Town Secretary

Town Secretary

TARGET HIRING RANGE: $95,390 - $112,082 Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply promptly, as the position may close at any time after the minimum three (3) business day posting period once a sufficient pool of qualified applicants has been established.

Under general direction, the Town Secretary attends meetings of the Town Council, Planning and Zoning Commission and other boards and commissions as needed; develops agendas, packets and official minutes; coordinates municipal elections; is responsible for records management, including maintenance and retrieval of official records; administers oaths required by law; and performs other related duties.

Examples of Duties

• Attends all meetings of the Town Council and Planning and Zoning Commission, and other boards and commissions as needed, and develops official minutes of the proceedings.
• Administers indexing, maintenance and retrieval of the official records of the Town, including minutes, ordinances and resolutions, contracts, deeds, titles and abstracts of Town property and other related official documents.
• Manages publication and posting of all legal notices.
• Administers, in conjunction with Collin County Election Administrators, municipal elections, including contract negotiations, procurement of polling places, preparation and filing of all necessary documents and reports, and publication of legal notices.
• Provides for certification of petitions to the Town Council.
• Develops and administers departmental budget and develops long-range plans related to staffing, space and equipment needs.
• Prepares and develops Town Council, Planning and Zoning Commission and other board and commission agenda packets.
• Administers CivicPlus software for preparation, development and management of meeting agendas, packets, minutes, and actions; writes policies and trains employees on use of software.
• Updates Town website(s) and third-party software to include posting of agendas, meeting notices, minutes, recordings, and legal notices; and maintains webpages on Town website(s) relating to Town Secretary department and other duties and responsibilities as assigned, boards and commissions, and Town Council.
• Manages the flow of information covering Town Council appointed board and commission members and coordinates application and appointment procedures, marketing vacancies; tracks board and commission member attendance and provides administrative support as assigned and as needed.
• Holds and maintains the seal of the Town of Fairview and affixes the seal to all appropriate documents and authenticates by signature; files records with Federal, State and County governments as needed; and administers oaths required by law.
• Administers the issuance of all alcoholic beverage permits.
• Researches and reviews ordinances and statutes; responds to inquiries from staff and citizens; and interacts with elected and appointed officials and Town staff.
• Receives all Town-related suits and claims.
• Assists the public with questions requiring knowledge of policies and procedures and various community and Town activities and confers with citizens on problems and assists and/or directs them for resolution.
• Stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of records management and manages records retention for all departments as assigned, manages all public information requests, and maintains and manages the Town's permanent and official records.
• Administers Laserfiche software for record management, workflow automation and creation and utilization of web forms; and writes policies and trains employees on use of software.
• Monitors changes in laws, regulations and technology that may affect departmental operations; and implements policy and procedural changes as required.
• Maintains absolute confidentiality of work-related issues and Town of Fairview information.
• Performs research work; administers third-party software for collecting, monitoring and reporting data and status updates for Town projects and initiatives; prepares statistical and narrative reports as assigned; and writes policies and trains employees on use of software.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Training and Experience Guidelines: Bachelor's degree in public administration or a related field; AND three (3) or more years of related experience, previous experience as a Town Secretary or Deputy Town Secretary preferred; OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Experience with Laserfiche, CivicPlus, ClearPoint Strategy, and Microsoft products preferred.

License and Certification Requirements:

• Possession of a valid Texas Department of Public Safety Driver's License is required.
• Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification preferred pre-hire or ability to obtain certification within a three (3) year period following date of hire.
• Possession of a valid Notary Public Commission, or obtained within three (3) months of hire.

Required Knowledge of:

• Industry standard journalistic styles and graphic design to prepare varied communication materials that are relevant, accurate, and comprehensive.
• Channels for communication including but not limited to social networking sites and news media.
• Project coordination related to how to develop, plan, organize, implement, and monitor projects to completion.
• Principles and practices of management, organization and administration.
• Town organization, operations, policies and procedures.
• State regulations governing Texas Open Meeting and Records Act.
• Methods, procedures, and standards for maintaining municipal, council and commission and board records.
• Principles and practices of municipal records retention.
• State of Texas and Town of Fairview election standards.
• General office practices, equipment, and computer operations to include Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Required Skill in:

• Establishing and maintaining working relationships and interacting effectively with: news media; general public; local business community; government entities; political subdivisions; elected officials; appointed committee/board/commission members; Town employees; and public interest groups.
• Advanced reading comprehension and analytical skills.
• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills including proofreading for accuracy and editing.
• Meeting deadlines and performing tasks efficiently; developing and completing assignments with minimal information; and working cooperatively with other employees.
• Project management skills necessary to effectively track progress of multiple initiatives and goals.
• Overseeing and coordinating Town Council elections.
• Assuring compliance with regulations governing request for public information.
• Taking, maintenance and distribution of official meeting minutes.
• Operating a personal computer using standard office software including graphics programs, website content management, photography, and electronic mail.

Supplemental Information

Work is primarily performed indoors in an office setting. Work is sedentary requiring the ability to remain in a stationary position most of the time. Ability to operate a computer and other office productivity machinery is required. Repetitive finger movement, repetitive twisting or pressure involving wrists or hands are required. Frequently communicates with internal and external groups and/or individuals and must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations. Must be available to work evenings and weekends as necessary. Occasionally moves about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.

Fairview benefits include employer-paid health, dental, and vision. LTD and life insurance; employee TMRS contribution of 7% with a 2:1 employer match; TMRS COLA at 50%; paid time off and holidays. The Town also participates in Social Security.