As I write my first message to you, I can’t help but feel honored to lead this great organization over the next year. We’ve had so many tremendous leaders over the course of CCAC’s 45-year history and I look forward to following in their footsteps. Before we dive into what’s to come, I first want to thank Immediate Past President Melissa Thurman. Your courage and tenacity were essential to the organization as we marched forward this past year. From our first in-person conference in three years to the progress made on the reimagining of our education institutes, we truly renewed, rebuilt, and recreated!
CCAC is now entering a new chapter in its history. We have modified our Board of Directors to a more manageable size that is ready and excited to serve our membership. I want to personally thank the following individuals for volunteering their time to serve on this year’s Board of Directors:
Jessica Blair, 1st Vice-President
Ashton Arocho, 2nd Vice-President
Debra Black, Board Secretary
Randi Johl, Legislative Director
Candice Alvarez, Mentoring Director
Holly Charlety, Professional Development Director
Roxanne Breceda, Networking Director
Sylvia Bermudez, Scholarship Director
Adrian Garcia, Membership Director
Melissa Thurman, Conference Director
Mitzi Ortiz, Communications Director
Ricca Charlon, Treasurer
MARC A. DONOHUE, MMC MARC DONOHUEAs we look forward to the coming year, the Board of Directors will conduct its annual Goal Setting from September 23-24 in San Diego. During this time, we’ll establish a new three-year Strategic Plan for CCAC and determine the goals and initiatives over the next year. In the next Official Word, I’ll be reporting back the actions taken at Goal Setting.
We have a lot of exciting projects and initiatives for the upcoming year. We are scheduled to release the RFP for our Education Institutes in the coming days and we look forward to seeing what opportunities arise! We are also committed to providing quality education/training opportunities in the coming year.
The registration for the upcoming New Law & Elections Seminar is now open! The Seminar will take place from December 7 – 9, 2022, in beautiful Monterey. The City Clerk’s Department for Cal Cities has been working on selecting sessions and finalizing the conference programming and hope to have a schedule announced in the coming days. Visit www.calcities.org to register.
Lastly, save the date for the 2023 CCAC Annual Conference that will take place from April 11 – 14, 2023, in Palm Springs. This year’s theme is “Build Back Better”! The call for session proposals has already been released and we are excited to plan an amazing conference for you all!
Thank you again for allowing me to serve the CCAC membership. My door is always open, so to speak. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or feedback at mdonohue@eastvaleca.gov or (951) 703-4421.
OUTGOING MEMBER SERVICES DIRECTOR & INCOMING 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT
With the 2022 CCAC Election finalized recently in August, awaiting swearing in at the League of CAL Cities Annual Conference in Long Beach, Ca, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for letting me serve as your CCAC Member Services Director for the past two years. It has been an honor to take on this role within the leadership of the Board and assist in managing the changing of membership structure and dues to ensure that educational offerings are provided at a lesser amount. I am pleased to announce that we currently have 525 renewed members and climbing. Although I can not take credit for this increase, I would just like to highlight that this increase means that our
Association is becoming more prominent in the Clerk profession and supported by agencies throughout the State.
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. Should you have any questions or run into any issues, do not hesitate to reach out to the membership team at membership@californiacityclerks.org .
ASHTONAROCHORENE
ADRIAN GARCIA, 2022 ELECTEE
Serving CCAC as the Communications Director for the pasts three years has been a highlight of my career. I’ve enjoyed meeting more of you than I otherwise would have and helping to broadcast the work of CCAC and its membership through social media, the Official Word publication, and other means.
During my tenure as Communications Director, CCAC enhanced and increased our presence on several social media channels and the Official Word was revamped into a magazine format. I appreciate the feedback received from members and considered any comments during any decisions as a member of the CCAC Board.
I thank you for your vote of confidence to serve as CCAC’s next 1st Vice President. As I mentioned in my campaign statement, the entire membership is and has always been my first and foremost priority and I continue to be available to you for any feedback, comments, or questions –and promise to continue keeping those messages at the forefront of my decision making and planning.
With my changing role, that leaves a vacancy in the Communications Director position. I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that incoming President Marc Donohue has appointed Mitzi Ortiz, Government Services Director for the City of Aliso Viejo, to fill the Communications Director role. Mitzi served in this capacity for seven years prior to my taking over the position. Thank you, Mitzi for agreeing to once again serve the membership in this capacity!
JESSICA BLAIR
"Serving CCAC as the Communications Director for the past three years has been a highlight of my career"
Unsurprisingly, this year’s election has been a whirlwind for some, an exciting adventure for the newly appointed or elected, and a piece of cake for those passing on the torch.
On July 15, Region 7 held an Elections and Legislative Platforms workshop at the beautiful Lake Elsinore Marina. With breathtaking views and a feeling of peace and serenity, over 50 attendees participated in an Advance Elections workshop presented by BB&K Director of Elections Services Stephanie D. Smith. In addition, League of California Cities Regional Public Affairs Manager Erin Sasse provided an overview of the Legislative Process. But wait, there is more! The opportunity to network on a balcony of a blissful lake sight while enjoying Chipotle for lunch, and the camaraderie of those with the same career passion, was the icing to the cake. Who doesn’t want a lake view with a build-your-nachos opportunity?
It’s opportunities like these in which CCAC is one of the reasons as to why I am so passionate about my career choice. The possibilities to network are endless, the friendships made are everlasting, and the educational opportunities are abundant.
Advance Elections provided training on getting it right 113 days before elections (E-113). From providing pre-nomination period guidance to making Election Day festive, Stephanie is a retired clerk guiding the way for anyone with election questions. She offered helpful tips in preparation for the candidate notebook, like saving paper and using a USB drive, and also provided big takeaways for post-elections. Stephanie is quite the presenter and a stellar example of a leader. Her bubbly personality and the excitement she brings to elections make you want to get up and seize Election Day or at least be well prepared for it.
It’s a joy to see many attendees finding a way to update their candidate handbooks before the nomination period. Attendees also received helpful tips on checklists to stay organized and were relieved to hear how there are pitfalls and challenges, as we are all humans and we will be ok; breathe. You have a team behind you, so work collaboratively with your team! One cannot do it alone. If you find yourself challenged on elections, reach out to Stephanie as she is a phone call away, provide your questions on Listserve, or reach out to clerks in your surrounding area.
CANDICE ALVAREZThere is value in the uniqueness of the legislative platform session. It helps us see the bigger picture of legislation that ultimately affects our agencies and sometimes even our jobs. Erin provided an overview of the legislative process, a general overview of different resolutions, the cycle of a bill, and much more! It’s intriguing to hear how legislation works. In addition, there are available resources to track bills, GovBuddy, which empowers you with secure and powerful tools to contact and advocate for issues with state legislators, staff, and committees while collaborating with your team. And if you ever need a lunch buddy, log on to www.sen.ca.gov or www.asm.ca.gov and listen or watch a session!
Erin thrives at providing information for the legislation process and represents Riverside County. A significant key to advice on influencing the legislative process is to provide hard letters, as they are the best, and social media can be very impactful. The more you can inform the community, the better.
Thank you, City of Lake Elsinore, for hosting, and special thanks to NetFile and the attendees for making this workshop a success!
Due to the pandemic, it has been a few years since Region 12 (Channel Counties) has hosted an event. After having conversations about this with Tom Diebert, NetFile Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, he suggested offering a networking lunch to allow City Clerks to gather and exchange ideas, sponsored by NetFile “Gives Back Campaign.”
On July 12, 2022, Region 12 hosted a lunch and networking event at 2088 Restaurant in the City of Camarillo. The event was well attended with 25 attendees enjoying a wonderful lunch on the patio with beautiful weather. The networking lunch provided an opportunity for attendees to discuss the upcoming election and exchange ideas on projects and processes.
Thanks to the City of Thousand Oaks for coordinating the event and to all the attendees for the great networking.
A HUGE thank you to NetFile for your continued support of CCAC and City Clerks—we appreciate it!
TRACY OEHLER
The following Athenian Leadership Dialogue is currently scheduled with an open registration: Date Setting Book Facilitator Fee 14Oct. –VirtualZoom Creating Magic: 10 LifeStrategiesSenseCommonLeadershipfromaatDisney LewisCynthia $30.00
Dialogues are worth 3 CMC/MMC points after completing a written assessment.
To sign up for educational opportunities offered, please visit our CCAC educational calendar here.
As I transition into the role of the Professional Development Director (yay!) I want to take a moment to thank Ashton Arocho for all of her hard work as the Athenian Dialogue Coordinator for the past three years.
Ashton has been instrumental in coordinating Athenian offerings through CCAC, working closely with IIMC’s Athenian Leadership Society Program. This pro gram offers municipal clerks an alternative professional development experience through conversation, sharing experiences and understanding as it relates to the ideas of the author and the relevance of those ideas to their public leadership role.
Ashton has worked to preserve Athenian offerings in California, coordinated with Athenian fellows interested in becoming facilitators, and ensured all parties have the information needed to hold a successful dialogue. While she has chosen to take a step back from the role to focus on her new role as 2 nd Vice-President, her contributions to the program have not gone unnoticed. Thank you Ashton for all of your hard work and dedication to the program! If you, or someone you know, is interested in taking on the Athenian Dialogue Coordinator role, please contact me at hcharlety@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or 510-215-4305
HOLLY M.We’re pleased to inform you that the following individuals 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)
Stephanie Vasquez, MMC - City Management Analyst, City of Eastvale, CA
Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC)
Ashley Flores, CMC - Clerk of the Board of Directors, Special District Risk Management Authority, CA
Christina Rudsell, CMC - City Clerk Services Manager, City of Barstow, CA
Luz Reyes, CMC - Deputy City Clerk, City of Lake Elsinore, CA
Rischa S. Cole, CMC - Secretary to the District, East Bay Municipal Utility District, CA
The line for public comment was to the end of the building. Council members nervously fiddled in their seats. The mayor called the meeting to order, and the clerk took roll call. This wasn’t an ordinary council meeting in the City of Kingsburg, it was a 3rd grade field trip where 8- and 9-year old’s learned how local government works, how departments in the City perform and how they have a voice.
The clerk world is amazing, and I borrowed this idea from another city years ago and updated the presentation to reflect our city and added a mock council meeting. Every year (except during Covid) 3rd graders walk from their school downtown and file into our council chamber. They learn about council members, districts, elections and that they can vote when they turn 18. We present each department in easy-to-understand language and the kids love to talk about the pool or their favorite park.
Five council members are chosen and a city clerk. The remaining kids become the public and they decide on a topic to discuss. Each year the youth surprises us with topics from affordable housing, jobs, homelessness to splash pads, trampolines and go-cart tracks. This year was no different! It is uplifting to see the passions of the youth and what they feel is important to their community. There is always one kid that asks for an In and Out and we get to inform them (and their parents!) that local governments cannot open businesses. I hope they tell their friends!
ABIGAIL PALSGAARDABIGAIL PALSGAARD, CITY CLERK OF KINGSBURG,
Once a topic is decided on, the mayor bangs the gavel and calls the meeting to order. The clerk takes roll and the fun begins. Public comment! After saying their name, the kids have the option to speak for or against the topic, and sometimes they bring up a separate topic. As you can imagine, this gets interesting! The clerk tallies how many members of the public speak for or against the topic and at the close of public comment the mayor asks the clerk what the majority of the speakers decided. Next the council discusses the topic and they learn about motions. It is always fun to explain what a motion is and to see their faces light up once they understand. Most of the time a motion is made, with a second, and a roll call vote. Just like a regular council meeting, you never know how it is going to go! Sometimes motions die, motions are amended and sometimes there is not a majority vote. It is always exciting, especially when a council member who made the motion votes “no” in the end. The third graders keep us on our toes, just like our council members! They finish their field trip with a tour of city hall and a stop at the fire station. As they walk out I love to hear them talk about how they want to work here someday, or that they would want to be a council member. Hopefully we spark a flame in a future civic leader! As clerks we joke that we didn’t grow up wanting to be a city clerk, maybe we can change that!
I couldn’t do this presentation every year without former mayor and current Council Member Michelle Roman. She is a former teacher who keeps the kids engaged and in line. As the first female mayor in Kingsburg (it took 108 years) having positive role models in the public service is the best lesson we can give our youth.
I’d like to start by thanking the membership for electing me as your incoming 2nd Vice President and for those who voted during this recent CCAC Election. As I take on this new role on the Board, I do so with a humble and grateful mind. The importance of this moment is not lost on me.
I stumbled into public service in early 2015, as a temporary assignment while I was active in nursing school. One thing led to another and once I assisted in my first election, I was hooked into the Clerk world and switched professions quicker than I could recite Government Code Section 6254 (f) (for all those public records requests). I was blessed to work under a terrific City Clerk at my first agency, City of Monrovia, for five years where I truly learned what it took to become a City Clerk. Graduating TTC in 2018 with a class that became my closest friends, to obtaining my Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation in early 2019, were just the first steps in my journey. Moving agencies from Monrovia to Palm Springs to my current agency at Fontana, I truly have had opportunities to better my career and grow within this profession. I was honored to obtain my Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) designation in February of 2022, exactly two years following my CMC. A goal I set to achieve within 2 years of one another, even within the middle of a global pandemic.
My activity with CCAC does not start here. I recently served as your Member Services Director for a two-year term ending 2022; Past Chair of the Fundraising Committee; Chair of the Membership and Inclusivity Committee; Chair of the Athenian Leadership Dialogue Committee; and acted as the CCAC Athenian Leadership Dialogue Coordinator under the Professional Development Director. I have had the honor and privilege to mentor mentees, creating relationships and growing alongside the membership. My vision for the future of CCAC is to continue to make Board decisions which enhance both our association and our membership. To continue to promote and strengthen the municipal clerk profession. I take great pride in making decisions that impact and empower our fellow colleagues – to remember our ‘why’. The future of CCAC will continue to connect with the membership – creating leaders and enhancing professional journeys along the way. To lead with purpose.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or suggestions on how I can better serve you as your 2nd Vice President. Thank you again for your support.
Contact information: Ashton R. Arocho, MMC City of Fontana
E: aarocho@fontana.org
ASHTON
It was Friday, August 12, about 10:30 am, when I received a phone call that a resident was in the lobby inquiring (for the 1st time!) about running for City Council.
I let him up to my office and sat down with him to review the nomination materials. Given that it was 10:30 am and the nomination period would be closing at 5 pm (both incumbents had filed, in addition to another candidate), I let him know I would be giving him the reader’s digest version of the “other” material I ordinarily share and would focus my time on the nomination materials that would need to be submitted by 5 pm. After reviewing the materials, I thought he might have a change of heart, but no, he said, “I can do this! Give me a few hours.” And so he left.
I did not think I would hear from him again. This was a resident whose wife had sent him downtown to run an errand (to buy windshield wipers…exciting stuff!) and he just decided to “stop by.” Low and behold, he returned shortly after 4 pm with a prepared Candidate Statement and 20 signatures on the nomination forms. Yes, only 20. I had encouraged him to gather 30 signatures when we met as Walnut Creek has many unincorporated pockets so only having 20 signatures made me nervous. I again offered up my suggestion that he collect additional signatures. He said well then, I’ll be back. 3-5 minutes later he returns with two additional signatures. Gulp. I took his forms and reviewed them and then nervously submitted his documentation just after 5 o’clock to the County Elections Office…… I was SO nervous for him! In my mind, I was already thinking and preparing myself for the phone call I’d have to make to let him know he did not qualify. An hour later the County Elections office confirms that he has qualified! Hallelujah! They told me they too shared in my nervousness as he had one bad signature having reviewed the first two pages. They said it was quite the cliffhanger moment for them turning to page 3 and finding only two more signatures.
When I let the candidate know he had qualified he expressed his appreciation for working with him. He said: “I literally could not have done it (in a few hours!) without your help!” While it made for a whirlwind of a Friday / close of the nomination period, I am glad it turned out the way it did.
As City Clerks it is our duty to administer the democratic process, ensure transparency and uphold equality to the public. I felt like I had done my job. I have to say when I first started in this career, elections were what I feared the most. Now I can say I thoroughly enjoy guiding candidates through the nomination process.
SUZIE MARTINEZ
"As City Clerks it is our duty to administer the democratic process, ensure transparency and uphold equality to the public"
As most of you may have seen, I recently sent out an email via the City Clerk listserve looking for a Deputy Treasurer to serve beside me for the rest of my term as CCAC Treasurer. I was contacted by 8 individual’s interested in learning more on what the job entailed. I want to give a HUGE thank you to those individuals, without your interest and volun teering CCAC would not be what we are – so THANK YOU to each of you!
It is my pleasure to introduce my selection, Debra Thomas, Grand Terrace City Clerk, as the newly appointed Deputy Treasurer. She has hit the ground running and already attended her first CCAC Board meeting held on August 22nd.
Her biography is below so you can learn a little about her. Welcome Debra!
Debra Thomas joined the City of Grand Terrace as City Clerk in May 2017, bringing with her a wealth of Municipal Clerk experience and expertise.
Debra began her career in public service in February 2009, joining the Town of Apple Valley as a Records Technician. In 2011 when a Deputy Town Clerk position became available, she discovered her passion for her current field, appreciating the opportunity of making records of interest to the public more Debraaccessible.usedher
Deputy Town Clerk position to learn all aspects of the City Clerk’s Office including operations, records management, agenda management, and elections. Committed to gaining more skills and knowledge in the field, She attended every municipal training opportunity available to her and earned the prestigious Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation in 2016.
Debra credits much of her success to caring and dedicated mentors that have supported and guided her through a fulfilling career. She is an active member of the City Clerks Association of California (CCAC) and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). She continues her education with the CCAC and IIMC and is currently pursuing her goal of receiving her Master Municipal Clerk designation.
Debra provides exceptional customer service to the citizens of Grand Terrace with honesty and integrity and looks forward to a long, rewarding career as Grand Terrace City Clerk ensuring that the local democratic process is accessible to everyone.
RICCA"...she discovered her passion for her current field, appreciating the opportunity of making records of interest to the public more accessible"
In today’s ever-changing municipal landscape, challenges and questions can abound for city clerks. BB&K provides the experience and resources—such as our ARC: Advanced Records Center, Election Law Toolkit, City Clerk Boot Camp and more—to help city clerks succeed.
