March 4, 2022
Dear Clerks of North Carolina:
The University of North Carolina School of Government, in cooperation with the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) and the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks (NCAMC), is pleased to announce the schedule for this year’s Regional Master Municipal Clerks Academies. The academies will take place on the dates and in the localities listed below.
- April 1 – Hendersonville
- April 8 – Red Oak - Meeting location in Nashville
- April 22 – Virtual (Register here)
Registration will begin at each academy location at 8:30 a.m. Each academy will run until 4:00 p.m. and include the following sessions:
· Professional Writing and Research Skills for Clerks
· Things I Wish I Had Known
· Collaboration, Teamwork, and How to Improve Manager/Clerk Relationships
· Board Procedures and Remote Meetings
In the first session, Professional Writing and Research Skills for Clerk will be led by UNC School of Government (SOG), Rebecca Badgett. Clerks will review everything from emails, agendas, minutes, proclamations, and resolutions, clerks are responsible for drafting a variety of documents, some of which require basic legal research skill to complete. This interactive session will cover different research techniques, explore business-writing best practices, and offer tips and tricks for editing documents. Clerks who attend this session will be required to complete a pre-writing assignment and participate in a research challenge during the session.
The second session will include a panel of experienced retired/former clerks that will enlighten participants in areas of organization, handling fast pace and demanding responsibilities, managing conflict and competing priorities, and in general what all clerks need to know from their personal experience. This session will be led by retired clerks such as, Joyce Walker, Sherry Scoggins, Jeanne Giblin, Tammy Hatley, and Heather James (not all panelist will participate in all three schools and are subject to change).
The third session will include a panel of City/Town Managers to help clerks navigate the optimal working relationship between a manager and clerk. This session will be led by (participation depends on location) Amie Owens, Selena Coffey, John Connet, Ron Moore, Randy Lansing, James E. Alston, David Parrish, Hank Perkins, Jamie Justice, Rodney Dickerson and Tracy Shearing (panelist participation is subject to change).
The last session of the day will focus on the notice requirements of G.S. 166A-19.24 to guide clerks in understanding and applying the requirements, as well as the impact of the end of the state of emergency on remote meetings. This session will be led by UNC/SOG Kristina Wilson.
The Regional Master Municipal Clerks Academies are approved programs for individuals working towards the Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) or Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designations awarded by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). The School of Government is the IIMC’s designated provider of education programs for clerks in North Carolina. Participants can earn 2.5 points from the IIMC for attending all sessions at any of the upcoming Regional Master Municipal Clerks Academies and completing a short post-academy assessment. The academies are also approved sources of continuing education hours for the North Carolina Certified Municipal Clerk (NCCMC) program, which is offered by the NCAMC in cooperation with the School of Government. Clerks who attend all sessions at one of the academies can earn 5.5 credit hours in accordance with the NCCMC program’s guidelines. No partial credit will be awarded.
The School of Government, the NCLM, and the NCAMC seek to promote professionalism among municipal clerks and to provide them with a variety of affordable and conveniently located educational opportunities. The registration fee for one of this year’s Regional Master Municipal Clerks Academies is $75 for NCAMC members and $95 for non-members. We hope the low cost will assist you in reaching your educational goals. Our aim is to bring you a great day of education that makes good use of your time and your municipality’s resources.
If you experience any difficulty registering through the website, please contact events@nclm.org If you have any questions about the academy sessions, please contact Kristina Wilson at (919) 843- 8930. If you need to cancel your registration, please contact events@nclm.org. A full refund of paid registration, will be isued to registrants who notify in writing by the meeting location registration deadline. We must give guarantees, and they will charge us even if you cancel; therefore, no refunds can be made after the meeting location registration deadline dates.
We look forward to seeing you at one of the Regional Master Municipal Clerks Academies!
Sincerely,
Kristina Wilson
Assistant Professor of Public Law and Government
IIMC Institute Director for North Carolina
UNC School of Government
Lisa Stites, MMC
NCAMC President