Wilmer municipal clerk week honors city secretary

WILMER – The City of Wilmer recognized Municipal Clerk Week from May 3 to 9.

Unknown to many, the municipal clerk is also the city’s secretary.

In Wilmer, Mayor Emmanuel Wealthy-Williams read a proclamation in honor of City Secretary Mayra Ortiz.

“Mayra is an incredible gift to the City of Wilmer,” City Administrator Rona Stringfellow said.

“We honor her and her staff for the amazing work that they do regarding record keeping and transparency for the city.

“The city secretary’s office touches nearly every aspect of city operation. We are appreciative for all of the work that municipal clerks do for our city, the county and the great state of Texas.”

The week of May 3 through 9 in honor of the 51st Annual Professional Municipal Clerks Week was aimed at increasing the public’s awareness of municipal clerks and the vital services they provide for local government and the community.

The municipal clerk serves as the connection for the public to access and understand the functions of local government.

With the changing times of social distancing due to the COVID-19, officials are creating new ways for the public to safely stay engaged with local government. The municipal clerk plays a key role in this transition.

In fact, the city secretary functions much like the secretary of state.

This person is the local official who maintains the integrity of the election process, ensures transparency and access to city records, facilitates the city’s legislative process, and is the recorder of local government history.

The city secretary also acts as the compliance officer for federal, state, and local statutes, including the Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act, and serves as the filing authority for campaign finance reports and financial disclosure statements.

“I am honored and take extreme pride serving as the City Secretary for the City of Wilmer,” said Ortiz.

“I am committed to continue to work alongside mayor and council as well as city staff to provide effective and efficient management of resources for enhancing governmental excellence and transparency.

“Whenever asked about my role in city government, I tell people that ‘this position is to the city, what the secretary of state is to Texas.’”