TMCCP Election Law Seminar

Transcription

1 TEXAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM 1155 UNION CIRCLE #305067, DENTON, TEXAS municlerks.unt.edu TMCCP Election Law Seminar Embassy Suites Hotel, Frisco, Texas January 21-23, 2015 ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Norma Aguilar-Grimaldo, TRMC the First Time Norma Aguilar-Grimaldo, TRMC, City Secretary, Odessa, rejoins the team of Election Law Seminar instructors this year. Norma has served as City Secretary of Odessa since She earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification in 2001 (No. 377), has recertified twice, and is currently working on her third recertification. Norma has a Bachelor of Business Administration. Norma is a longtime and active member of TMCA, and has served in all offices including that of president. Her TMCA committee service includes Policy Manual Review, Retirement, Resolutions, Membership, TML Representative, TML Budget, and Audit Committee, and TML 100 th Anniversary Planning Committee. She has served as a previous convener for the TMCCP Election Law Seminar. Norma is an active member of the TMCA West Texas Chapter, where she has held the offices of president and vice president. She has also served on the Bylaws and Education Committees of the West Texas Chapters. The chapter nominated her for the TMCA Municipal Clerk of the Year in 2009, 2012, and 2013; she was also a nominee in Norma is a past-secretary of Region IV of Texas Municipal League (2003 and 2010). She is a member of IIMC and obtained her CMC in Norma has co-authored chapters of the eighth, ninth, and tenth editions of the Texas Marie Balthrop, TRMC Early Voting for Early Voting Clerks Marie Balthrop, TRMC, City Secretary, Holliday, joins the team of Election Law instructors this year. Marie has served as City Secretary for the City of Holliday since She earned her TRMC Certification (no. 460) in 2005, recertification in 2010, and just completed her second recertification. Marie holds an associate s degree in Business, and has recently applied for her CMC designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Marie served as trustee on the TMCA Executive Board from and will serve as secretary in As an active member of TMCA, Marie has served on various committees: Retirement (2006), Scholarship (2007, 2009, 2010 chair), Nominating (2008), and Resolutions (2011 chair). Marie has previously served as a convener for the TMCCP Election Law Seminar. She is an active member of the TMCA Red River Chapter where she has served as president, secretary/treasurer, and on the Christmas Project Committee. Marie was honored as the Red River Chapter Clerk of the Year in 2012 and Marie also serves her community as a member of the Holliday Senior Citizens Board of Directors, and the Archer County Appraisal District Board. Marie coauthored the tenth edition of the Texas Betty Brown, TRMC November Elections Ms. Brown is a Local Government/Elections Specialist with Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta, L.L.P. She has over a decade of experience presenting at the TMCCP Election Law Seminar. Ms. Brown is responsible for functions that prepare cities and other governmental entities for elections, records management, policy development, office administrations, and training of personnel. She reviews processes and procedures to ensure compliance with local, state and federal law. Ms. Brown is responsible for all steps in conducting elections from planning through the canvass. She trains entity personnel to perform election duties or completes the duties herself. She works with entities to contract and accomplish joint elections with other subdivisions. On a temporary basis, Ms. Brown can perform the duties of a city secretary who is absent from the position. Melissa Brunner, TRMC Mail Ballots & FPCA Ballots Melissa Brunner, TRMC, City Secretary, Flatonia, joined the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors in Melissa has served as City Secretary since Melissa is an active and longtime member of TMCA. She has served on numerous committees for TMCA and currently serves on the Certification Committee. Melissa is also an active member of the Capital Chapter of Municipal Clerks and has served in all offices and numerous committees. She has been awarded the Capital Chapter s Clerk of the Year designation in 2007 and Melissa earned her TRMC in 2003 (No. 413), recertified in 2008 and 2013, and is enrolled in her third recertification. Melissa has also attained the Certified Municipal Clerk designation from IIMC. Melissa co-authored the tenth edition of the Texas Peggy Cimics, TRMC Recall Elections for Home Rule Cities, Referendum & Initiative Peggy Cimics, TRMC, City Secretary, Cibolo, joins the team of Election Law Seminar instructors this year. Peggy served 25 years in the Air Force. She started her career as an air

2 traffic control & warning operator; the last ten years she was a master military training instructor teaching basic training to students at Lackland Air Force Base. Retiring from the military in 1994, she spent 10 years working at a mediation and arbitration firm handling cases of maritime law, medical malpractice, and personal injury. In 2004 she became the administrative assistant to the city manager for the City of Cibolo. In 2005 she was appointed city secretary. Just a few weeks after being appointed city secretary she received seven separate petitions on the recall of the mayor, all five council members, and to place on the ballot a tax freeze for those over 65. Cibolo became the first city in Texas to have an entire recall of all members of the city council. In August/ September of 2013 she received ten petitions: eight petitions to recall the mayor and all seven council members and one pertaining to the sale of alcohol and one pertaining to the sale of firearms. Peggy earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerks Certification (No. 578) in 2010 and recertified in She is active in the Alamo Municipal Clerks Association Chapter and was the chapter s City Secretary of the Year for Peggy has served on TMCA s Municipal Clerk of the Year Committee in 2011 and the Retirement Committee in Patrice Fogarty, TRMC the First Time & Runoffs, Vacancies, & Recounts Patrice Fogarty, TRMC, City Secretary, La Porte, has taught at Election Law Seminars for TMCCP for over a decade, including five years of co-teaching the Step by Step: Process of an Election session. Patrice also serves as an instructor for the Annual Stepby-Step Election Law Workshop for the Houston-Galveston Area Council. Patrice earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerks Certification (No. 284) in 1997, and has recertified three times. She was awarded IIMC s Certified Municipal Clerk designation in 1997 and the Master Municipal Clerk designation in Patrice was the 2006 TMCA president. Her TMCA committee service includes the Nominating Committee (2013 chair), Administrative Management Committee (2008 chair), the Certification Committee ( , chair). Patrice was selected as TMCA s Texas Municipal Clerk of the Year in She has served as co-chair of the Technology Committee since 2000, which includes comoderating the TexasMunicipalClerks Yahoo Group, an list serve with membership of over 1,000 city officials across Texas. Patrice is a member of the TMCA Salt Grass Chapter. She served in all of the chapter s offices and committees prior to election as president for The Salt Grass Chapter honored Patrice with the Clerk of the Year Award in As a past member and officer of the Golden Triangle Chapter, Patrice was honored to receive their 1997 Municipal Clerk of the Year Award. Patrice co-authored the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth editions of the Texas LeAnn Gallman, TRMC Round Table for Attendees Holding Their First Election, Step By Step Session for Cities Who Hold Their Own Elections, Ordering an Election, Posting & Publishing Notices, Canceling Elections, & ISD Elections: What You Need to Know LeAnn Gallman, TRMC, City Secretary, Muleshoe, is a longtime member of the team of TMCCP Election Law Seminar instructors. She has also presented the Small City Potpourri session for Texas Municipal League. She has over three decades municipal experience, and has served as the City Secretary of the City of Muleshoe since LeAnn is a past president of TMCA, and has been an active and longtime member of the Association. She was selected as TMCA s 2014 Municipal Clerk of the Year. LeAnn is also active in the South Plains Chapter of TMCA, where she has served in all offices including president. The South Plains Chapter selected her as its Municipal Clerk of the Year in 2005 and LeAnn is a member of Texas Municipal League and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. She earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification in 2001 (No. 371) and has recertified twice. She earned IIMC s Master Municipal Clerk designation in LeAnn has co-authored the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth editions of the Texas Municipal Clerks Handbook. Shelley George, TRMC Round Table for Cities Holding Their First Election, Step by Step: Process of an Election, & Ordering an Election, Posting & Publishing Notices, Canceling Elections Shelley George, TRMC, City Secretary, Allen, rejoins the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors this year. She has over 18 years of municipal experience, and has served as the city secretary of the City of Allen since Shelley is an active member of TMCA, and currently serves as a trustee on the TMCA Executive Board. She has served on several TMCA committees: Resolutions, Technology ( ), Retirement, Certification ( , chair ), and Advisory Management ( ). She is also active in the Lone Star Chapter of TMCA, where she has served as secretary, historian, and has served on several committees. Shelley is a member of IIMC. She earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification in 2002 (No. 394) and has recertified twice. Shelley co-authored the ninth and tenth editions of the Texas Melba Haralson, TRMC Recruiting & Training Election Workers Melba Haralson, TRMC, spent the first 16 years of her career in the banking industry as a loan officer. Her financial background led her to an accounting position for the City of Gladewater in January Shortly thereafter she served as interim City Secretary and was officially appointed City Secretary in June She is also is the Finance Director and HR Director and served as the interim City Manager in Melba earned her TRMC certification in 2005, recertified in 2010, and will receive her second recertification in January She is an active and longtime member of TMCA, where she currenly serves as trustee on the TMCA Executive Board. Melba s TMCA committee service includes Scholarship, Membership, Audit (member and chair), and Certification. She is a co-author of the tenth edition of the Texas Melba is a member of the Northeast Texas Chapter of TMCA, where she served on various committees and held offices of Vice President ( ) and President ( ). She is a member of Texas Municipal Human Resources Association and Government Finance Officers Association of Texas. She was the Chapter Municipal Clerk of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014 and nominee for the TMCA Clerk of the Year in 2011, 2013, and page 2 -

3 Scott Houston TML Legislative Update on Elections Scott Houston is Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel for the Texas Municipal League and General Counsel for the Texas City Attorneys Association. He has served as an adjunct professor of political science at Texas State University s M.P.A. program, and his work on open meetings law has been published in the Texas Tech Administrative Law Journal. Scott has received the Texas Bar Government Lawyers Section Outstanding Government Lawyer of the Year Award, the American Bar Association s Up and Coming Young Lawyer Award, and the International Municipal Lawyers Association s State League Counsel of the Year Award. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in political science. After studying law in Austria and Argentina, he received his law degree from St. Mary s University School of Law in San Antonio. Esmeralda Hudson, TRMC Mail Ballots & FPCA Ballots Esmeralda Hudson, TRMC, Assistant City Secretary, Waco, joins the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors this year. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelors of Business Administration with a major in Management Information Systems in 1999 and earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerks Certification in 2011 (No. 615). Esmeralda has been the assistant city secretary of the City of Waco since She is a member of the Central Texas Chapter of the Texas Municipal Clerks Association. She is an active and longtime member of TMCA and most recently served on the Audit Committee and as an Election Law Seminar Convener. Esmeralda is also involved locally in the greater Waco community and currently serves on the Waco Foundation Steering Committee of Today s Action Tomorrow s Leaders and is a trained facilitator for LeadershipPlenty Institute, a nationally recognized program of Pew Partnership for Civic Change, Inc. Mary Kayser, TRMC Round Table for Attendees Contracting for the First Time, Candidate Packets, & Provisional Voting Mary Kayser, TRMC, City Secretary, Fort Worth, is a longtime member of the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors. She has also been a Texas Municipal League instructor for Newly Elected City Officials at the , 2012, 2013, and 2014 sessions. Mary has been city secretary of Fort Worth since January She previously served the City of Garland as city secretary from and served the City of Burleson as deputy city secretary from , and then as city secretary from She earned her TRMC Certification in 1999 (No. 325) and has recertified three times. Mary is active in TMCA and the North Texas Municipal Clerks Association Chapter (NT- MCA). She is a past president of TMCA, and has served in all of the TMCA offices. In the North Texas Chapter of TMCA, Mary has been president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Mary was honored as the NTMCA Clerk of the year in 2001, 2008, and Mary was selected as the TMCA Municipal Clerk of the Year in Mary is also active in IIMC, and has served as IIMC Region IV director. She is an IIMC Certified Municipal Clerk and Master Municipal Clerk. Mary has also served on several IIMC committees and has served as an IIMC convener. Mary co-authored the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth editions of the Texas Municipal Clerks Handbook. Bill Longley TML Legislative Update on Elections Bill Longley, TML Legal Counsel, graduated from the University of Richmond in 2004 with a degree in political science and sociology. In 2007, he received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. While in law school, Bill worked as a law clerk for TML and clerked at an insurance litigation law firm in Austin. Prior to joining TML as legal counsel, Bill served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Open Records Division of the Office of Attorney General. Sherry Mashburn, TRMC Round Table for Attendees Holding Their First Election, Step by Step: Process of an Election, & Recall Elections for Home Rule Cities, Referendum & Initiative Sherry Mashburn, TRMC, City Secretary, College Station, has taught at Election Law Seminars for TMCCP for over a decade, including co-teaching the Step-by-Step: Process of an Election session since She has been a presenter on Parliamentary Procedure for TML Newly Elected Officials in 2006, 2007, and ; served as a panelist at the Secretary of State 18 th Annual Election Law Seminar; and co-presented at the IIMC conference in St. Paul for Municipal Clerks 101: The Basics for New Municipal Clerks. Sherry currently serves as the City Secretary of College Station. Her previous years of municipal experience have been with the City of San Marcos, the Village of Bee Cave, and the City of Katy. Sherry received the Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification (No. 401) in 2002, and recertified in 2007 and She has been a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) since She attained her designation as Certified Municipal Clerk from IIMC in 2003 and received the MMC designation in Sherry is an active and longtime member of TMCA, and currently serves as president of the organization. Sherry has served on the TMCA Certification, Audit, and Open Records Steering Committees; she chaired the Nominating Committee; and served as the association s TML representative from Sherry was honored as the TMCA Municipal Clerk of the Year in She is a member of the Capital Chapter of TMCA, where she has held all offices including that of president. She has served on the chapter s Nominating, Clerk of the Year, and Salado Conference Committees. In 2004 she was elected Capital Chapter Clerk of the Year. Sherry is also active in the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, where she has served on the following committees: Public Relations and Marketing; Mentoring; Research and Resources; Education and Professional Development, and the Hospitality Committee for the 2002 Conference. Sherry is also a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians. Sherry co-authored the eighth, ninth, and tenth editions of the Texas Municipal Clerks Handbook. She also co-authored an article titled Mentoring for the IIMC News Digest. Ashley Mitchell, TRMC Local Option Petitions & Elections Ashley Mitchell, Administrative Services Director, Carrollton, joined the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors in She has a degree in Business from Dallas Baptist University. Ashley holds the Texas Registered Municipal Clerk designation (No. 474) and has recertified twice. She is also an IIMC Certified Municipal Clerk. - page 3 -

4 Ashley began her municipal career as a clerical secretary in the City Secretary s Office for the City of McKinney in 1997; in December 1999 she began serving the City of Princeton as City Secretary; and in 2001 she served as City Secretary for the City of Lancaster. Ms. Mitchell began her employment with the City of Carrollton in July 2003 as City Secretary and was promoted to Administrative Services Director in Ashley is co-author of the tenth edition of the Texas Aimee Nemer, TRMC the First Time & Joint Elections Aimee Nemer, TRMC, City Secretary, Richardson, rejoins the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors this year. She has 16 years of municipal experience in the city secretary s office, working for the cities of Wylie, Murphy, and her current position in Richardson. Aimee served as a panelist for Communications for Small Cities at the 2011 TAMIO Conference. In 2012 Aimee assisted with compilation of the TMCCP Step by Step: Process of an Election handbook. She has also volunteered her service as a convener at TMCCP and IIMC seminars. Aimee is a longtime and active member of TMCA. She currently serves as a trustee on the TMCA Executive Board and has served extensively on TMCA committees, including service on the Certification Committee. Aimee earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerks certification (No. 475) in 2005 and has recertified twice. Aimee is also an active member of IIMC and achieved her Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) designation in She is currently serving on the Records Management Committee and has previously served as a member, vice chair (2009) and chair (2010) of the Public Relations and Marketing Committee. Aimee is an active member of both the TMCA Lone Star Chapter (where she has served as president and secretary) and the North Texas Municipal Clerks Association Chapter (where she has served on several committees). Aimee was awarded Lone Star Chapter Clerk of the Year and was a TMCA Municipal Clerk of the Year nominee in She was recognized for her work with the City of Wylie Reach for a Star program in the Dallas Morning News Community Profile in April 2004, and as KRLD-AM 1080 Citizen of the Week in December Aimee co-authored the ninth and tenth editions of the Texas Municipal Clerks Handbook. Jenny Page, TRMC Local Option Petitions & Elections Jenny Page, TRMC, City Secretary, Frisco, joins the team of Election Law Seminar instructors this year. Jenny has served as City Secretary for the City of Frisco since 2009, and previously, the City of Dayton from Her municipal experience spans over eighteen years in various capacities, including the cities of Jasper, College Station, and Woodville. Previous to becoming a municipal public servant, Jenny served as Tyler County Deputy District Clerk and owned her own business. Jenny earned her TRMC in 2009 (No. 563), recertified in 2014, and is currently working toward her second recertification. Jenny is a longtime member of TMCA and has served on the TMCA Municipal Clerk of the Year Committee for two years (2012, 2014). She has been a previous member of the TMCA Salt Grass Chapter ( ) and is a current member of the TMCA Lone Star Chapter; Jenny currently serves on the Lone Star Chapter s Board of Directors as president elect ( ). She has served as the chapter s secretary (2014), Nominating Committee member (2012) and chair (2014), Holiday Committee member (2013) and chair (2014), and By-Law Committee (2015). Jenny has also been a member of International Institute of Municipal Clerks since Irma Parker, TRMC Recruiting & Training Election Workers Irma Parker, TRMC, City Secretary, Port Aransas, rejoins the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors this year. Irma has previously served as the City Secretary for the City of Rockport from 1998 to Irma earned her TRMC Certification in 2008 (No. 536), recertified in 2013, and is currently enrolled in her second recertification. Irma is active in TMCA, where she has served on the Membership, Resolution, Scholarship, and Nominating Committees. She has also convened at TMCCP Election Law Seminars. Irma is active in the Coastal Bend Chapter of TMCA, and has served as president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Her chapter committee service includes Membership, Athenian Dialogue Seminar Planning, Scholarship, Nominating, and Audit. She has been selected as the Coastal Bend Chapter s Clerk of the Year and nominee for the TMCA Texas Municipal Clerk of the Year. A member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, Irma received her Certified Municipal Clerk designation and is actively pursuing her Master Municipal Clerk and IIMC Athenian Fellow certifications. As a member of IIMC, she served on the successful election campaign of IIMC President Mary Lynne Stratta, TRMC, city secretary, Bryan. Irma is an active member of Region 11 of the Texas Municipal League, and served as 2014 Region Secretary (the fourth time serving in this position). In addition, she was selected as a member of the TML 100th Birthday Committee. Irma has been a member of Association of Record Managers and Administrators and various community organizations including the Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of Leadership Aransas County Class VIII and was selected Bay Blazer of the Year in Crystal Roan, TRMC Unofficial Tabulation, Document Preparation for Canvass, Swearing In, Reporting to SOS, Election Register Crystal Roan, TRMC, Deputy City Secretary, Webster, joins the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors this year. She has over 20 years of municipal experience, working for the City of La Porte and her current position in Webster for 7 years. Crystal also serves as an instructor for the Annual Step-by-Step Election Law Workshop for the Houston- Galveston Area Council. Crystal earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification (No. 628) in She also achieved the Certified Municipal Clerk certification through IIMC in September She is actively pursuing her Master Municipal Clerk and IIMC Athenian Fellow certifications. Her TMCA committee service includes Resolutions Committee, Scholarship Committee, and the TML Booth Committee. She is a member of the Salt Grass Chapter and has served in all of the chapter s offices and - page 4 -

5 committees prior to election as president for She has previously volunteered as a TMCCP Election Law Seminar convener. Cheryl Salgado, TRMC Candidate Packets Cheryl Salgado, TRMC, City Secretary/Assistant City Manager, Spearman, rejoins the team of TMCCP Election Law Seminar instructors this year. She has served as the City Secretary of Spearman since 1986, and was appointed the Assistant City Manager in She earned her TRMC Certification in 2000 (No. 345) and has recertified three times. Cheryl is active in TMCA, and currently serves as president elect on the TMCA Executive Board. She has served on several TMCA committees: Audit (2004, 2008, chair 2010), Municipal Clerk of the Year (chair 2006), and Resolutions (2002, chair 2005). Cheryl has served as treasurer and vice president on the TMCA Executive Board and served three years as a trustee. Cheryl is also active in the Panhandle Chapter of TMCA, where she has served on all offices and the Nominating and Membership Committees. In 2008, 2011, and 2012, she was nominated by her chapter for TMCA Municipal Clerk of the Year. Cheryl has previously volunteered as a TMCCP Election Law Seminar convener. She is active in IIMC, where she has served on the 2002 Annual Conference Committee and the Hospitality Committee; she currently serves on the Membership Committee. Cheryl holds IIMC s Certified Municipal Clerk designation. Cheryl co-authored the tenth edition of the Texas Andrea Slater Gulley ISD Elections: What You Need to Know Andrea Slater Gulley is a shareholder in the Underwood Law Firm s Amarillo office. Her practice includes education law, special education law, employment law, election law, and local government entity law. Andrea earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in While at OU, she worked at the State of Oklahoma s Office of Special Education Due Process, where she recruited, researched for, and trained with Oklahoma hearing and appeal officers. Andrea has been recognized as a Texas Rising Star every year from 2007 to She is the Underwood Law Firm s Employment Law Section Leader, overseeing the firm s annual Employment Law Seminars, and serves on the firm s Practice Management Committee. She is a 2012 graduate of Leadership Texas; a director for the Amarillo Bar Association; a committee member for the University of Texas CLE Education Law Section; and previously she served as the president, vice president, and secretary of the Amarillo Education Foundation, and served as a United Way Loaned Executive. Andrea is a frequent presenter on education and employment matters, training supervisors, administrators, and school trustees on a variety of school and employment law matters; she also frequently presents at state special education conferences. She routinely advises districts on general education matters, including school-specific employment matters, procurement issues, student issues, and contract negotiations. She also advises special education directors and other administrators on IDEA compliance, represents districts in due process hearings and TEA special education complaints, and provides in-house training on special education legal matters and best practices. Andrea also routinely advises districts on Section 504 compliance, and is the lead author of the Underwood Law Firm s Section 504 Toolkit. Pauline Small, TRMC Runoffs, Vacancies, & Recounts Pauline Small, TRMC, City Secretary, Webster, has been part of the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors for over a decade. She has also been an instructor for Houston-Galveston Area Council for the last eight years for Step by Step Elections. Pauline co-authored the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth editions of the Texas Pauline has over thirty years of experience in municipal service. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Houston. Pauline earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerks Certification in 1997 (No. 297) and recertified in 2002, 2007, and IIMC has awarded her its Master Municipal Clerk designation; she is also an IIMC Athenian Leadership Society Fellow. Pauline is an active and longtime member of TMCA. She was selected the TMCA Municipal Clerk of the Year in She was a trustee on the executive board for eleven years. Her TMCA committee service includes: Audit, Membership, Retirement, Nominating (chair), and Certification. She is also active in the Salt Grass Chapter of TMCA, where she has held all offices including that of president. The Salt Grass Chapter selected her as its Municipal Clerk of the Year in Pauline is also active in TML and IIMC. She has served on a Texas House Elections Committee and has been a member of a Texas Legislature working group on HAVA Implementation. Doris Speer, TRMC Unofficial Tabulation, Document Preparation for Canvass, Swearing In, Reporting to SOS, Election Register Doris Speer, TRMC, City Secretary, City of Tomball, joins the team of TMCCP Election Law Seminar instructors this year. She has over 24 years of municipal experience, working for the City of Tomball as city secretary since February 2003, following 13 years as Tomball s assistant city secretary. Doris also serves as a presenter for the Annual Step-by-Step Election Law Workshop for the Houston-Galveston Area Council and was a Texas Municipal League presenter for Newly Elected City Officials at the 2006 and 2007 sessions. Doris earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerks Certification (No. 433) in 2003 and is currently working on her third recertification. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration, Strategic Leadership. A member of IIMC, Doris earned her Certified Municipal Clerk designation in 2011 and is actively pursuing her Master Municipal Clerk designation and IIMC Athenian Fellow certification. Doris is an active member of the Salt Grass Chapter of TMCA, serving as treasurer and a member of the Bylaws Committee in 2014 and as secretary of the chapter in She was also appointed to the TMCA 2015 Resolutions Committee. Fred Stormer Bond Elections Fred Stormer is the chairman of the Public Education Law Section of the Underwood Law Firm. He serves as general counsel for a number of independent school districts, and also works with cities and community colleges. His duties in this capacity include a wide range of issues, including general employment law (including Fair Labor Standards Act, Family Medical Leave Act, age discrimi- - page 5 -

6 nation issues, and workers compensation), faculty and student grievances, employment contracts, Commissioner of Education appeals, student discipline, Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Public Information Act, vendor contracts, architect and construction contracts, trustee and bond election issues, and eminent domain and condemnation proceedings. Fred is certified by the Texas Education Agency as a provider of continuing education for school boards, frequently provides training for government officials, administrators, faculty and Educational Service Centers, and is the author of numerous articles on public education issues. Fred worked as an adult probation officer for Lubbock County for approximately six years before returning to Texas Tech University for law school. He graduated from law school Suma Cum Laude in 1999, and began working for the Underwood Law Firm, P.C. In January 2005, Fred became a shareholder in the firm. Fred has served on the board for the Texas Council of School Attorneys and currently serves as an executive council member for the School Law Section of the State Bar, as well as a member of the Planning Committees for the University of Texas-School Law and Texas Association Community College Attorneys annual legal conferences. Kim Sutter, TRMC Early Voting for Early Voting Clerks Kim Sutter, TRMC, City Secretary, Euless, rejoins the team of TMCCP Election Law Seminar instructors this year. Kim has served as the City Secretary of Euless since Her previous municipal service includes Town Secretary of the Town of Westlake ( ), City Secretary of the City of Richland Hills ( ), and Mayor s Assistant in the City of Irving ( ). Kim earned her TRMC Certification in 2005 (No. 477) and has recertified twice. Kim is an active and longtime member of TMCA. She is currently serving her third year as a trustee on the TMCA Executive Board. Her TMCA committee service includes the TML Booth (2012 chair) and Open Records Steering (2013). Kim has previously volunteered as a convener at the TMCCP Election Law Seminar. Kim is also active in the North Texas Chapter of TMCA, where she has served as president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Her chapter committee service includes TMCCP Reception ( ), Professional Seminar (2011, chair), and Membership ( ). She was the North Texas Chapter s 2012 Clerk of the Year and nominee for the TMCA Texas Municipal Clerk of the Year. Kim co-authored the tenth edition of the Texas Carole Vanzant, TRMC the First Time, & Step by Step Session for Cities Who Hold Their Own Elections Carole Vanzant, TRMC, CMC, CPM, Deputy City Administrator, Fair Oaks Ranch, joins the team of Election Law Seminar instructors this year. Carole served as City Secretary of Fair Oaks Ranch from ; she has recently become the city s Deputy City Administrator. She earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification in 2008 (No. 569), recertified in 2013, and is currently working on her second recertification. Carole earned her Certified Public Manager Certification June 2002 and earned her International Institute Certified Municipal Clerks Certification in March 2013 and is working on her MMC. Carole s TMCA committee service includes chairing Resolutions (2010), Nominating (2011), and Retirement (2014); she also served as a member on the Scholarship (2012) and Nominating (2013) committees. Carole has served as convener at TMCCP seminars and at the annual IIMC conference. She has been an active member of the TMCA Hill Country Chapter since 1998 and joined the Alamo Chapter in In , she served as Alamo Chapter vice president and currently serves as the chapter president. Her chapter committee service includes Nominating, Scholarship, and Bylaws. The Alamo Chapter nominated her for the TMCA Municipal Clerk of the Year in Sandra Watkins, TRMC Early Voting for Early Voting Clerks Sandra Watkins, TRMC, City Secretary, Deer Park, is a longtime member of the team of TMCCP Election Law instructors. Sandra has hosted the TMCA Salt Grass Chapter s annual Public Information Workshop since 2001, and has been co-presenter for the Houston-Galveston Area Council Election Workshop since Sandra began her career in municipal government as the Deputy City Secretary for Deer Park in 1985, and was promoted to City Secretary in She received her TRMC Certification (No. 362) in January 2000, recertified in 2005, 2010, and Sandra received the designation of Certified Municipal Clerk through IIMC in June 2004, and recertified in Sandra is an active and longtime member of TMCA. She currently serves as treasurer on the TMCA Executive Board and has previously served as secretary and trustee. Sandra has served on several TMCA committees: TML Booth; Resolutions (2002, chair); Scholarship (2003 and 2006, chair); Nominating (2004); and Certification ( ). She served as TMCA historian in She is active in TMCA s Salt Grass Chapter and in IIMC. Sandra has served the Salt Grass Chapter in all officer capacities, was chapter president in , and has served on or chaired all committees. She received the Salt Grass Chapter s Municipal Clerk of the Year award in 2000 and Sandra co-authored the ninth and tenth editions of the Texas Melinda Welsh, TRMC Runoffs, Vacancies, & Recounts Melinda Welsh, TRMC, City Secretary, Friendswood, rejoins the team of Election Law instructors this year. Melinda has been with the City of Friendswood since 2002 and served as Administrative Assistant from , Records Specialist from , Deputy City Secretary from , and has served as City Secretary since She previously served as Deputy City Secretary at City of Pearland from Melinda earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerks Certification (No. 572) in 2009 and recertified in Melinda is an active and longtime member of TMCA. She has served on the Technology Committee since 2013, which includes co-moderating the TexasMunicipalClerks Yahoo Group, an list serve with membership of over 1,000 city officials across Texas. Melinda is member of the Salt Grass Chapter of Municipal Clerks and has served on several committees. She served her first term as a chapter officer in Melinda has also been a member of IIMC since Lee Woodward, TRMC Round Table for Attendees Contracting for the First Time, Joint Elections & Provisional Voting Lee Woodward, TRMC, City Secretary, Huntsville, rejoins the team of TMCCP - page 6 -

7 Election Law instructors this year. Lee earned her Texas Registered Municipal Clerk designation in 2012 (No. 663) and became a Certified Municipal Clerk with the International Institute of Municipal Clerks in She has completed the Certified Public Manager Program through the William P. Hobby Center and is working on her Registered Parliamentarian designation with NAP. Lee served as the Conference Chairman and on the Nominating Committee for the Texas State Association of Parliamentarians, is a vice committee chairman for the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, and is an IIMC Athenian Fellow. Lee is active in TMCA, where she has served on the Resolutions Committee (2013 chair), the Scholarship Committee (2012), and the Certification Committee ( ). She is also active in the Salt Grass Chapter of TMCA, where she has held the offices of vice president, secretary, and historian. Lee was a member of the 2012 Legislative Policy Committee on Personnel and Pension Reform for the Texas Municipal League. She was a co-author of the tenth edition of the Texas Lee is honored to be following in the footsteps of some of her city secretary heroines as an instructor at TMCCP s annual Election Law Seminar and for the annual Houston-Galveston Area Council seminar on election law. - page 7 -