Mississippi Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) Program
For forty (40) years, the Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) program for Municipal Clerks, Deputy Municipal Clerks, and Tax Collectors has offered these municipal officials an opportunity to achieve both state and national certification in their positions. The curriculum is presented over a three-year period with two (2), two and one-half day sessions each year (a session in the Spring and Fall). For convenience and accessibility, each of the two annual sessions is presented in three locations: north Mississippi (Oxford), central Mississippi (Pearl), and southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg). The certification program is designed to allow entry at any of the sessions during the year. This program is sponsored by the Center for Government & Community Development (GCD) and the Mississippi Municipal Clerks and Collectors Association (MMCCA). It is accredited by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC).
Certification through the program is limited to Municipal Clerks and Tax Collectors and their official Deputies. The IIMC Certification required membership in IIMC for two (2) years prior to receiving the designation. However, any municipal official is welcome (and encouraged) to attend sessions or individual courses on an interest basis.
This program is designed to give more professional expertise and status to the Municipal Clerk, Collector, and/or their Deputies in Mississippi. Standards for the achievement of certification have been designed by the Certification Standards Committee of the Mississippi Municipal Clerks and Collectors Association. This committee will review all Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) and Certified Deputy Municipal Clerk (CDMC) applications and recommend the granting of the CMC or CDMC professional designations. The Mississippi State University Extension Service developed and conducts the certification program which is the education portion of the total certification procedure.
The Basic Requirements for Certification are:
- You must be an appointed Clerk, Tax Collector, or Deputy Clerk at the time of enrollment into the program. A copy of the Board Minutes which verifies your appointment must be sent to the Certification Committee. If your official title is not city clerk, tax collector or deputy clerk, we will assume you that you are attending the seminars on interest basis and not working towards certification.
- You must be a member of the Municipal Clerks-Tax Collectors Association of Mississippi at the time of, or within six (6) months after enrollment in the certification program.
- You must successfully complete the 3-year CMC program to obtain the 60 required education points.
- For the MS Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation you must obtain 100 points (60 education points, 30 experience points and 10 points from either category) and attend three (3) business meetings of the Association.
- For the MS Certified Deputy Municipal Clerk (CDMC) designation you must obtain 85 points (60 education points, 15 experience points and 10 points from either category) and attend one (1) business meeting of the Association.
The MMCCA Business Meetings are held during the following conferences:
- March at the MMCCA Spring Conference
- June at the MS Municipal League Conference
- December at the Winter Certification Update
CMC Course Requirements
- Functions of Government
- Basic Fund Accounting
- Purchasing
- Bonds
- Personnel Management
- Budgeting and Fixed Assets
- Agendas & Meetings
- Municipal Law I
- Diversity in the Workplace
- Election Overview
- Computer Technology
- Parliamentary Procedure
- Principles of Public Administration
- Ethics of Openness in Government
- PERS
- Municipal Law II
- Liability in Government
- Emergency Management
- Leadership Development
- Grands & Grant Administration
- Risk Management
- Record Management
- Communications
- Community Development
- Financial Management
- Social Media in Local Government
- Tax 101 & Tax Levy
- Municipal Law III
- Privilege Licenses & Permits
- Enterprise Funds
Graduation
Upon completion of the CMC program a clerk may apply with MMCCA to obtain the appropriate designation. The graduation application can be found in your notebook and on the MMCCA website. Applications, including the graduation fee, are required to be received by the Certification Standards Committee by April 1st to be considered for graduation in June. Graduation will be held during the opening ceremony of the Mississippi Municipal League (MML) Conference in June.
Other Education Opportunities
A municipal clerk has many educational opportunities even if they are not working toward a designation.
Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) Courses
Master Academy Courses are offered each year and count towards your IIMC CMC and MMC designations. These courses are usually offered prior to the MML Annual Conference, prior to the MMCCA Winter Workshop and prior to the MMCA Committee Planning Session.
Winter Certification Update – Professional Development
The winter workshop that is offered by MSU and MMCCA is at the MMC level and consist of new or changing laws for Mississippi along with some type of management course. Every four years the Secretary of State’s Office conducts mandatory election training for municipal clerks.
MMCCA Annual Conference
MMCCA in conjunction with The University of Mississippi offers educational opportunities during the MMCCA Annual Conference. The conference is held in March and rotates congressional districts.
Mississippi Municipal League (MML) Conferences
MML offers educational sessions during the Mid-Winter Conference, Small Town Conference and Annual Conference. Attendance at these conferences counts as experience/professional development points for the Mississippi and IIMC designations.
IIMC - International Institute of Municipal Clerks
Full Members
Full Members are Municipal Clerks, City Secretaries, Recorders, Legislative Administrators and Directors of Corporate Services and/or an individual who serves a legislative government body (LGB) in an administrative capacity with management responsibilities and whose duties include four of the following:
- Custody of the official seal and execution of official documents
- Elections
- Financial Management
- General Management
- Human Resources Management
- Management of bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, ordinances or other legal instruments
- Meeting Administration
- Records Management
Additional Full Members
Additional Full Members are fully qualified members from the same organization. This would essentially be Deputy Clerks within the same city. A city must have one full member before they would be eligible to have additional full members.
Program Details & Designation Benefits
The Certified Municipal Clerk program is designed to enhance the job performance of the Clerk in small and large municipalities. To earn the CMC designation, a Municipal Clerk must attend extensive education programs. The CMC designation also requires pertinent experience in a municipality. The CMC program prepares the applicants to meet the challenges of the complex role of the Municipal Clerk by providing them with quality education in partnership with institutions of higher learning, as well as State / Provincial / National Associations. The CMC program has been assisting clerks to excel since 1970.
Designation Requirements
The following are the requirements for obtaining the CMC designation:
Perform the core duties of a municipal clerk by serving a Legislative Government Body (LGB) in an administrative capacity with management responsibilities, which would include four of the following. Deputy clerks must perform at least four of the eight core duties:
- Custody of the official seal and execution of official documents
- General Management
- Records Management
- Elections
- Meeting Administration
- Management of by-laws, Articles of Incorporation, ordinances or other legal instruments
- Human Resources Management
- Financial Management
CMC and MMC Designations
In order to obtain designations beyond your Mississippi Certified Municipal Clerk (Deputy) a clerk must be a member of the International Association of Municipal Clerks (IIMC).vIt is recommended that you join IIMC when you begin the Mississippi CMC program.
To join IIMC you will need to complete the application form that is available online at www.iimc.com.
Upon obtaining membership in IIMC you can begin working toward your IIMC Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation. You have to be a member of IIMC before you can actually obtain your CMC. All classes that you attend for your MS CMC will count toward the education points for your IIMC CMC.
- Apply for admission to the IIMC CMC – online application
- Work toward obtaining all points required – the MS CMC education will count toward your IIMC education requirements
- Be a member for at least 2 years
- Complete the CMC application when you have achieved the needed points.
To obtain your IIMC Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) Designation you must have already received your IIMC CMC. Any coursework or college credits you used for your CMC can’t be used for your MMC.
- Apply for admission to the IIMC MMC – online application
- Work toward obtaining all points required
- Complete the MMC application when you have achieved the needed points.
All of the guidelines for the IIMC CMC and MMC can be found on their website at www.iimc.com
