines are electronic Where there are a
by way of pushing buttons to vote and the voting data lot of different views on
is then saved on a cartridge that is later brought to the situations there inevi-
Municipal Clerk. The cartridge is similar to the size of an tably will be problems.
8-track tape from the 1960s. Its purpose is to expedite The Clerk’s discussed
the voting data process from the machines. situations where politi-
When the cartridges are cians don’t get along on a
delivered by poll workers to personal or political level
the Municipal Clerk’s office, with other politicians.
they are read by inserting them These situations can
in cartridge readers to upload really affect the meetings
the results to the County Clerk and it is difficult to get anything done as a Clerk. Heidi
and the County Website for says in these situations she becomes “The BBB” (By
unofficial results. This process the Book Brunt), meaning that she will do and answer
should take about one hour in precisely what the law says.
Middletown, since we have 92
cartridges to read for 46 elec-
Management Skills
tion districts. Elections take place twice a year at mini- Heidi and Claudia share various management styles
mum in NJ and the Township Committee members are in and agree upon the treatment of staff and using the
staggered terms for 3 years. There is a Primary Election Clerk’s flexibility in order to correct and motivate the
for both Republican and Democrat parties to choose who staff. However, while “managing up” this becomes a
their candidate will be. Then Middletown has a general larger challenge that most Clerk’s can agree. It can be
election to elect the candidates to the Township Commit- difficult trying to manage the demands of a governing
tee seats available. Middletown is hopeful in the future body, Administrator, and other professionals. In this
this system will work flawlessly and will be able to instance, it’s good to show a great amount of organiza-
continue to use the electronic voting. tion and confidence while speaking knowledgeably about
the subjects. Without these skills there most likely will
One of the major differences which the Clerks found
be no respect for your competence. The Clerks also agree
important to share is the fact that in The Netherlands
that we have to think from outside the organization look-
there is a special committee, called the Credentials
ing in like the governing body does.
Committee. This committee is in charge of examining the
legality of the elections. The determination is done by the The Clerks talked about their ways of managing the
Mayor in the Netherlands and in the State of New Jersey staff and applying situational leadership. They agreed on
by the County Clerk or Court of Law. The major differ- the fact that everyone is not treated the same and that
ence is that the determination in the state of NJ is made the manager should adjust to the individual staff member
by a non-political body. In the Netherlands, the Commit- and its needs in order to perform at optimum levels. Both
tee is also in charge of the credentials of the board Coun- Clerks agreed on the fact that the best way in order to
cil and township members the Municipal Clerk assisted motivate the staff and create a safe environment is to
and accompanies the committee. The Committee has an demonstrate confidence and tell the staff members the
advisory role for the board Council. truth and build on their self-esteem. This happens by
invisibly facilitating and adjusting yourself to the differ-
ent personalities, and approaching every staff member
differently.
Continued on page 9
8 Feburary 2015
IIMC News Digest
International Exchange of Muncipal Clerks…Continued from page 9
When Heidi was approached by one of the staff a given fact in the genes of the Americans. Today, the
members during the busy election night to discuss the Americans will proudly defend these principles, even if
staff members working hours, Heidi took the time to talk it costs them their lives. It’s pretty amazing to see how
this over with this staff member. An example of the indi- determined the Americans are and have been. “Knowledge
vidual approach of different personalities on staff. is in every country the surest basis of public happiness.”
Both Clerks are very open about what they want and –George Washington
they don’t hesitate to share this with their staff. They The Municipal
both like sharing successes with the team and compli- Clerks profession is the
ment them often. Heidi will tell the applicants at the oldest profession in the
interview what she expects from her staff. They must be history of the United
confidential, come to work on time, complete their tasks States. Even General
and come to the elections at night. If mistakes are made, George Washington
they should to be honest about them and she will do had one. The quarters
everything within her power to resolve the matter. of George Washington’s
Clerk had all these archives, books, a desk and even the
Sharing our Souvenirs quill which is our computer nowadays. So since the 18th
Recently the Town- century the Municipal Clerks profession is one of great
ship of Middletown has honor and filled with history. It is not to be taken lightly.
invested in recodification I used to joke with Heidi and compare the Clerks profes-
of the Administrative sion with a Genie, in the name of democracy and by the
Code and Land Use. In book, we will make it happen!
this venture Middletown
has begun using an app Personal Blog Heidi Brunt – “ Rich in History”
that allows the public to The people of the Netherlands have an amazing
refer to the Township Code quickly and efficiently and history and live it every day. It is not something we
have search capabilities all at your fingertips. As it turns Americans can fully understand. Everyday the Dutch
out the City of Antwerp where Claudia works half of her people can look down the street and walk in the foot-
time, is very interested in the App. Heidi has approached steps of their ancestors from the 1400’s. Buildings still
the codification company to ascertain their interests in standing in Delfshaven leaning with time. In Rotterdam
going international. you see the proud efficient design of the city with bike
In addition Heidi has brought back to Middletown paths walking paths and roads all working as one. Moth-
the idea of a cloud system and imaging system that will ers riding a bike with two children in tow as a matter
lead to a paperless environment in the future. This will of daily life just like their early traditions. When Ameri-
involve a confidential mail room and imaging of day cans think history, ours goes back to the colonies and
forward instead of paper filing. Christopher Columbus, then perhaps we look back at our
ancestry and it finds us across the ocean in most cases.
Personal Blog of Claudia– Being in the Netherlands shows me that our time here is
“The Keeper of Democracy” precious and what we leave for the future of our country
Walking around Mount Vernon is so important. It has a great impact on how our children
and the Capital and seeing how and our children’s children will live one day. To put it in
proud the Americans are of General a little perspective, Rotterdam was founded in the year
George Washington, the Father of 690; Middletown just turned 350 years old from 1664.
our Country (as the Americans call We have to look at what we want our legacy to be and
him) got me thinking. The principles what kind of Middletown we will leave behind.
and foundation of this nation are
Continued on page 10
February 2015 9
IIMC News Digest
International Exchange of Muncipal Clerks…Continued from page 9
Special Thanks
Then last but certainly not least, Heidi, you did such
an amazing job on the program. I am overwhelmed with
I would like to thank IIMC and all the effort you made in order to have a great program
Denice Cox for this amazing oppor- filled with education and such fabulous valuable experi-
tunity. Denice, you have to be pretty ence, great program which taught me so much of such
good at your job and have a tremen- a great learning experience and insight in the American
dous instinct in order to have made political system I enjoyed every moment and you really
such an amazing match. touched my heart. You are an extraordinary woman with
I would like to thank the Brunt great potential I pray that all your career dreams will be
family for making me a part of their fulfilled. Keep on doing what you’re doing and always
family for the whole three weeks and sharing the atten- trust your gut!
tion of mom and wife Heidi. Even though I didn’t notice,
I know it’s not easy having to share your house for 3
weeks, 24 hours a day. I would like to also thank
Denice Cox and IIMC for afford-
The staff members of the Middletown, New Jersey ing us this amazing adventure
you guys are great and an amazing team. Thank you so and educational opportunity. We
much for the warm welcome, the laughter and for sharing could not have done this with-
your knowledge and even personal time with me. out your guidance, financing,
I would like to thank Jaap Paans, MMC, IIMC’s and confidence in our ability to
Region XI Director and my supervisor since March 2014. benefit from this international
Thank you for your support, leading by example, and experience. I would also like to
trust. thank Jaap Paans, MMC, for all
his support for Claudia and me
in the Netherlands and abroad.
I would also like to thank my Mayor and Township
Committee for allowing me to take advantage of this
program through IIMC and letting me bring back many
valuable lessons I have learned to Middletown. I would
also like to thank my staff, without all of you there
would have been NO WAY to go to the Netherlands for
three weeks and come back to a fully functioning office
that I could not have done it better myself. Thank you
to my husband, daughter and family for keeping things
running at home. And most of all thank you Claudia,
your family and friends were amazing teachers and gave
me the opportunity of a lifetime. The moment we met it
was a lifelong friendship meant to be. I am at the end of
the program but it’s just the beginning of a lifetime of
education and friendship with my international sister and
teacher. God Bless you Claudia.
10 Feburary 2015IIMC News Digest
2019 IIMC Annual Conference
Birmingham, Alabama
May 18 – 22, 2019
When IIMC Comes to
Birmingham, Expect Variety
If diversity were a place, it would be this charming Southern city
Editor’s Note: At the IIMC Board of Directors Mid-Year meeting in November 2014, the Board awarded the 2019 Annual Conference to Birming-
ham, Alabama. Birmingham won over the following cities: St. Louis, MO; Wichita, KS; Cincinnati, OH; and Anchorage, AK.
When IIMC delegates come to Birmingham in 2019, visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute gives visi-
they’ll find plenty of variety---in entertainment, cuisine, tors an in-depth look at that important era.
the arts, nightlife, good times --- that brings them back
Wine enthusiasts will want to visit the Alabama
time and again.
Wine Trail and Vulcan Park and Museum that has the
The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International world’s largest cast iron statue and a spectacular view
Airport, just seven minutes from downtown, handles of the city. The Birmingham Museum of Art has one of
110 flights daily, transporting delegates to Birmingham’s the finest collections in the Southeast. First time visitors
13,000 guest rooms. The city’s largest meeting facil- to the art museum are often heard to remark, “I had no
ity is the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex idea….”
(BJCC), with 220,000 square feet of exhibition space.
Barber Motorsports Park has been hailed around the
The 294-room Westin Hotel Birmingham and UPTOWN
world as one of the best race courses in existence. The
entertainment district are adjacent to the BJCC and the
adjacent Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum houses
757-room Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. The Westin,
the world’s largest collection of vintage motorcycles.
along with its hotel dining room, the Todd English P.U.B.,
And some of the best public golf on earth can be found at
and other restaurants are all part of the popular district.
Birmingham’s two challenging courses along the state’s
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
The area’s antique shops are becoming places of
legend in upscale lifestyle magazines around the country.
Trendy shopping centers have taken root all over the
area, bringing tony, high-end shops to the state’s retail
giant. Dozens of new art galleries surprise enthusiasts
and collectors with a wide variety of paintings, sculpture,
jewelry, ceramics, fine and funk art.
If you have Birmingham pigeonholed as serving only
barbeque and fried pies, just remember the city is home
to “the Oscars of dining” with James Beard Foundation
Award winners and nominees. Anyone visiting the city
should take in the beauty of down-home cooking as well.
Birmingham was born out of iron and steel.
Visitors with an appetite for live music will find that it is
Remnants of these early beginnings are preserved in
the city’s signature entertainment.
places such as Sloss Furnaces National Historic Land-
mark. The attraction hosts a diversity of events, includ- So it is diversity that is this city’s greatest strength
ing the popular “Hot Barbequed Gospel” theme party for and strongest appeal. We are a spectrum of attitudes
conventions. The city is also well-known for its promi- and cultures that are all a part of the charm and surprise
nent role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. A that is Birmingham.
February 2015 11IIMC News Digest
Electronic Transparency and
Open Data: A Movement Worth Joining
By Lea Deesing, MPA, PMP
Chief Innovation Officer & Executive Director of
SmartRiverside Innovation and Technology City of Riverside, CA
Editor’s Note: SmartRiverside is a nonprofit that aims to narrow the digital divide in the Riverside region by empow-
erment through technology and education. Deesing can be reached at ldeesing@riversideca.gov. This article first
appeared in the December 2014 Western City Magazine, a publication of the League of California Cities and is reprinted
with permission. www.cacities.org
Government transparency requires making a commit- Proactively Publishing Government Data
ment to openness and accountability. Local government Taking data — information that local agencies
that functions transparently shares public informa- already have — and making it open to the public brings
tion about its operations, including decision-making together accessibility and collaboration. In the past
processes, in ways that make the information readily the public typically had to ask for this data through a
available to residents and members of the community. public records request and then wait while the Informa-
Posting such information on an agency’s website is one tion Technology Department created special queries to
way to enhance transparency and help build public trust extract the data. Depending on the complexity of the
in local government. request, this could take days or weeks. Through some
Accessibility and Collaboration software design ingenuity, cities can now share that data
online and let others analyze and use it in various ways.
From an information technology perspective, govern- Such proactive data publishing reduces in-house costs
ment transparency generally involves two major areas: and builds efficiencies for both staff and constituents.
accessibility and collaboration. The accessibility of the
information helps to facilitate communication between Without access to open data, the outcome of govern-
government and the community it serves. Efforts to make ment-sponsored collaborative computer programming
information accessible include transparency web portals events would be very limited. These events, known as
offering features such as user-friendly financial report- “hackathons” or “codeathons,” are becoming popular
ing, accessible e-services and mobile apps, departmental because they allow developers to band together for
performance measurements and salary information. a short period of time to create applications to solve
government problems or connect citizens with govern-
The collaboration component makes use of collec- mental data. Sharing data can be a two-way street
tive knowledge by offering website tools to enable civic — outside developers and vendors may share data
engagement, participation and crowdsourcing of ideas back after adding value to it. They also may provide a
and creativity. Government collaboration tools can allow helpful new app that local government can offer to the
residents to view online and comment on council meeting community.
agenda items, participate in budgeting decisions and offer
their opinions about a new initiative. These tools can Of course, not all government data can be open,
even involve local computer programmers in developing because personally identifiable information must be
government solutions. Such approaches help to engage a redacted. Furthermore, open data must be meaning-
new demographic of constituents, who are more comfort- ful and usable. One approach to avoid is “checking off
able giving feedback and opinions through social media the to-do list” that the city has “done” open data. In
sites and mobile devices than they are pulling a speaker developing your city’s open data approach, work with
slip at a public meeting. Continued on page 13
12 February 2015IIMC News Digest
Electronic Transparency and Open Data…Continued from page 12
departments to determine what information may be functionality for your city, they will be able to offer it to
useful to the public, keeping in mind the data security future cities as part of their core product offering — a
requirements of personally identifiable information. win-win solution.
Obstacles in Opening Data Cities need more executive understanding and leader-
ship in the area of open data initiatives. If you are an
The three obstacles to opening data to the public are
elected leader in your city, you may be asking, “Where
generally:
is the return on investment in all of this?” Calculating
1. The redaction of confidential or personally that formula is difficult at this time. Much like the early
identifiable data; days of the open source software movement of the 20th
2. The prioritization of what’s most important century, we don’t yet fully understand the potential of
to publish; and open data. (Open source software can be freely used,
3. The challenge of automatically exporting the changed and shared — in modified or unmodified form —
appropriate data sets to a location for others to use. by anyone.)
Overcoming these obstacles can be daunting, The open source movement changed the world of
especially if your city doesn’t have in-house software computing as we know it. And clearly the open data
development staff. Perhaps the day has come to give movement is critical to breaking down silos of informa-
consideration to these points during the software selec- tion. Data “mash-ups” from various public agencies have
tion process. For example, when procuring your city’s the potential to answer questions that have yet to be
next financial or permitting system, why not require asked and help solve problems that have yet to be identi-
all such vendors to export and redact system data with fied. However, we can’t predict future insights, services
an easy-to-use built-in toolset? Once they develop such Continued on page 23
February 2015 13IIMC News Digest
MCEF Seeks Three Applicants
for its Board Vacancies
Application deadline is March 13, 2015 • Information and research of IIMC programs
and any other educational programs adopted
The Municipal Clerks Education Foundation (MCEF)
by the Foundation.
was established in 1984 as a tax-exempt Foundation
under Section 501C(3) as a nonprofit organization to There are three vacancies on the MCEF Board – two
raise funds for its partner, the International Institute of vacancies in Category B and one vacancy in Category C:
Municipal Clerks (IIMC). All funds provided by MCEF Category B
to IIMC are used to promote, train, and educate Munici- Person(s) with skills in education, government,
pal Clerks, making them proficient in the services they foundations or corporations with preference being
provide for the citizens of their community. MCEF raises given to a non-Clerk
funds for Municipal Clerks for:
Category C
• Scholarships for IIMC approved Institutes;
Person with skills in finance/investment with a
• Educational materials and tools;
preference to a non-Clerk.
• Educational seminars; and
The intent of the preference being given to non-Clerks
is an attempt by the MCEF Board for more diversity in
the Board make-up. However, active/retired Clerks who
believe they meet a specific skill area may also apply for
that category addressing specific expertise they have in
a particular area.
The MCEF Board also encourages Clerks who know of an
individual with expertise in these specific areas, to make
that individual aware of the opportunity to apply.
Appointments will be made at the MCEF meeting
held in conjunction with the IIMC Conference in Hart-
ford, CT, in May 2015.
Application deadline is March 13, 2015. Applicants
must provide a photo with the application.
Applicants for all Board positions must have an
understanding of the purpose of MCEF and its role in
conjunction with IIMC and how MCEF raises funds.
The successful candidates will be chosen based on
their commitment to MCEF and the following criteria:
• The person has a strong desire to promote the educa-
tion and professionalism of Municipal Clerks.
Continued on page 15
14 February 2015IIMC News Digest
MCEF Seeks Three Applicants for its Board…Continued from page 14
• The person has demonstrated the desire and abil-
ity to promote the Municipal Clerk’s education and
professionalism by past specific actions.
• The person has knowledge of fundraising.
• The person has knowledge of or accessibility to foun-
dations, corporations or individuals that may contrib-
ute to the Clerk’s Foundation.
• If an active/retired Municipal Clerk, the person has
contributed in the past to the Foundation.
• The person can attend at least two Board Meetings a
year and is accessible by phone.
• The person has time to raise funds or carry out other
governance actions of the Board.
• The person has served on a profit or non-profit board,
has good interpersonal skills, can communicate and
is willing to serve on the Foundation Board.
It is understood that MCEF Board members will
absorb their own travel expenses to the extent possible.
The Nominating Committee will recommend the
successful candidate(s) to the MCEF President. The
MCEF President will forward a copy of the resumes
to the entire MCEF Board in their agenda packets for
consideration at the MCEF Annual Meeting. The Chair
of the Nominating Committee will notify the success-
ful applicants in writing. The Chair of the Nominating
Committee will also notify in writing those applicants not
chosen.
Interested individuals can access Nomination
forms and criteria on line at www.iimc.com, click on
Foundation, click on Board Criteria/Application.
Send resumes to the Chair of the Nominating
Committee, c/o MCEF, 8331 Utica Avenue, Suite 200,
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. The Nominating Commit-
tee will conduct a telephone interview with the applicant
and may require references as part of the application
process.
For more information and questions, please contact
Beverly Hammerstrom, Chair of the Nominating Commit-
tee at bhammer103@aol.com
Application deadline is March 13, 2015
February 2015 15IIMC News Digest
“Don’t Be a ‘Clumper’: Making the
Most of Your Conference Experience”
Jane Anne Long, Ed.D., IIMC Director of Professional Development
With the annual conference just around the corner, 3. Take it all in! Be sure not to miss the many exciting
it is time to start thinking about making the most of events that have been planned including the Open-
your time during three education-packed days. Not only ing Reception, Opening Ceremony, Region Meetings,
will there be a wide array of outstanding educational General Sessions, All Conference Event and the
sessions, there also will be time “in-between” with plenty Annual Banquet. These will all be great networking
of opportunities to connect with fellow clerks from opportunities!
across the globe. One of the major benefits of the IIMC 4. Ask questions! Be sure to take advantage of the
Annual Conference is having the chance to network with experience of your peers and session leaders and ask
fellow clerks that experience the same satisfactions and questions about their presentations.
challenges of working in local government. However,
we all know that it is human nature to “clump” with 5. Rehearse a one minute introduction of yourself until
your regional or state group where there is a comfort you are comfortable. This makes it so much easier
level in knowing one another. This year, I dare you to when you approach that first person because you will
get out of your comfort zone and resist being a ‘clumper’ know exactly what you want to say and that will help
for just one day. You will be pleasantly surprised by break the ice. Also, exchanging municipality or state
the resulting relationships and networks you create by pins is a great conversation starter!
simply making that first contact and introducing yourself 6. Be prepared to exchange contact information either
to someone you have never before met. (Thank you to through business cards, e-mail, Facebook, LinkedIn,
Region III Director, Lynnette Ogden, MMC of Millport, AL or other forms of technology.
for creating the ‘Clumper’ definition for the conference). 7. Most of all – Be Approachable! The Annual Confer-
Here are some other tips to help you make the most ence is a great networking opportunity so put away
of your conference experience (adapted from The Var Guy your technology and go talk to one another!
Blog, Making the Most of Conference Networking, 2014): We look forward to seeing you in Hartford and hope
1. Review the conference schedule in advance and this article assists you in making this a truly wonderful
create your schedule using the new IIMC Confer- conference experience. When you see me at the confer-
ence Mobile App (see page 18 for more information ence, I hope you will introduce yourself.
on downloading the app). Creating your schedule
in advance will not only keep you on track with
your sessions and events but also provide time for
networking in between sessions.
2. Read the list of Exhibitors in advance so you can
have a plan when the exhibit hall opens and also
leave a little time for networking. Don’t be shy –
introduce yourself to all of the Exhibitors and take
their business cards as you never know when you
may need them in the future.
16 February 2015IIMC News Digest
Local Supervisors Bring Together
Tech and Non-profit to Mentor Kids
Supervisors Malia Cohen and David Chiu today children. This partnership will have a lasting impact on
announced a partnership between the City and County our community.”
of San Francisco, sf.citi and Big Brothers Big Sisters of sf.citi, a tech advocacy organization with over 700
the Bay Area to reduce the existing waiting list of San members and 15,000 individual supporters, is consis-
Francisco children seeking mentors from 83 to zero. tently seeking opportunities to engage with the commu-
nity and bring talent, innovation and energy towards
solutions to help the City. The organization gladly
accepted the call to engage their membership on such an
important issue.
“Our members represent San Francisco values and
care deeply about the City’s future,” said sf.citi Board
of Directors member Steve Sarner, Vice President of
Marketing for Tagged Inc., a social media company. “Our
goal will be to meet this challenge and help connect kids
Left to Right - Lottie Titus (Grandmother of a BBBS mentee),
Katherine Bella (CEO of BBBSBA), Supervisor David Chiu, Steve Sarner
from throughout the City to our individual members who
(sf.citi Board and Vice President of Marketing at Tagged), can offer time, compassion, and their expertise.”
Supervisor Malia Cohen, City Librarian Luis Herrera.
Board of Supervisors President David Chiu also
recognized an opportunity to assist young people who are
Big Brothers Big Sisters, a non-profit organization
seeking mentoring opportunities from one of the City’s
providing year round, long term, 1:1 mentoring, a proven
fastest growing sectors. “During National Mentorship
intervention for improving youth academic achievement
Month, it is fitting that we highlight the efforts of those
and social engagement, serves 1,000 youth throughout
investing in young people who are seeking guidance and
the Bay Area and currently has 83 children in San Fran-
role models,” said Supervisor Chiu. “While we have seen
cisco on a waitlist for a mentor.
real economic benefits from our City’s tech sector, I will
Recognizing the ongoing growth of the tech sector continue to strongly encourage the industry to play a
and sf.citi’s mission to engage the industry towards more significant role in our civic fabric and answer the
playing an active role in the community, Supervisors call to serve.”
Cohen and Chiu helped bring these two organizations
“We’re so grateful to both Supervisors Chiu and
together with a goal of not only decreasing the waitlist
Cohen, and sf.citi, for organizing this effort to match
to zero, but building a database of mentors for the future.
children with motivated mentors,” said Katherine Bella,
The connection to sf.citi’s membership will specifically
CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area. “Chil-
target mentors who, in addition to offering their time and
dren at this age are incredibly impressionable, and every
commitment, can also provide children with access to
child deserves the opportunity to have a role model in
future skill development and career opportunities.
their life.”
“One-on-one mentoring is a proven model to help
See more at: www.sfciti.com/news/releases/local-supervisors-bring-
inspire and guide young people,” said Supervisor Cohen.
together-tech-and-non-profit-to-mentor-kids#sthash.UnH1nKwW.dpuf
“We should be doing everything possible to bring addi-
tional resources, people and energy to help our City’s
February 2015 17IIMC News Digest
Navigating the IIMC Annual
Conference is a snAPP!
The IIMC Annual Conference Program has gone Exhibit Hall! Work the hall with a fully loaded exhibi-
mobile and our APP is accessible from all devices with tor list complete with contact information and booth
an internet browser: smartphones, tablets, laptops and numbers.
even desktops! 2014-2015 Board of Directors! Get to know the leaders
This inclusive APP has been designed to enhance in your Association.
your conference experience and put the entire conference Getting Around Hartford! Complete transportation
program in the palm of your hand. information is available including airport shuttles and the
Features Include: wonderful FREE Hartford Dash
Personalized Experience! Schedule your day with your To get the IIMC Annual Conference mobile APP:
own personal scheduling option. Set alarms so you never • iPhone and iPad users - search “IIMC” in the Apple
miss an event including meal functions, meetings and App Store. Note: if downloading the app to your
education sessions. iPad, the APP must be downloaded from the Apple
Complete Speaker Database! Want to get to know your App Store as an “iPhone” APP. Once downloaded, it
presenters? Interested in hiring them for your State will be compatible with your tablet.
Association meeting? Full bios, photos and contact infor- • Android users - search “IIMC” in the Google
mation are available for all IIMC education speakers. Play Store.
Education Session Handouts! Access to the handouts • BlackBerry, Windows, laptop users – please visit
will be available to download for each session within the www.IIMCAnnualConference.com
schedule.*
App Troubleshooting Tips and Facts
Explore Hartford! Experience all that Hartford has to * The APP can only be accessed while on Wi-Fi or
offer with a fully loaded local map complete with land- with a data plan. Phones and tablets without data
marks and points of interest. plans will need to download the APP prior to the
Never Get Lost! Take advantage of the Connecticut conference and will have limited access to the APP’s
Convention Center floor plan and Exhibit Hall maps. features when offline.
Need Help?
Contact Ashley DiBlasi, Certifica-
tion Manager at Ashley@iimc.com
or (909)944-4162
18 February 2015IIMC News Digest
Visit Connecticut’s 1796 State House
Welcome to the home of 360-degree democracy. What does that mean? Simple: the past shapes the future.
Government represents the governed. Leaders – of every kind – were once just regular people like you and me.
Here at Connecticut’s Old State House – the very spot where Connecticut’s democracy was born – you’ll learn about
how it was born and who made it happen.
February 2015 19IIMC News Digest
Storing and Managing Official Electronic
Records – Do you really know where your
official records are.
By Robert Blatt
Academy Session • Sunday, May 17, 2015
See Preliminary Program for more details
IIMC has arranged to have several internationally recognized experts
provide guidance and thoughts to our membership in the areas of electronic
record and document management. This is the first of a series of articles
and columns that will be made available to IIMC members. These experts
69th Annual Conference
include several key players in the national and international standard setting
Hartford, CT areas including the standardization of PDF (Steve Levenson, ISO Convener),
Sunday, May 17 thru Wednesday, May 20, 2015 document management standards and Vice Chair of the US Delegation to
ISO (Robert Blatt), and Virginia Jo Dunlap, Project Leader of the national
standard for assessing existing electronic records systems (ANSI/AIIM 25,
which is now in the process of becoming an international standard). Each of
The 69th IIMC Conference Prelimi- the panelists have extensive experience working with these technologies and
nary Program was mailed and is have been instrumental in the creation/development of many of the industry
available to download. standards being used today for the past 20+ years, so their insight is invalu-
The Program was mailed to able to these topic of electronic record management.
IIMC members:
These experts will also participate in the upcoming annual conference
• Who have attended at least and be speakers during the academy sessions and during the general confer-
ONE conference since 2010 ence. The initial session will focus on Trustworthy records management
through 2014 In Region I environments, what that entails, and what organizations should consider. To
• In Region X (CANADA) put this into perspective, consider the following: over the years, everyone in
• In Region XI (OUTSIDE NORTH your organization create and save large amounts of electronic content (i.e.,
AMERICA) MS Word, MS Excel, PDF, email, etc.).
For more information, con- Twenty years ago, the amount of available storage space was limited
tact Executive Director Chris and very expensive, but today storage is abundant and relatively cheap, so
Shalby at chriss@iimc.com most users don’t eliminate unnecessary copies, drafts, versions, etc. as they
have plenty of room. The challenge with this approach is that over time, the
organization effectively loses control of their electronic records as there are
so many copies of copies in various locations, managed by different people,
that is becomes increasingly difficult to really know where the official
records, and all associated documents actually reside. In fact many users
are either unable to search every possible location for documents, or aren’t
aware of where all the various copies are stored by all the resources who
either received a copy, participated in the information creation, or just had
Proud Sponsor of Education Programs
and Speakers a copy for other purposes. Regardless of why there are so many copies, the
Continued on page 21
2014 Annual Conference Sponsors
P R E M I E R SPONSOR
20 February 2015You can also read
