The Municipal Clerk holds one of the most important and exacting positions in municipal government. So important, in fact, that in New Jersey the position is a statutory one; Municipal Clerks may attain tenure in office and must achieve certification through education and testing.

So diverse is the role of the Municipal Clerk, encompassing a myriad of state statutes and serving all levels of government, that legislation was enacted in 1991 specifically designed to define the "Core" duties of this statutory office. These "Core" duties are as follows:

Secretary to The Municipal Corporation

• Custodian of the municipal seal
• Maintain custody of all minutes, books, deeds, bonds, contracts and archival records of the municipal corporation
• Attest to the signatures of municipal officers and officials
• Maintain receipt of service of legal documents

Secretary to The Governing Body

• Prepare all meeting agendas for the members of the Governing Body
• Make Governing Body members aware of Roberts Rules of Order for conducting meetings
• Be present at all meetings of the Governing Body
• Keep an official record of the proceedings of every meeting, retain the original copies of all minutes, ordinances and resolutions
• Process, record, file and, when necessary, advertise ordinances, resolutions and the municipal budget
• Administer and record oaths of office
• Maintain custody of all official records not specifically handled by other departments
• Act as liaison to the public and correspondent on behalf of the Governing Body

Chief Administrative Office of All Local Elections

• Certify vacancies at a local level
• Maintain receipt of nominating petitions and certification to the County Clerk of local candidates nominated by petition
• Exercise quasi-judicial authority in determining the validity of petitions
• Conduct the drawing for positions of candidates on the local ballot
• Furnish material for local election
• Suggest polling places
• Maintain receipt of election results
• Certify to the County Clerk persons elected to partisan county committee offices in each election district

Chief Registrar of Voters in the Municipality

New Jersey Division of Elections

Administrative Officer

• Acceptance of applications for licenses and permits and the issuance of licenses and permits, except where statute or municipal ordinance has delegated that responsibility to some other municipal office
• Issue assessment search certificates
• Conduct business with other municipal departments as directed by the Governing Body
• Serve as information officer to the public and the media
• Purchase equipment and supplies when required
• Maintain personnel records
• Certify to the municipality's Bond Counsel as to the proper advertising, filing of Supplemental Debt Statement and that no protests have been filed with the municipality as to the adoption of bond ordinances

Records Coordinator and Manager

• Responsible for implementing local archives and records retention programs as mandated

Other Duties

• That may be imposed by state statutes and regulations or municipal ordinances or regulations.