Utah Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy
2009 Course Descriptions

This year's institute and academy will focus ways of doing less with more and helping you as a clerk make the most out of this difficult and challenging economy. There are several classes that cover this topic from different angles and we are sure you will find them to be informative and useful.

The book we have chosen this year is "Our Iceberg is Melting" by John Kotter. This book is based on his best-selling book "Leading Change".

Institute Classes

Welcome and Orientation (Tricia Jack and Annie O'Brien)

This session will provide an overview about what to expect at the conference, how the conference will run, and how the classes are scheduled. Participants will also be orientated to the layout of the facility and safety and health issues.

Learning to Learn/Knowledge Transfer Action Plan (KTAP) (Tricia Jack)

In order to get the most out of the learning experience, it is important to know how to learn. This session will help you to understand how you learn best, how to maximize your time here at the conference and how to create a development plan that will help you develop the skills you need to be better at your job, now and in the future. The KTAP discussion will also enlighten you about how to integrate your learning into action once you are back in the workplace.

Elections Panel (Lloyd Carr and others TBC)

This panel will explore some of the details you need to know about elections management in Utah, and will answer any questions you have on the process and correct and efficient management of it. It will cover changes to elections law made in the recent legislative session.

Media and Press Relations (Remi Barron)

Remi Barron is a former reporter and now works as Public Relations Specialist for the University of Utah. Remi will teach you what the media looks for and how to deal effectively with media representatives and reporters to present your city or town in the best light.

Being the Best Clerk You Can Be (Ken Embley)

Ken will explore some of the aspects of being an outstanding clerk, focusing on the things that make you stand out as "one of the best". This is an open forum session where participants will be encouraged to share their ideas.

Conflict Resolution (Elaine Gause)

This class will look at the causes of conflict in the workplace, how conflicts escalate and what you as a clerk can do to resolve them from your position. The conflicts will be considered at different levels such as between clerks, between clerks and supervisors and between clerks and elected officials, as well as between officials themselves. This class will be highly interactive and is taught as an experiential learning class.

Notary Law (Spencer Hadley)

This "nuts and bolts" notary law class will cover the requirements, powers and responsibilities of those with a notary designation, and will discuss the specific issues related to municipal clerks.

Orienting Newly Elected Officials (Rori Andreason and Gina Peterson)

As a clerk, you are often responsible for teaching newly elected officials the rules, procedures and expectations associated with their roles. This can be a hard role to play from the position of clerk, yet one that is important. This class will teach you what you need to know to "break in" new officials in the most effective and respectful way.

Ethics and Accountability (Peggy Acomb)

Ethics are an important part of public service yet there are many situations which can arise where ethics are questioned. This class will help you understand where ethics come from and what is expected of public servants.

Networking Session (Tricia Jack and Annie O'Brien)

This class will allow you the opportunity to meet clerks from different areas of the state as you consider some of the key issues and problems facing your municipality. You will be given the chance to discuss these issues and obtain feedback and ideas from other clerks on how these challenges might be addressed.

Managing Stress and Relaxation (Joy DelGuidice)

In these difficult times, when clerks are trying to balance tight budgets and do more with less, it is important to take care of yourself so that you can be effective. This class will talk about stress in the workplace and what causes it, as well as giving some basic guidance in relaxation.

Leading Up (Sandi Parkes)

As a clerk, you are working from a position of limited power. This class explores the parameters of your power and what you can do to utilize this effectively to create change and extend your influence with those in higher positions.

Technology in the Clerks Office: MS Word 2007 (Inita Lyon)

Learn how to work with MS Word 2007 in this technology class. Most clerks will find this beneficial as we work through some of the finer points of this new version of MS Word. Find more efficient and better ways of doing things in an interactive environment.

Doing More with Less: Budgeting in a Weak Economy (Instructor TBC)

In today's difficult economy, with slimmer budgets and huge cut-backs, we all have to do more with less. Find out some of the ways that cities are working with smaller budgets in this interactive class. Be prepared to share your ideas!

Community Power and Leadership (Mark Christenson, Donna Weaver and JoAnn Seghini; Moderator: Jennifer Robinson)

This panel, made up of elected officials, experienced clerks and city managers, will enlighten you about their experiences in leading in the community and where the power lies. Through short presentations and then open discussion, you will learn strategies to manage the "power" aspects of your job as a clerk.

Our Iceberg is Melting: Book Interactive Session (Tricia Jack and Annie O'Brien)

After reading the book, this class will help you to pull all of the concepts together. Here we will discuss the entire week of classes and apply Kotter's ideas into your real world of work. There is some preliminary work for this class that will be turned in at the end.

Academy Classes

Group Dynamics

Working as part of a group can be an interesting and challenging task. Dealing with different agendas, backgrounds and ideas can put strain on any team. This class will explore the issues that arise when working in a group and how clerks can best manage these issues effectively to get the job done.

Networking Session (Tricia Jack and Annie O'Brien) (Joint with Institute)

This class will allow you the opportunity to meet clerks from different areas of the state as you consider some of the key issues and problems facing your municipality. You will be given the chance to discuss these issues and obtain feedback and ideas from other clerks on how these challenges might be addressed.

Communicating with Citizens (Ken Foster)

In this class, taught by communications expert Ken Foster, you will learn the most effective and powerful ways to communicate with your citizens, no matter what size of city you work in.

Adaptive Leadership (Ken Embley)

This class explores the concept of the adaptive leader. Through discussion and interactive exercises, you will learn how to develop an ability to think and act politically and maintain constructive relationships during changing times.

Guiding Employees Through Troubled Times (David Patton)

In the current economic climate, most municipalities are facing budget cuts and tightening of resources. This session will provide an opportunity to learn about how to assist employees and colleagues facing uncertainty, and the best way to deal with this.

Technology in the Clerks Office: MS Word 2007

Learn how to work with MS Word 2007 in this technology class. Most clerks will find this beneficial as we work through some of the finer points of this new version of MS Word. Find more efficient and better ways of doing things in an interactive environment.

Community Power and Leadership (Mark Christenson, Donna Weaver, and others. Moderator: Jennifer Robinson)

This panel, made up of elected officials, experienced clerks and city managers, will enlighten you about their experiences in leading in the community and where the power lies. Through short presentations and then open discussion, you will learn strategies to manage the "power" aspects of your job as a clerk.

Our Iceberg is Melting: Book Interactive Session (Tricia Jack and Annie O'’Brien)

After reading the book, this class will help you to pull all of the concepts together. Here we will discuss the entire week of classes and apply Kotter's ideas into your real world of work. There is some preliminary work for this class that will be turned in at the end.