MC Clerk shares update with commission

Department continues to roll with the changes

By Barb Pert Templeton

As the new year takes hold department heads in Marine City continue to present information about their offices and staff to the city commission.

A Feb. 4 meeting had City Clerk Jason Bell addressing the commission followed by a brief presentation by Financial Director/Treasurer Katy Posy.

All city staff remain under the direction and leadership of City Manager Michael Reaves who not only continues to express his gratitude to them but has made the presentations an annual part of city agendas in order to keep officials informed.

Bell stood at the podium to read a very long list of responsibilities that fall to his department. The list included but was certainly not limited to: maintaining government records and elections, handling day to day operations of the clerk’s department keeping ordinances, resolutions, meeting agendas and minutes, attending meetings and preserving the legal record.

Bell said the role of the clerk’s office has changed as election transparency and compliance requirements continue to expand along with technology and the growth of AI today.

“We’re trying to embrace that especially in the clerk’s office here,” Bell said, noting that today there are errors that carry heightened legal, financial and public trust consequences. “In simple terms…there are some stiff penalties if you don’t do what you’re supposed to do.”

Handling FOIA requests, MIOSHA forms, cemetery records and issuing special event permits also falls to the clerk’s office. Once the city took over the former Lions Hall, now known as the Guy Community Center, the clerk’s office picked up on managing the center which includes hosting public events.

“In December we hosted our holiday jubilee, it was pretty well attended for our first one, it was good to see,” Bell said. “We had a free raffle that I think everyone was interested in, it didn’t cost

them anything and they were flabbergasted by that fact but that’s our way of giving back to the community.”

Managing the reservations for local parks and keeping track of things at the Guy Center plus any other public events sponsored by the city are new to the clerk’s department.

“That’s where we’re turning a corner as a city to give back to the community,” Bell said.

Still more, the clerk is responsible for managing public communications, running the city’s Facebook page and ordering all office supplies for city hall. He then briefly introduced his deputy clerk and shared some of her responsibilities.

“I also want to make it a point that throughout the city you see this common theme these are local people who are passionate, caring and hard working for the residents,” Bell concluded.

City Manager Michael Reaves took a few moments to comment on Bell’s presentation and said the things the clerk is responsible for on a day-to-day basis are plentiful. One of Bell’s talents is his ability to track down historic records for and about the city and he’s dogged with his approach. Reaves also made a point of stating how hard Bell works to make things happen at the Guy Community Center.

“We’re trying to educate the public that the people that serve you are very committed, they are committed employees, they have good days and bad days, no different than anyone else,” Reaves said. “I want to thank you and your staff for what you do.”

City Treasurer Katy Posey gave a brief presentation, calling herself “the tax lady” as she remined everyone that winter taxes are due on Feb. 17. She said the city collects those taxes for the county and they will be doing that until Feb. 27 but after that they have to pay at the county.

“So, if you have not paid your summer 2025 taxes or your winter taxes you can do that until the 27th at the city and after that go to the county,” Posey said. “Just a reminder on that.”

She also took a few moments to thank the clerk’s department for helping her department out when they are not in the office.