Last Week Was Municipal Clerks Week in Westwood

Last week was a busy one at Westwood Town Hall, what with wrapping up the as well as finishing a two-week program with  

But last week was also an important week for Town Clerk Dottie Powers, who engaged in an annual week-long program known as Municipal Clerks Week.

The 42nd annual program runs the first week of May each year, and is organized through the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). 

"This is an organization that mentors clerks through education, professional support, updating on latest news pertaining to the clerks position, providing research and information to assist us in being proficient at our jobs, a resource center on the web, annual conferences for education and network opportunities with our peers throughout the United States," Powers said. 

IIMC initiated Municipal Clerks week in 1969. The event is endorsed by all of IIMC's 9,500 members throughout the United States and Canada, as well as 15 other countries.

The first week of May was officially declared as Municipal Clerks Week in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan in 1994 by President Bill Clinton.

Meanwhile, at its meeting on April 25, the Westwood Board of Selectmen signed a proclamation acknowledging the week would be taking place. 

The event itself features a series of activities aimed at increasing the public's awareness of municipal clerks and the services they pay to their communities. 

"The true worth of the municipal and deputy clerk is often not realized," IIMC President Sharon Cassler said in a statement. "But clerks perform some of the principal functions of the democratic process."

To learn more about what takes place during Municipal Clerks Week, click here.