4-07 EC Mo Report

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear WMCA Members,

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President.

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to this past year’s WMCA Committees and Executive Committee members for all your hard work in continuing to make WMCA the professional organization it is! This year’s conference theme, “Continual Growth and Renewal” was so appropriate for a maturing organization.

Congratulations to Terri Pfister from the City of Spokane – our 2007 Clerk of the Year! It was a special moment to see Terri’s look of surprise when her name was called. Terri’s outstanding contribution to her profession and WMCA was most deserving of this prestigious honor. In addition, Irvalene Moni, from the City of Maple Valley, received the President’s Award of Distinction. WMCA is fortunate to have the both of you as members.

If you were not able to attend this year’s conference, please consider coming to next year’s conference at The Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel, March 18-21, 2008 (Tuesday – Friday). Note that the days have changed from the typical Sunday-Wednesday conference as a result of a membership survey that was taken two years ago when the 2008 conference site was being negotiated. So, please mark your calendars, and I hope to see you there. More will be forthcoming as the date draws closer.

As your President, I am excited to continually learn and work with you. I welcome your input, ideas and involvement on how we can improve and strengthen WMCA. When we all work together we can make a positive difference.

We have 12 active working Committees for members to join. Match your talents and interests with a Committee and experience the camaraderie that comes with working with other Committee members. A description of each Committee, roster of Committee members, Committee Work Plan Calendar, budget and other related information can be found on our website at www.wmcaclerks.org

Municipal Clerks Week is April 29 – May 5, 2007. Encourage your Mayor to issue a Proclamation proudly recognizing the vital work and services you perform for your community. The Proclamation can be found on the IIMC website at www.iimc.com and on the cover of the March 2007 IIMC News Digest.

The IIMC annual conference will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana from May 22-26, 2007. I hope many of you will be able to attend the educational sessions and experience the networking opportunities as well as see the rebuilding of a community following the Katrina devastation. Pam Kolacy, City of Port Townsend, will be sworn in as Region IX Director and hope many of you will be able to show your support for Pam at the swearing-in ceremony. The theme “Parading into the Future!” should draw many clerks.

I am honored to write the first Executive Committee Monthly Report for 2007-2008 with the President’s Message. Working with the Communications Committee, your Executive Committee will be providing you with news updates and progress reports around the first of every month. So, stay tuned!

In closing, I am eager to serve WMCA and thank each of you for the opportunity to represent WMCA as your President.

Alice M. Bush, MMC
President

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APRIL MONTHLY REPORT

Election Results and Board Vacancy

Congratulations to:

President- Elect Ali Spietz, City of Mercer Island

Vice President Bob Baker, City of Newcastle

Treasurer, Sheryle Wyatt, City of Tumwater

Secretary, Betty Garrison, City of Roy

Board Position Karen Kuznek-Reese, City of Sequim

Board Position Kammy Hill, City of Walla Walla

As a result of Bob Baker’s election to Vice President, a vacancy has occurred to fill Bob’s unexpired term as Executive Board member through March 2009. The Notice of Vacancy and instructions for filing can be found on the www.wmcaclerks.org website. The deadline for filing is Monday, May 7, 2007.

Education Coordinator

Pam Kolacy, City of Port Townsend, was appointed by the Executive Committee as Education Coordinator for a three-year term through March 2010. As the Education Coordinator Pam serves as the liaison between the Executive Committee and the Northwest Clerks Institute in coordinating Professional Development (PD) and Master Academy educational programs and has general oversight of the Education Committee. Welcome aboard Pam!

Preliminary Auction Results

The annual conference auction brought in an awesome $4,627! The Puerto Vallarta trip raffle produced a net income of $1,350 and the $1 raffle brought in $782. Way to go Scholarship and Fundraising Committees for putting on an outstanding auction and productive raffle sales!

Scholarships

Six scholarships were awarded for PD I, II and III.

Congratulations to:

PD I	Susie Oppedal, City of North Bend
PD II	Krystal Kelsey, City of Federal Way
	Candice Makos, City of Cosmopolis
PD III	Dayna Prewitt, Douglas County
	Melody Valiant, City of Tumwater
	Sara Chase, City of Tekoa

Annual Business Meeting Recap

Following the adoption of this year’s (2007-2008) WMCA operating budget, several questions were raised about budgeting. In preparing future budgets, the Executive Committee was asked to look at ways to further reduce costs such as holding the annual conferences at locations where lodging was more economical, and whether travel costs for officers and Region IX could be further reduced.

After the 2006 Davenport conference and near depletion of our reserves, the Executive Committee, through strategic planning, implemented several measures to better ensure the solvency of our organization. A Budget Committee within the Executive Committee (five officers) was established to focus on budgeting issues and a Fundraising/Special Projects Committee was created to work on fundraising goals to help assure the longer term stability of WMCA. WMCA officers and Executive Board members pay for their own travel expenses to attend quarterly Executive Committee meetings which are not paid by WMCA. Minutes of the Executive Committee meeting discussions on the budget as well as a copy of the preliminary budget are posted and made available on the website for membership review and comment at any time prior to the Annual Business Meeting.

Your Executive Committee works hard at balancing the needs of its members and its affiliation with Region IX, IIMC and NCI. We are committed to being conservative stewards in budgeting and spending and will consider the suggestions that were raised seriously.

Meeting the budgetary needs of WMCA members with its own diversity of cities, ranging from as little as 60 to more than 500,000 in population, coupled with the financial constraints we all face in our communities are most challenging. Weighing these challenges with the value of the wealth of knowledge and experience each of our members bring to the organization, and to sustain that camaraderie, we are seeing a change in paradigm where the investment of an individual’s professional growth is gradually being shifted toward a more equal contribution between the employer and the employee. The question we need to consider asking ourselves, in light of the shift, is “how valuable is WMCA to me” and is it worth personally investing (money and in-kind) for our own professional and personal growth.

Please be assured that the Executive Committee heard you, and we will deliberate over the concerns raised. Providing our members with the educational training that each of you can take with you and be applied to your jobs; and providing for a forum where learning and networking can be shared in a most cost-effective conducive setting are at the heart of your Executive Committee when developing the budget.

Executive Committee Meetings

The Executive Committee meetings for 2007-2008 will be held on:

June 22, 2007 – Lakewood City Hall

October 2007 (TBD) – The Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel

January 18, 2008 – Lakewood City Hall

March 21, 2008 – The Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel

Please feel free to contact any of your Executive Committee members should you have questions and/or comments of the Executive Committee. Our contact information can be found on our website.

Training Opportunities

Reminder to register early for:

Professional Development I Classes – June 3-8

Professional Development II Classes - June 10-15

Professional Development III Classes – June 17-22

Master Academy – June 6-9

IIMC annual conference, New Orleans, Louisiana - May 22-26, 2007

CMC and MMC Application Forms

New application forms for IIMC CMC and MMC designation as well as new CMC and MMC application forms are now available and can be downloaded from the IIMC website at www.iimc.com.

Please don’t hesitate to contact any Executive Committee member if you have questions or input for us. For contact information, please check the website. We welcome your comments.

Updated: 04/10/2009