nccca news - City Clerks Association of California

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CITY CLERKS ASSOCIATION
A DIVISION OF
NCCCA NEWS
OCTOBER 2015
Past Chair’s Message
SPECIAL POINTS OF
INTEREST:
Karen Gonzales, CMC, Past Chair
 New CCAC Structure
Congratulations to our Incoming Board and thank you to our
outgoing Board members.
 Halloween Food Safety Tips
On September 25, 2015 in Los Altos Hills, we thanked our
2014/15 Northern Division Board members for their service
and commitment and welcomed and administered the Oath
of Office to our incoming 2015/16 Board. All past and current
Board members have committed personal time to
—> page 2
Chair’s Message
Deborah Padovan, CMC, Chair
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Upcoming Events
5
Scholarship Opportunities
5
Scholarship Recipients
5
Volunteer Opportunities
5
NCCCA Board Roster
6
NCCCA Meeting Highlights
6
Helpful Resources
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Have you ever said to yourself, “Why would someone choose
to do that job?” We all have very busy lives, so why
volunteer for a position that will clearly require a substantial
investment of your time. Maybe you see it as a challenge, or
a chance to explore new ideas, or an opportunity to improve
your leadership skills. Maybe you feel a need to give
something back to the profession or to provide you —> page 3
Claire Cooper In the Spotlight
Claire Cooper, City Clerk, City of Petaluma
One step into Petaluma City Clerk Claire Cooper’s office is all it takes to see
this is not a typical government office. Along with the expected computer,
file cabinets, and lots and lots of paper are dozens of retro wind-up robots
(she says she fell in love with robots as a child seeing “The Day the Earth
Stood Still”) as well as some of the colorful art quilts she makes.
—> page 4
Upcoming NCCCA Division Meeting in November
Join us for a meeting on Friday, November 6, 2015, in Morgan Hill, for a program on “Games You Might Have to Play: Risk and Threat Assessment at City
Hall.” Morgan Hill, incorporated in 1906, is located in southern Santa Clara
Valley, approximately 12 miles south of San Jose, 10 miles north of Gilroy,
and 15 miles inland from the Pacific Coast. The NCCCA is offering a $150
scholarships for transportation and lodging. See page 4 for details.
NCCCA NEWS  OCTOBER 2015
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Past...
ensuring that our membership has continued to have
access to scholarships, outstanding educational opportunities and great networking with all our fellow
clerks, and I want to extend my appreciation to all
the current and past Board members for their commitment to serve this great organization.
To reflect on our great trainings this past year, in
November in the City of Santa Clara, we received
training on Building Public Trust and Confidence
through Transparency and Ethics from Randy Riddle,
Public Law Group and our own Rod Diridon, Jr., City
Clerk, City of Santa Clara. In January in the City of
Piedmont, we received training on Public Meeting
Law (the Brown Act) and Public Records Act from
Gage Dungy, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore. In March in
the City of Santa Rosa, our training was on Decision
Making and Strategic Thinking from Jennifer Phillips,
City Manager, City of St. Helena; and in June in the
City of Auburn, our training was on Mindful Leadership from Scott Winter, The Academy of Brain-based
Leadership. Thank you to all our host cities and all
of our great sponsors.
to seeing everyone at our division meetings this
coming year. Be sure to take the opportunity to apply for the various scholarships that have been set
aside and participate in as many division meetings
and conferences that you can. I have truly enjoyed
serving as the Northern Division Board Chair this
past year and have appreciated the confidence in
our membership for me to serve on the Executive
Board of the Northern Division for the past seven
years.
I wish everyone a safe, fun and exciting Holiday Season!
Karen
END
As we look forward to our last year as the “Northern
Division” of the City Clerk’s Association of California, I am excited to see what upcoming trainings
and educational opportunities will be provided to
our extraordinary membership and look forward
NCCCA NEWS  OCTOBER 2015
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Chair’s...
with a sense of accomplishment in your career.
Maybe it is all of the above.
In July 2011, I became the City Clerk of Los Altos
Hills. Although I had previously served as a deputy
city clerk for six years with the City of Petaluma,
the move to Silicon Valley required a physical move
away from my family, friends and my comfortable
home in Sonoma County. A few weeks into the job, I
questioned my decision as I was finding the
transition very challenging. In September 2011, I
attended the NCCCA meeting in Gilroy where a new
board was sworn in. I watched the incoming chair
step smoothly into this volunteer leadership position
and thought to myself, I could never do that. Fast
forward four years, and now I am that person, the
chair of the board, a job I said I could never do.
I share that story, because I suspect others may have
felt similarly.
Sometimes it just takes
encouragement from a fellow clerk and a little dose
of confidence. One definition of volunteerism is:
the policy or practice of volunteering one's time or
talents for charitable, educational, or other
worthwhile activities, especially in one's community
(Dictionary.com). We have all volunteered in some
manner during our lives. Perhaps you would consider
volunteering for a committee or an assignment that
offers a challenge?
In addition, a large number of scholarships are being
offered to the Northern Division. We have a superb
Scholarship Committee diligently working on
awarding scholarships. Please be sure to review the
scholarship schedule in this newsletter and submit
your application for consideration.
In conclusion, I want to personally thank Immediate
Past Chair Karen Gonzales for her guidance and
assistance during our transition meeting and for all
of her hard work and dedication this past year.
Lastly, I would like to thank the 2015-16 executive
board members for all of their support and
commitment to the organization. It is truly a
pleasure to work with such positive, supportive
individuals.
END
Visit http://www.californiacityclerks.org/
proposal-on-the-structure-of-ccac to
obtain more information on the new
CCAC structure and to view the cities
in each of the 16 regions.
In September, the membership of CCAC voted to
approve the bylaw amendment and transition the
organization into regions. This action has resulted in
the creation of Region Director positions. A map
showing each of the regions can be found here:
http://www.californiacityclerks.org/proposal-on-the
-structure-of-ccac.
Elections for the positions are scheduled for
September 2016, so start campaigning now! If you
have any questions or need assistance, please don’t
hesitate to contact us (see roster on page 6).
This upcoming year, there will be a number of
educational opportunities with four division
meetings; November in Morgan Hill, January in
Brentwood, March in St. Helena, and a June meeting
in South Lake Tahoe (check the dates on page 5). As
was reported at the September division meeting, all
meetings are being offered free of charge this year.
NCCCA NEWS  OCTOBER 2015
New CCAC Structure
(25-Member Board)
 President (to be alternated annually
between the Southern and Northern
Areas)
 First Vice President
 Second Vice President
 Past President
 Treasurer
 Communications Director
 Professional Development Director
 Legislative Director
 Recording Secretary
 16 Region Directors (one from each
region)
The Northern Area consists of the
following counties:
Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte,
Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa,
Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno,
Glenn, Humbolt, Inyo, Kings,
Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mariposa,
Mendocino, Merced, Modoc,
Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada,
Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San
Benito, San Francisco, San
Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara,
Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus,
Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare,
Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba
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Claire Cooper...
Claire came to Petaluma in 1999 as temporary secretary working for the Chief of Police. She moved
over to the City Clerk’s Office a few months later,
first as the administrative secretary, was promoted
to Deputy City Clerk in 2002, and has been City
Clerk since 2005. Claire earned her CMC designation
in 2004.
formation, both for staff and the public, and pursuing funding for the proper preservation of the city’s
history. Her every day goal, though, is to make coming to the City Clerk’s Office a positive experience
for everyone who visits.
Claire has been married to Dave, a structural engineer, private pilot, and competitive West Coast
Swing dancer, for 33 years and they have two grown
sons. In her free time, Claire can be found in her
sewing room, surrounded by her 18 sewing machines
(15 are antiques, most in perfect running order), and
5 cats.
END
Claire’s interest in history and genealogy, she says,
meant the job of City Clerk was ideal. Genealogy
requires the same meticulous attention to detail
and research skills required of a successful City
Clerk. Her role as City Clerk includes maintaining
the legislative history of the city and preserving
historical documents. These documents tell the stories of those who made the city what it is today.
Moving forward, Claire’s goals include leveraging
technology for easier, more efficient access to in-
Halloween Food Safety Tips
To make sure treats are safe for children, follow these simple steps:




Snacking: Children shouldn’t snack on treats from their goody bags while
they’re out trick-or-treating. Give them a light meal or snack before they
head out – don’t send them out on an empty stomach. Urge them to wait until
they get home and let you inspect their loot before they eat any of it.
Safe treats: Tell children not to accept – and especially not to eat – anything
that isn’t commercially wrapped. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for
signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.
Food Allergies: If your child has a food allergy, check the label to ensure the allergen isn’t present. Do
not allow the child to eat any home-baked goods he or she may have received.
Choking hazards: If you have very young children, be sure to remove any choking hazards such as gum,
peanuts, hard candies, or small toys.
More information is available from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at http://www.fda.gov.
NCCCA NEWS  OCTOBER 2015
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Upcoming Meetings and Events
November 6, 2015
NCCCA Division Meeting*
Location: Morgan Hill
November 14, 2015
Athenian Dialogue on Lord of the Flies
Location: Monterey
December 2-4, 2015
New Law & Elections Seminar
Location: La Jolla
January 29, 2016
NCCCA Division Meeting*
Location: Brentwood
February 4-5, 2016
Nuts & Bolts Workshop
Location: Rancho Cordova
February 17-19, 2016
Master Municipal Clerk Academy (MMCA)
Location: San Jose
March 15-18, 2016
Technical Track for Clerks (TTC) Series 100
Location: Riverside
March 25, 2016
NCCCA Division Meeting*
Location: St. Helena
April 25, 2016
CCAC One-Day Academy
April 26-29, 2016
CCAC Annual Conference
Location: Newport Beach
*All NCCCA Division Meetings are now FREE.
Simply register and attend at no charge.
Hope to see you there!
For details and registration information,
visit the Education & Events page of the
CCAC website at
www.californiacityclerks.org.
NCCCA NEWS  OCTOBER 2015
No Training Money?
Apply for a Scholarship
Both the CCAC and the
NCCCA offer scholarships to
various meetings and events throughout the year.
Be sure to check out the Scholarship page for scholarship opportunities and applications.
NCCCA Scholarship Opportunities
 January Division Meeting in Brentwood
One $150 scholarship
Accepting applications thru December 14, 2015
 February Nuts & Bolts in Rancho Cordova
Two $400 scholarships
Accepting applications thru December 14, 2015
 February MMCA in San Jose
Three $650 scholarships
Applications from CCAC for division scholarships
Contact Scholarship Chair Trish Paetz
deputycityclerk@san-juan-bautista.ca.us for
application or more information.
at
an
Scholarship Recipients
The NCCCA Scholarship Committee
recently made the following awards:
 Two $150 scholarships for Division Meetings
Sharon Petrehn, Union City (September in Los
Altos Hills)
Lorraine Cassidy, Colfax (November in Morgan
Hill)
 Two $150 scholarships for Athenian Dialogues
Jennifer Gau, Woodside (October in Calistoga)
Christine Black, Hollister (November in Monterey)
 Three $650 scholarships for October MMCA in
Pomona
Tom Graves, Hollister
Marsha Moore, Concord
Mary Gourley, Sebastopol
Volunteer Opportunities
If you are interested in volunteering at the
division level or in serving on a committee,
contact Chair Deborah Padovan.
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NCCCA Board 2015-2016
Chairperson
Deborah Padovan, CMC
NCCCA Division Meeting Highlights
Town of Los Altos Hills
(650) 947-2513 ● dpadovan@losaltoshills.ca.gov
Vice-Chairperson / Legislation
Joelle Fockler, CMC
City of Concord
(925) 671-3390 ● joelle.fockler@cityofconcord.org
Program Chair, Interim
Maria Soria
September 25, 2015, in Los Altos Hills
Division Business Meeting

Chair Karen Gonzales recognized the 2014-2015
Committee members and Executive Board
members for their services.

The incoming 2015-2016 Executive Board members were sworn in.

The 2015-2016 budget was approved, including
all Division Meetings offered free of charge,
increases to scholarships, and funding for paid
speakers at Division Meetings.
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
(650) 691-1200 ● msoria@openspace.org
Treasurer
Lisa Natusch, CMC
City of Sunnyvale
(408) 730-7595 ● lnatusch@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Recording Secretary
Sarah Bunting
City of Livermore
(925) 960-4212 ● skbunting@cityoflivermore.net
Communications Chair
Jennifer Woodworth, CMC
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
(650) 691-1200 ● jwoodworth@openspace.org
Newsletter Editor
Vivian Chiu, MMC
Training Program
“Effective Relationships with the Media”

Drawing from her background as a writer, reporter, and media production company owner,
Barbara Daly of More Than Talk shared a wealth
of information regarding effective media and
communication strategies.

Participants learned how to identify newsworthy stories in their communities; how to build
working relationships with reporters; strategies
for improving social media communications;
and more!
City of San Leandro
(510) 577-3366 ● vchiu@sanleandro.org
Trustees
Mary Gourley, CMC
City of Sebastopol
(707) 823-1153 ● mgourley@cityofsebastopol.org
Michelle Wilson, CMC
City of Morgan Hill
(408) 310-4678 ● michellewilson@morganhill.ca.gov
Amy Lind, CMC
City of Auburn
(530) 823-4211 Ext 112 ● alind@auburn.ca.gov
Past Chair
Karen Gonzales, CMC
City of Pleasanton
(925) 931-5027 ● kgonzales@cityofpleasantonca.gov
NCCCA NEWS  OCTOBER 2015
Ideas for Future Meetings
Contact Interim Program Chair
Maria Soria if you have a program
idea, if you can host a meeting, or
if you can refer a sponsor.
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Helpful Resources
The CCAC website at www.californiacityclerks.org has a list of links to assist you in your job. While you are
there, remember to check out the Northern Division page for the NCCCA’s newsletters, agendas, and
minutes.
City Clerk Listserv
Are you subscribed to the City Clerk Listserv maintained by the League of California Cities? The Listserv provides a means for City Clerks to communicate and share information. You may subscribe/unsubscribe to the
Listserv at http://lists.cacities.org/mailman/listinfo/city_clerks.
Recent Listserv Sample
On October 14, 2015, CCAC Legislative Director Randi Johl provided a list of bills that passed during the 2015
legislative session that may affect the City Clerk operations. She also provided a summary of each bill. Here
are three examples:

AB 169 (Maienschein) - This bill requires that a local agency that maintains a website, and identifies posted information on that website as "open data", to meet specified requirements for that information, including but not limited to, that the information can be retrieved, downloaded, indexed, and searched by
a commonly used Internet search application.

AB 277 (Hernandez) - The state courts have determined that the provisions of the CVRA apply to a charter city. This bill amends the CVRA's definition of "political subdivision" to expressly include a charter
city, charter county, or charter city and county. The bill codifies the Palmdale decision.

AB 809 (Obernolte) - This bill requires that if an ordinance proposes to impose a tax or raise the rate of a
tax to be levied, the ballot include in the statement of the ordinance the amount of money to be raised
annually and the rate and duration of the tax to be levied.
She noted that the summary is not a complete and thorough representation of what the legislation may require. A full text of each bill and related analysis can be found at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/
billSearchClient.xhtml.
CMC/MMC Certification
To obtain the Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) or the Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) designation, you must be a
member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). Visit http://www.iimc.com/ for more information. If you need a mentor, contact Mentoring Program Chair Vicki Kasad at vkasad@ci.ontario.ca.us.
Stay Connected! Like Us on Facebook!
Like the NCCCA page on Facebook to get the latest scholarship information, event information, networking
opportunities, and beyond. Take a look at https://www.facebook.com/NCCCA.
Comments or Suggestions?
Is there something you would like to see or share in an upcoming newsletter? Would you
like to submit an article for publication?
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments and suggestions to Newsletter
Editor Vivian Chiu at vchiu@sanleandro.org.
NCCCA NEWS  OCTOBER 2015
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