What are the responsibilities and job description for the City Secretary position at City of Harlingen, Texas?
Department
City Administration
Location
City Hall
Position Type
FT Employee
Salary
Starting Yearly Salary $72,539.50
Date
2024.12.20
Description
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS
The City Secretary is responsible for directing and supervising paraprofessional staff in the following sections or divisions of the City Secretary Department: City Elections, Records Management, and City Tract Books. This role entails comprehensive responsibilities, including planning, directing, managing, and overseeing the Office of the City Secretary. The City Secretary maintains all official records of the City of Harlingen, which include official records of actions taken by the City Commission. Moreover, the City Secretary holds the position of City Historian and Custodian of the Corporate Municipal Seal. This includes budget approval, administration monitoring, and the establishment of program objectives for the department. Other duties encompass publishing advertisements and legal notices, issuing solicitor and taxi permits, certifying alcoholic beverage applications, and providing certification statements for documents. The City Secretary is a visible and vocal presence in regular, recessed and special meetings of the City Commission. The City Secretary translates policy statements into working procedures, approves the departmental budget, monitors its administration and establishes program objectives for the department. Work is performed under the general direction of the City Commission and City Manager with a wide latitude to exercise professional judgment and initiative.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This list is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate.
- Ensures that the preparation of agendas and minutes for the formal, recessed and special City Commission meetings, and recording of Council actions are timely and accurate.
- Ensures use of the Corporate Seal of the City of Harlingen is appropriate.
- Presents recommendations on Elections, Records Management, and related matters to the City Commission and City Manager.
- Ensures the indexing and filing of official actions are maintained for rapid retrieval.
- Directs the conduct of City Elections to ensure all legal requirements are met.
- Attends meetings of the Mayor and City Commission.
- Attests to official actions of the Council.
- Chairs the City's Records Management Program determining the necessity for retention, microfilming and destruction of records to meet State of Texas legal requirements.
- Interacts with Council members and the general public to answer questions, interpret policies and procedures, and provide information.
- Integrates risk management into overall department strategy.
- Ensures ongoing operational risk management control, evaluation, communication, training, monitoring and documentation.
- Ensures the prompt and accurate processing of public information requests, adhering to specified timelines.
- Performs other related duties as required.
- Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.
Additional Requirements:
- Some positions will require the performance of other essential and marginal functions depending upon assignment.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED & EXERCISED
- General direction is received from the City Commission and City Manager.
- Exercises supervision over paraprofessional and clerical staff.
QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES
Knowledge of:
- City Charter and City Codes relating to elections, and all activities of the City Secretary Department.
- Election laws.
- Principles and practices of public administration, municipal government, personnel management and supervision.
Ability to:
- Perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over others.
- Establish relationships and work cooperatively with City officials, employees, and the general public.
- Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Produce written documents in the English language using proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor's Degree from a four-year college or university; or five (5) years of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Licenses, Certificates & Registrations:
- Notary Public.
- Municipal Clerk Certification is required within the first two years of employment.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The employee is regularly required to sit and use hands and fingers. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
WORKING CONDITIONS
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
SAFETY SENSITIVITY
This position is not classified as a safety-sensitive position.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS
The City Secretary is responsible for directing and supervising paraprofessional staff in the following sections or divisions of the City Secretary Department: City Elections, Records Management, and City Tract Books. This role entails comprehensive responsibilities, including planning, directing, managing, and overseeing the Office of the City Secretary. The City Secretary maintains all official records of the City of Harlingen, which include official records of actions taken by the City Commission. Moreover, the City Secretary holds the position of City Historian and Custodian of the Corporate Municipal Seal. This includes budget approval, administration monitoring, and the establishment of program objectives for the department. Other duties encompass publishing advertisements and legal notices, issuing solicitor and taxi permits, certifying alcoholic beverage applications, and providing certification statements for documents. The City Secretary is a visible and vocal presence in regular, recessed and special meetings of the City Commission. The City Secretary translates policy statements into working procedures, approves the departmental budget, monitors its administration and establishes program objectives for the department. Work is performed under the general direction of the City Commission and City Manager with a wide latitude to exercise professional judgment and initiative.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This list is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate.
- Ensures that the preparation of agendas and minutes for the formal, recessed and special City Commission meetings, and recording of Council actions are timely and accurate.
- Ensures use of the Corporate Seal of the City of Harlingen is appropriate.
- Presents recommendations on Elections, Records Management, and related matters to the City Commission and City Manager.
- Ensures the indexing and filing of official actions are maintained for rapid retrieval.
- Directs the conduct of City Elections to ensure all legal requirements are met.
- Attends meetings of the Mayor and City Commission.
- Attests to official actions of the Council.
- Chairs the City's Records Management Program determining the necessity for retention, microfilming and destruction of records to meet State of Texas legal requirements.
- Interacts with Council members and the general public to answer questions, interpret policies and procedures, and provide information.
- Integrates risk management into overall department strategy.
- Ensures ongoing operational risk management control, evaluation, communication, training, monitoring and documentation.
- Ensures the prompt and accurate processing of public information requests, adhering to specified timelines.
- Performs other related duties as required.
- Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.
Additional Requirements:
- Some positions will require the performance of other essential and marginal functions depending upon assignment.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED & EXERCISED
- General direction is received from the City Commission and City Manager.
- Exercises supervision over paraprofessional and clerical staff.
QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES
Knowledge of:
- City Charter and City Codes relating to elections, and all activities of the City Secretary Department.
- Election laws.
- Principles and practices of public administration, municipal government, personnel management and supervision.
Ability to:
- Perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over others.
- Establish relationships and work cooperatively with City officials, employees, and the general public.
- Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Produce written documents in the English language using proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor's Degree from a four-year college or university; or five (5) years of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Licenses, Certificates & Registrations:
- Notary Public.
- Municipal Clerk Certification is required within the first two years of employment.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The employee is regularly required to sit and use hands and fingers. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
WORKING CONDITIONS
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
SAFETY SENSITIVITY
This position is not classified as a safety-sensitive position.
Salary : $72,540
