How long have you been a FCCMA member?
I have been a Student Member of FCCMA since March 2015.
Are you an ICMA member and if so, how long?
No.
Please describe your areas of formal/advanced education.
I am currently working on my Bachelors in Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University. I have also received my Certified Municipal Clerks designation, and I am working on my Masters Municipal Clerk Certification.
What got you interested in public service?
I have worked in Government for over 8 years and I find it very rewarding to be able to help out residents in the community.
What is your current occupation?
Assistant Deputy Village Clerk for the Village of Palm Springs.
Please give a brief job description.
I attend Code Enforcement Special Magistrate Hearings, and set up all of the documents and files needed for those hearings. I conduct lien searches on properties being sold in the Village. I help prepare agendas for the Council meetings, as well as process the items after they have been approved. I maintain the files of the Village in their proper places. I assist with archiving files properly.
Please describe your typical day.
I work on Code Enforcement cases that are going before the Special Magistrate, by preparing the files, scanning them into our software, and typing Orders for the Magistrate. I look into properties being sold, to make sure that there are no liens against the property. If there are liens, I give the requestor payoff amounts, so that they can come into compliance with the liens. I notarize documents from the residents, as well as documents within the Village. I maintain records that are being sent to be recorded at the Clerk of the Court. Also, I answer phones throughout the entire day.
What is your favorite part of the job?
I enjoy helping out the residents when they come in looking for some kind of help, whether it be a notarization, trying to close out a Code Case, or just pointing them in the right direction for issues that I cannot help them with.
What is your least favorite part of the job?
I would say that the least favorite part of my job is having to type minutes when I attend a meeting that require the minutes to be typed, such as the Planning and Zoning Board Meetings.
What is your most memorable experience on the job?
When I received my Certified Municipal Clerk Designation at a Council Meeting, I was praised by the Council, and many family and friends were in attendance.
What are hobbies/interests?
I love going to Disney and other theme parks with my daughters. I love dancing to Spanish music. I also volunteer a lot with different organizations, such as the Forgotten Soldiers Outreach Program.
If you could give one piece of advice to young people interested in a career in public service, what would it be?
Try to stay at a job long term, and invest in your future by getting college degrees and making sure you save money for retirement.
Who were your mentors and how have you passed this information down to other young public administrators?
A mentor of mine has been my past Village Manager, Karl Umberger. He encouraged me to keep striving to be the best that I can. He believed that I will make it to my ultimate goal of being a Municipal Manager. I would encourage other young public administrators to work hard towards their goal, giving them any kind of assistance possible.
Have you always been in the public sector or have you had experience in the private sector?
I have worked for different stores, including Tire Kingdom as a Tire Sales Manager, Wal-Mart as a cake decorator, and TJ Maxx as a sales associate.
What career would you pick if you were to pick another?
An option I would probably have looked into is to be a Dean or an Administrator at a College.
