Council approves job-description updates and internal posting for deputy clerk amid debate over timing

The Little Falls City Council approved updates to the job descriptions for the city clerk and deputy clerk following the retirement notice of long-time City Clerk Wendy Zilka and the appointment of Christine to the clerk role.

Annie (staff) explained that the deputy-clerk position is pivotal during election years and for legal/data-practice obligations and that the proposed posting would be internal for five days before going external if there are no internal applicants. "With the election starting this year...it is a very time-consuming process," Annie said, urging support for filling the deputy-clerk role to maintain service levels.

One council member asked whether the city should delay replacing the deputy clerk and promote from within later, noting the previous deputy clerk had been trained up from an administrative-assistant role. That council member said postponement could save immediate cost. Opponents argued that not filling the position would shift workload and overtime onto other staff and possibly cost the city more in the long run.

After discussion, the council approved posting the deputy-clerk vacancy internally and the job-description updates. The meeting record shows at least one council member recorded an opposing vote on final passage of the item.