Wasilla city clerk recognized by clerk's academy

Frontiersman staff

Wasilla's city clerk, Kristie L. Smithers, has been accepted into the second level membership of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks' (IIMC) Master Municipal Clerk Academy, according to a recent IIMC press release. Approximately 15 percent of the IIMC's 10,300 members have qualified for the academy status.

The Master Municipal Clerk Academy was established to further professional education of municipal clerks in order to meet the challenges of the office of municipal clerk. Academy members are required to obtain a specific number of points through completion of recognized institute or college courses, completion of seminars and workshops offered by other professional associations, attendance at meetings and conferences and receiving honors and awards for specific achievements.

"[Smithers] has demonstrated and obtained career development goals that will aid her in maintaining the quality of excellence that is required of today's public officials and administrators," IIMC President Ranette Larsen said.

Smithers has been employed with the city of Wasilla since December 1997. Her previous municipal service includes serving from 1984 to 1997 with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Smithers received her professional IIMC Certified Municipal Clerk's award in April 1994, and was accepted into the IIMC Master Municipal Clerk Academy program in January 1998. With her matriculation into the second membership level in the academy she joins one other active municipal clerk from Alaska who has achieved this designation.

To earn the designation, Smithers completed IIMC-approved academy programs and classes conducted by the University of Alaska Southeast, Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks, Washington Municipal Clerks Association, City Clerks Association of California, and seminars sponsored by the Alaska Municipal League, Association of Records Managers and Administrators and Fred Pryor seminars.

Smithers is a member and president of the Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks and Wasilla Rotary Club. She has been a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks since April 1988.

International Institute of Municipal Clerks is a professional association with more than 10,000 members throughout the United States, Canada and 15 other countries and was founded in 1947. The Master Municipal Clerk Academy has three continuing membership levels and members receive the designation of master municipal clerk upon completion of the third level.