Duties of Certain Local Government Officials

A Clerk, Clerk and Recorder, or Finance Director handles the management of the funds for the local government entity. The form of local government determines how much work is placed on the clerk. This position has a lot of responsibility and duties. In some communities the financial accounting duties of the clerk have been given to a finance director.

Clerks handle all accounting of expenditures for local government. They are responsible for making sure local government officials follow the Local Government Budget Act, open meeting law, public participation laws, code of ethics, and public records management. They may also handle elections.

They often help set the agendas for council or commission meetings, may record the minutes, and help with other meeting materials such as compiling policies and setting a budget. 

If there is a city manager or county administrator, some of these duties are handled by that position. In most communities, the clerk handles the accounting and budget work which is where they most influence what happens with the library.