What are the responsibilities and job description for the City Clerk position at City of East Lansing?
The City of East Lansing is seeking a City Clerk. East Lansing is a desirable residential community of 46,850 people and home to Michigan State University. East Lansing operates under the Council-Manager form of government with a full-time staff of approximately 300 and a combined budget of $146.6 million for FY 2025.
The City of East Lansing is committed to becoming a fully inclusive place to live, work, visit and do business. We believe an organization functions at its highest ability when a shared culture that promotes accepting, respecting, and valuing differences that include attributes such as age, income, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, sexual identity, ability, language, family circumstances and cultural backgrounds is fostered. We are seeking individuals who share our commitment to equity, inclusion and reflects the community we serve.
JOB SUMMARY
The City Clerk serves as Clerk to the City Council and Chief Election Official for the City, including serving as Chair of the City’s Election Commission and liaison to the Elected Officer’s Compensation Commission. Ensures that the City Clerk’s office fulfills all prescribed duties, administers all aspects of city elections, including establishment of satellite voting operations to implement same-day voter registration, staffing and management of Early Vote Centers, Election Day Vote Centers, management of absentee ballot operations and in-person Election Day voting, management of city business license process and directs the day-to-day operations of the Clerk’s office.
- Plans, coordinates, and directs the activities of administrative support staff to perform the duties of the City Clerk’s office. Provides training, professional development opportunities and performance evaluations for staff.
- Supervise recording of minutes from City Council meetings; oversee various business licensing processes including liquor, concession, and restaurant and entertainment, or other licenses established by City Council.
- Serves as Clerk of the Council, attends its meetings as necessary, maintains a public record of all proceedings of the Council; and certifies all ordinances and resolutions enacted or adopted by Council.
- Serves as custodian of city papers, documents, bonds, and records as required by law, processes the City’s FOIA requests, managing all responses for requests for information.
- Leads the development and implementation of departmental goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for each assigned service area.
- Publishes and posts all notices, proceedings and other matters required to be published or posted by law, City Charter, or ordinance.
- As Chief Elections Official of the City, performs all duties required by law including, but not limited to: maintaining the City’s Qualified Voter File; establishing and maintaining City polling locations, Early Vote Centers with co-located satellite clerk’s offices, Election Day Vote Centers on and off the Michigan State University Campus, Absentee Ballot Counting Boards, , , conducting voting equipment accuracy testing; proofing and ordering ballots; preparing and processing absentee ballots; recruitment of personnel for various election activities (poll workers, temporary election assistants, etc.); training of selected personnel;
- As Chief Elections Official of the City ensures procedural compliance with statutory election requirements; convenes Election Commission as needed; responds to press inquiries; provides/coordinates City support to County Board of Canvassers.
- Implements procedures and programs associated with voter accessibility.
Qualifications
The candidate must have at least four years of increasingly responsible municipal clerk administrative experience or the equivalent. Excellent organizational skills and the ability to work with a diverse population including a high number of first-time voters is essential. The candidate must possess an bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university with major course work in business administration or public administration or a related field.
Special Requirements
Additionally, to perform the essential functions of the job, an individual may be required to maintain a physical condition necessary for sitting for prolonged periods of time, operating assigned equipment in an office environment with exposure to computer screens, and the ability to lift light to moderate election equipment and materials.
