City Clerk

Statement of Duties

The City Clerk is responsible for all operations of the Office of the City Clerk, which acts as the city’s custodian of records and serves approximately 20,000 customers annually. The Office maintains and distributes Birth Certificates, Marriage Licenses, Death Certificates, Business Certificates and a range of business licenses. The Office also provides the City Council and Licensing Commission with staffing and administrative support, and provides the City’s municipal departments with a variety of support services including researching legislation, locating and certifying documents, and processing City Hall’s mail.

The City Clerk performs duties as prescribed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the ordinances of the City of Somerville.

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Manages all work associated with the three office divisions: vital records & licensing; archives; and legislative services.
• Prepares budgets and manages revenues and expenses for:
  City Clerk’s Office;
  Licensing Commission; and City Council.
• Maintains and archives all municipal vital records, City Council records and Licensing Commission records.
• Manages and provides technical assistance for municipal archiving activities citywide, including both physical storage and electronic records management.
• Issues birth, marriage, and death certificates, dog licenses, business certificates, and certified copies of municipal documents.
• Manages the issuance of business licenses awarded under local ordinances and/or State laws.
• Researches, reviews and implements ordinances, laws and regulations related to business licenses, vital records, open meetings, freedom of information, municipal finance, zoning and other matters.
• Maintains and certifies the City Charter as amended, the Code of Ordinances as amended and other municipal documents.
• Manages administrative support to the Licensing Commission, including preparing agendas, attending meetings, maintaining minutes, managing licensure and correspondence and acting as liaison to the State Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.
• Serves as Clerk to the City Council, attending all regular and special meetings, arranging public hearings, preparing meeting agendas and meeting minutes, maintaining all records thereof, acting as Parliamentarian and researching legislative histories and other matters as the City Councilors may request.
• Manages administrative support to the committees of the City Council, including preparing agendas, attending meetings, maintaining minutes, maintaining the Council’s meeting calendar, and researching other matters as the City Councilors may request.
• Manages staff support to the City Council regarding research and development of public policy, as well as financial and land use matters requiring Council approval.
• Administers Oaths of Office and maintains records of all municipal board and commission memberships.
• Provides public information and maintains the City Clerk, City Council, and Licensing Commission website.
• Issues Clerk Certificates related to the actions of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.
• Provides walk‑up, telephone, mail and internet customer assistance on births, marriages, deaths, business certificates, dog licenses, business licenses, etc.
• Processes non‑criminal violation payments; schedules non‑criminal appeals for the Municipal Hearing Officer (MHO), and provides administrative support for the MHO’s hearing and decisions.
• Serves as a Notary Public.
• Performs related duties as needed.

Education and Experience
:
Bachelor’s degree in communications, public administration, business or related field and five to seven (5‑7) years of experience in a managerial or supervisory role; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the…