Happy Fall CCAC! For anyone that knows me, fall and winter are my favorite sea sons as it means the holidays and colder weather are around the corner! Now that we are in October, it also means that Election Day is almost upon us. Wishing good vibes to all the Clerks out there on a successful election day!
The CCAC Board of Directors recently completed its annual Goal Setting in Sep tember. This year, we hired David Garrison from Smith, Moore & Associates, who facilitated a productive and collaborative discussion amongst the board. We dis cussed a variety of topics that included both successes and areas for improvement. At the heart of our discussions is you, the members of CCAC, and that will always be our top priority.
During our dialogue, we focused on several key areas that included (1) Communication & Operations (2) Accountability & a Path Forward (3) Member Benefits & Programs. These will help guide us to our revised Strategic Plan that we look to have finalized in the near future.
Immediately following Goal Setting, we held our bi-monthly Board of Directors meeting where we discussed a variety of topics. Below are key highlights/decisions made at the meeting:
• Discussed proposed changes to the Elections Policy for CCAC to better streamline the nomi nation and voting period
• Discussed the future of education and train ings for CCAC with a new approved schedule for trainings and costs that are expected to be implemented by early next year. Details will be released by our Professional Development Di rector in the near future.
• Discussed the funding for CCAC scholarships and bringing back a revised scholarship policy to a future board meeting.
• Discussed the clean-up of the CCAC Policy Man ual and updating the City Clerk Handbook.
• Committees were assigned to complete each task and bring updates back to the board.
Our next scheduled bi-monthly board meeting will be held on November 15, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
I also had the honor of representing CCAC at the annual Oregon Association of Municipal Recorders (OAMR) Annual Conference in beautiful Newport, Oregon! It was great connecting with our IIMC region representatives and the other State Presidents in our IIMC region. While the entire conference was great, I was particularly impressed with OAMR’s fundraising and will definitely be stealing some of their tips and tricks for our upcoming annual conference in April. Next stop is Alaska in December!
I’m excited to invite our membership to the 1st Pop with the President Virtual Networking Event on Wednesday, October 26 at 2:00 p.m.!
During this event you’ll get to meet with the CCAC Board of Directors and also get a chance to win exciting CCAC swag. We look forward to seeing you there! Click here for the event information.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me at mdonohue@eastvaleca.gov or at: (951) 703-4421.
I wanted to take a moment to re-introduce myself as we have received a steady increase in new membership! So if this is one of your first Official Words, welcome! We are so excited that you’ve joined CCAC and we are thrilled to be apart of your professional journey.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am currently the Chief Deputy City Clerk for the City of Azusa. Prior, I worked for the City of Rancho Cucamonga and the City of La Puente. I have been actively involved in CCAC previously serving as Region 11 Director. As your Member Services Director, my hope is to expand and engage our membership so that every member feels welcome, as well as grow our membership roster and raise awareness to the Clerk profession.
As a reminder, for those of you who have not submitted membership dues for the new fiscal year cycle which began on July 1, 2022, please be sure to log into your membership account to complete payment.
If you have any questions regarding your status of your membership or have any questions regarding your membership, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at membership@californiacityclerks.org
Thank you for being a member with CCAC.
The Technical Training for Clerks Academy (TTC) and Master Municipal Clerks Academy (MMCA) currently provide the core training requirements for California municipal clerks for both the Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) and Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) designation.
As part of CCAC’s strategic plan goals for education, in early 2021 the association began evaluating the contracts which provide the education institutes for our members. A subcommittee of the Board began discussions with the current institute directors, looking at several areas including cost, program content, scholarships, reporting, location and frequency of offerings. In September 2021, the Board met to review and discuss the finding and recommendations of the subcommittee and took action to begin a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for the CMC/MMC Institutes.
Over the past year, the subcommittee has been working to develop a proposal, and on September 28, 2022 officially released the RFP. Here are the highlights of what the RFP requires:
• Qualified organizations who can facilitate educational institutes to offer a variety of courses that adhere to the IIMC core curriculum providing 60 education points for CMC accreditation, and 60 educations points for MMC accreditation
• Proposals that include a structure to offer both CMC and MMC qualifying programs
• Proposals that include a blend of in-person and virtual training
• The selected program shall be fully developed by the end of 2023
The deadline to submit is Wednesday, November 30, 2022 by 5:00 p.m. to rfp@californiacityclerks.org.
Any individual, group of individuals or entity who has the means to meet the requirements of the RFP is welcome to submit a proposal. The institute is required to meet the IIMC Institute Guidelines, which requires an agreement with an accredited university or four-year college. As part of this agreement, a member of the university is selected as the Institute Director.
What does this mean for Institutes in 2023?
The CCAC Board requested that the current institute directors provide TTC and MMCA sessions through the 2023 calendar year, and both institutes have made this commitment to our membership.
TTC will offer Series 100 in March and Series 400 in September. MMCA will offer a session in early 2023 (Northern) and September 2023 (Southern).
What can I do to help?
Get the word out! Share the information with your networks, organizations, etc.
The more proposals CCAC receives, the better breadth of options the Board will have to select the best education institute program available to its members.
Where can I find more information?
The full Request for Proposals can be found on the CCAC website . For more information, please contact Marc Donahue (President) or Holly M. Charléty (Professional Development Director) at: rfp@californiacityclerks.org
CCAC is proud to announce the availability of profession al development scholarships to its membership. The CCAC scholarships were developed to help reduce the financial burden and aid members in participating in education and training offerings, and further the membership’s achievement toward CMC and MMC accreditation, through the Inter national Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). Scholarship applications for Round II are being accepted through November 1, 2022.
Scholarships are awarded twice a year, with a limit of one Institute Scholarship and one Education Course Scholar ship available to applicants each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), unless additional scholarship funds are available in the CCAC budget.
To be eligible for a scholarship you must be a CCAC member in good standing and complete the course or training to receive the scholarship. Round II scholar ship applications are due by November 1, 2022, and cover offerings from January through June 2023.
Institute Scholarships may only be used towards the payment of registration costs. Education Course Scholar ships will be awarded for up to $300 and may be used for registration costs, lodging, and bona fide travel costs in accordance with the CCAC Scholarship Policy
For more information or to volunteer on the scholarship or fundraising committee, please contact Sylvia Bermudez, Director of Scholarships at: sbermudez@cvwd.org
Greetings, CCAC! It's an honor to be your Director of Networking. I am excited to serve in an association with many members I admire. This year, the board and our Regional Representatives aim to provide you with many networking opportunities and engaging activities. A couple of exciting things in store for this year include more in-person and virtual networking opportunities and, after ten years, an update to the City Clerks Handbook.
A little about myself and how I became involved in the association: I have worked in local government for more than 17 years and started with CCAC two years ago as a Conference Committee member.
About a year ago, I started a new chapter in my life with the City of Brea, a wonderful city with great leadership. Likewise, CCAC entered a new chapter in its history with great leadership. It was during the conference in April that I could network and relate with so many members of the association. I wanted more opportunities like this, not only for me but for all of US. This sparked my interest in serving on the board, working as a team with the board, collaborating, and "Rebuild Back Better" for YOU. Thank you again for your support, and I look forward to meeting you at one of our networking events. Please don't hesitate to contact networking@californiacityclerks.org if you have any questions or suggestions on how I can better serve you!
Save-the-Date! CCAC is hosting its first virtual networking event with CCAC President Marc Donohue, "Pop with the President," on Wednesday, October 26, at 2:00 p.m. Don't forget your soda pop. This virtual hour includes a Meet & Greet of the CCAC Board of Directors and a chance to win exciting CCAC swag. Visit our calendar at californiacityclerks.org to join. All are welcome to join, members and non-members!
Throughout our careers as clerks and especially over the last few years, we have experienced a heightened need for leadership in our organizations. Clerks have worked for and are increasingly earning their seats at the leadership table, which furthers the need to build and improve our leadership skills. In California we are fortunate to have various regional and state training oppor tunities at our institutes and conference to help us identify and hone those leadership skills.
From September 21-23 this year, 27 participants and 10 trainers gathered at the Kellogg West Hotel and Conference Center in Pomo
na for the Master Municipal Clerk and Clerk of the Board Academy (MMCA). The mix of municipal and district clerks along with county clerks of the Board created a unique opportunity for everyone to share their knowledge and experiences with each other as well as strengthen their network. This MMCA’s learning community had 17 first-time attendees, 7 second-time attendees, and 3 advanced attendees. The MMCA is held twice annually and seeks to cre ate conscious leaders by helping participants build their technical, managerial, and leadership skills. The trainers are a mix of current and retired clerks, and subject matter experts who come to share their expertise and knowledge. The participants were ex cited to be able to attend MMCA in person with sev eral returning for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic or having attended previous vir tual MMCA sessions. When asked, participants shared that they were attending MMCA to build confidence in themselves, improve their public speaking skills, learn from other clerks, and to be inspired.
At this session of MMCA, there were two extra special guests when Dr. Bea Rodriguez, Director of Professional Development, and Jaimis “Jai” Ulrich, Education Coordinator, from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) who joined to learn more about California’s clerk institutes and find out how IIMC can better support its members and their educational needs. Dr. Rodriguez and Ms. Ulrich were able to learn alongside the other participants on Wednesday, and Dr. Rodriguez cleared her calendar to stay the rest of the week. At the close of the week, Dr. Rodriguez commented on the importance of the clerk institutes, sharing “If you want to be the best in your field, remember education is lifelong.”
The week was a success for participants who learned to stand in the power of their presence, conquer fears that may be holding them back and develop their courage to lead and initiate change no matter the circum stances, fearlessly learn the importance of creative risk taking, and focus on strategies for building trust and creating psychological safety for their teams. Others developed budgeting skills, honed their innovative records management skills, and learned how to more effectively work with and support their elected officials.
Some of the comments received from those attending include: “I am in a new role in my office and want to be a thoughtful, strong leader. I need to develop my skills through these workshops and with support from other clerks”; “This session was very useful because it taught me how to find my voice”; “This was a great class, left me feeling a little more confident like ‘I just did that!’”; and “I liked the exercises, they were creative in ways that I don’t normally experience in trainings and being active is the way I learn best”.
First time MMCA trainer and former MMCA participant Michelle Bigelow (Morgan Hill City Clerk/PIO) shared her feelings about the MMCA saying, “The Academy is here to make us better clerks, better leaders, better public servants, and better people.”
We invite you to the MMCA sessions coming up in 2023. Watch the CCAC website and list serve for dates and details coming soon.
Provided by the League of California Cities, this seminar is designed for city clerks and staff members of all tenures from throughout the state. The City Clerks New Law and Elections Seminar expands an individual’s knowledge on a wide range of topics relevant to the city clerk’s role within their city and fosters relationships and communication with peers. The opportunity for city clerks to learn from and network with each other provides invaluable support.
In today’s ever-changing municipal landscape, challenges and questions can abound for city clerks. BB&K provides the experience and resources—such as
ARC: Advanced Records Center, Election Law
City Clerk Boot Camp
city clerks
We’re pleased to inform you that the following in dividuals have earned either the prestigious Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) or Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC):
Master Municipal Clerk (MMC)
Carolina Torres, MMC, Deputy City Clerk, City of Yorba Linda, CA
Sylvia Edwards, MMC, City Clerk, City of Corona, CA
Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC)
Julia E. Espinoza, CMC, City Clerk, City of San Jacinto, CA
Ariana Cisneros, CMC, Administrative Secretary, Chino Valley Fire District, CA
HOLLY M. CHARLÉTY, MMC, DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
September welcomed Series
300 of the highly sought out Technical Training for Clerks (TTC) Academy. The Academy beat its own March record and welcomed 144 municipal clerks! Attendees navigated the heat like champions and engaged in a number of interactive sessions including Meeting Administration, the Clerk as a Manager/Supervisor, General Law, Ethics, Negotiations and Assessment Skills and more.
A large number of first-time attendees started the journey of building relationships and resources among their peers. TTC provides a breadth of sessions that focus on 1-1, small group, and large group interactions that provide attendees the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics with clerks across the state. It is never hard to find someone in the room who has had similar experiences, and these discussions create lasting bonds that will support many clerks throughout their career. This record setting class also included the highest number of graduates to date of 38 municipal clerks, who have completed all four series offered by the program. Congratulations graduates for all your hard work and dedication to the profession and commitment to your own professional development!
The generosity of this group of graduates also set a record for the highest donation received to date for a dedicated CCAC scholarship for future TTC attendee(s) totaling $1,875. It is beyond measure the appreciation of CCAC for this donation.
More than 26 of the clerks who attended in September received a scholarship from CCAC to help offset the cost of this core education training, provided for those in the municipal clerk profession, and those working towards their Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation.
The Academy also had a visit from IIMC Education & Conference Coordinator Jaimis “Jai” Ulrich and Director of Professional Development, Beatrice Nevarez Rodriguez. Beatrice shared that in observing the courses for The Clerk as a Manager/Supervisor and Meeting Administration she felt “ both courses to be loaded with strong, relative content. The clerks were fully engaged and excited to be there.” The academy also welcomed the new CCAC Director of Mentoring, Candice Alvarez, who worked with several participants in need of information, advice or a mentor to help them work through the designation process.
Please join CCAC in once again congratulating the following individuals on their commitment and achievement in completing this milestone education program!
Huma Ahmed (Beverly Hills), Diana Alegria (Riverside), Sandra Barajas (Sunnyvale), Brian C. Barrett (Carpinteria), Susan Brown (Las Virgenes Municipal Water), Maricela Cabral (Coachella Valley Water District), Liana Erica Camarena (San Marcos), Karey Cha (Clovis), Kylynn Chaney (Palos Verdes Estates), Rose Chaparro (Oxnard), Sylvia Lopez Cuevas (Rohnert Park), Jenna De Long (Los Gatos), Danielle Diaz (Pleasanton), Alicia Gonzales (Madera), Sara A. Gonzalez (County of Santa Barbara) , Miyko Ann Harris-Parker (San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority), Kathy Joyce (Mt. Shasta), Christiana Kalawa (Riverside), Paola Lara (South El Monte) , Kristine Lawler (Ukiah), Elizabeth Machado (Rohnert Park), Ann Marie McKay (Laguna Beach), Nicole Moe (Marysville), Haley Mullay (Santa Ana Watershed Project), Brenna Nurmi (San Rafael), Micaela Perez Olmos (Tri-City Mental Health), Sarah Pimentel (Lathrop), Jozi Plut (Belmont), Jennifer Ann Poole (Bellflower), Alberto Quintanilla (Fremont), April B. A. Quintanilla (San Francisco BART), Lali Quinteros (Murrieta), Allie Rackerby (Riverside County Transportation Commission), Neetu Salwan (Berkeley), Eduardo Sarmiento (Huntington Park), Lisa Sherrick (West Covina), Mag Tatum (San Francisco BART), Alison M. Walker (Upland).
