Council presents proclamation to honor work of city clerk team
Pine Bluff City Clerk Janice Roberts, along with her supporting staff, were honored at Monday night’s City Council meeting as part of “Professional Municipal Clerks Week,” which is being observed through Saturday.
The International Institute of Municipal Clerks, a professional association of city, town, township, village, borough, deputy, and county clerks, sponsors the observance.
The purpose is to extend appreciation to the municipal and deputy clerks for the services they provide their communities.
Also honored Monday were the deputy clerk, assistant deputy clerk, and administrative clerk for “continually striving to improve the administration,” according to the news release.
The city clerk’s office team is comprised of City Clerk Roberts; Barbara Cager, deputy city clerk; Annette Warrior, assistant deputy clerk; and Alamae Harris, administrative clerk. Cage and Warrior served with retired City Clerk Loretta Whitfield and Harris joined the team in January.
“I noticed many things that this new staff is doing,” said Mayor Shirley Washington, who added that she liked the way Roberts was involved in the community.
Washington presented a proclamation recognizing the 52nd annual Professional Municipal Clerks Week.
The proclamation reads: The Office of the Professional Municipal Clerk is the oldest among public servants providing the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies, and agencies of government at other levels.
“Professional Municipal Clerks have pledged to be ever mindful of their neutrality and impartiality rendering equal service to all,” said Washington. “Professional Municipal Clerks serve as the information center on functions of local government and community.”
Mary Johnston, president of
the municipal clerks organiation and city clerk in Westerville, Ohio, urges clerks to highlight the importance of their roles and functions and the impact the office has on the public.
“There are many responsibilities of the municipal and deputy clerks that the public takes for granted, such as keeping the council advised of legislation that affects them,” said Johnston. “Yet, if clerks are inattentive in their duties, then the efficient operation of our local government is greatly affected.”
Roberts has served as Pine Bluff’s city clerk since Jan. 1. She completed the Arkansas 2020 Municipal Clerks Institute Certification Program before being sworn into her official position and the Arkansas 2021 New Clerk Orientation, according to the release.
A former council member, Roberts was elected in 2004. She was the sponsor for Westside Memorial Park. One of her goals is to collaborate with Pine Bluff’s fire and police departments to add a fallen firefighter and police officer extension to the park.
She has a bachelor’s degree in business economics from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from Bernard Baruch College.
Roberts was an economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Soil Conservation Service, now Natural Resources Conservation Service. She later worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers and in positions including special assistant to the executive director of Los Angeles Port Authority, executive director of Pine Bluff Boys & Girls Club, operations manager for Pritchard Sports and Entertainment Group, and lobbyist for Arkansas Electoral Coalition.
She ended her state government career as a state management program analyst for the Department of Workforce Services, according to the release.
Washington said the city commends and extends appreciation to the city clerk and the staff.
“Under the leadership of Ms. Roberts, they each strive to serve and improve the professional link between our local government and the citizens of our community,” Washington said.