July 4, 2026 marks something rare — not just a national holiday, but a genuine milestone. America turns 250. The fireworks are spectacular. The speeches are patriotic. The parades are joyful. But here's what most people celebrating this semiquincentennial won't stop to think about: self-governance doesn't happen at the parade. It happens in your office. [...]
June marks National Safety Month — and the start of hurricane season. That combination makes it the ideal time for municipal clerks to review, update, and practice their community's emergency plan. You may not have "emergency manager" in your job title. But when disaster strikes, you are often the person everyone turns to. This post [...]
After your governing body approves your community’s strategic plan, the next step is turning that direction into steady, day-to-day governance work. For clerks, managers, and staff, that means confirming the official record, clarifying responsibility for each priority, aligning goals with agendas and budgets, scheduling regular reviews, and documenting progress. The processes are already in place. [...]
Local government work leaves little room for guesswork. When a question comes in, the responsibility is not to respond quickly. It is to respond correctly. That does not require having every detail memorized. It requires knowing where the right answer lives, who holds it, and how to get there without creating risk. That skill shows [...]
Some days, the reasons are not obvious. You deal with deadlines that do not move, questions that arrive late, and frustration that is often aimed at the process rather than the people keeping it intact. You absorb stress that does not belong to you because someone has to. And still, there are reasons many people [...]
Can you believe it's nearly the end of the year already?! December can feel like a whirlwind, but it’s also the perfect time to pause, catch your breath, and get ready for the year ahead. A little prep work now means a smoother start for you, your boards, and your community in the new year. [...]
November offers valuable opportunities for municipal clerks to engage with their communities in meaningful and timely ways. While the cooler weather may prompt a shift indoors, there are plenty of creative outreach ideas that can inform residents and encourage active participation in local government affairs. Seasonal Themes to Leverage November’s mix of local and national [...]
OnBoardGOV’s Meeting Center keeps everything organized. Scheduling meetings, posting agendas, minutes, supporting documents, and even links to audio or video recordings is fast and simple. The public can access board info easily, and optional features let residents contact board members directly, encouraging participation without adding extra work for staff. With OnBoardGOV, budget season doesn’t have [...]
An out-of-office (OOO) responder is more than a courtesy—it’s an essential communication tool for municipal staff, ensuring continuity and professionalism within your local government. Whether you’re away for personal vacation, holidays, election-related duties, professional trainings, or FMLA leave, crafting a well-thought-out OOO message helps colleagues, constituents, and stakeholders know what to expect and who to [...]
At some point in a clerk's or manager's career, you're likely going to find yourself in a meeting where a disagreement builds to disruption and derails the meeting. Dealing with conflict within a city council meeting is never comfortable. When it falls on clerks and managers to be the “adult in the room,” it may [...]