Mississippi Municipal Clerk Certification Program

The Mississippi Municipal Clerk Certification Program provides training to municipal clerks, deputy municipal clerks, and tax collectors so they can better serve the people in their communities while growing their expertise and professionalism.

For 50 years, the program has offered these municipal officials an opportunity to achieve both state and national certification in their positions. The curriculum is presented over a 3-year period with two sessions each year, one in the spring and one in the fall. For convenience and accessibility, each of the two annual sessions is presented in three locations: North, Central, and South Mississippi. The certification program is designed to allow entry at any of the sessions during the year.

The Mississippi Municipal Clerk Certification program was developed by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks for state associations to provide to their members. In Mississippi, the MSU Extension Service and the Mississippi Municipal Clerks and Collectors Association (MMCCA) conduct the certification training, which is the educational portion of the certification program for Mississippi clerks and collectors.

MMCCA allows municipal clerks, tax collectors, and their board-designated deputies to receive the Mississippi Certified Municipal Clerk or Certified Deputy Clerk designation in addition to the IIMC designations. Only clerks, tax collectors, or deputy clerks meeting the requirements for admission into the Mississippi Municipal Certification program are eligible for certification.

Certification standards were designed by the MMCCA Certification Standards Committee, which reviews all Certified Municipal Clerk Collector (CMCC) and Certified Deputy Municipal Clerk Collector (CDMCC) applications and grants these professional designations.

Basic Requirements for Certification

• 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 verifying 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 that you are attending on an interest basis and not working toward certification.
• You must be a member of the MMCCA at the time of, or within 6 months after, enrolling in the training program.
• You must successfully complete the 3-year certification training program to obtain the 60 required education points.
• For the Mississippi CMCC and CDMCC designation, you must obtain 100 points (60 education points, 30 experience points, and 10 points from either category) and attend three clerk conferences including business meetings (Winter – MMCCA Winter Educational Conference, Spring – MMCCA Annual Spring Conference, and Summer – MML Annual Conference).

Course Schedule

Clerks may enter the certification training program at any time and must complete all sessions within the 3-year phase. The phases follow the municipal fiscal year (October to September). You may not obtain credit for a repeated course. Most courses are repeated each phase (every 3 years). The institute director and education committee review and change courses as necessary.

*Topics of Municipal Law Sessions:

Municipal Law I: Role of the City Clerk; City Clerk Calendar; Open Meetings; Public Records; Attorney General Opinions

Municipal Law II: Nepotism; Separation of Powers; Real and Personal Property Transactions; Donations; Attorney General Opinions

Municipal Law III: Creation and Dissolution of Municipality; Annexation and Deannexation; Forms of Government, General Powers, and Home Rule; Inter-local Cooperation Agreements; Attorney General Opinions

Graduation

Upon completion of the certification training program, clerks may apply with MMCCA to obtain the appropriate designation. You can find the graduation application in your notebook and at www.mississippiclerks.com. Applications, including the graduation fee, must be received by the Certification Standards Committee by April 1 to be considered for June graduation.

Graduation is held during the opening ceremony of the Mississippi Municipal League Conference in June.

Other Training Opportunities

Municipal clerks have many educational opportunities, even if they are not working toward a designation.

Master Municipal Clerk Courses

Master Academy Courses that count toward IIMC certified municipal clerk (CMC) and master municipal clerk (MMC) designations are offered each year. These courses are usually offered before the Mississippi Municipal League Annual Conference, before the MMCCA Winter Workshop, and before the MMCCA Committee planning session.

Winter Educational Workshop

The winter workshop offered by MSU Extension and MMCCA is at the MMC level and consists of new or changing laws for Mississippi, along with some type of management course. Every 4 years, the Secretary of State’s Office conducts mandatory election training for municipal clerks.

MMCCA Annual Conference

MMCCA and Mississippi State University offer educational opportunities during the MMCCA Annual Conference. The conference is held in the spring and rotates among the congressional districts.

Mississippi Municipal League 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.

International Institute of Municipal Clerks

You must be an IIMC member for 2 years before receiving the IIMC designation. However, municipal officials are encouraged to attend sessions or individual courses on an interest basis.

Program Details and Designation Benefits

The IIMC certified municipal clerk program is designed to enhance the job performance of clerks in small and large municipalities. To earn the IIMC CMC designation, municipal clerks must attend extensive educational programs. The IIMC CMC designation also requires pertinent experience in a municipality. The program prepares 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, and national associations. The IIMC CMC program has been helping clerks excel since 1970.

IIMC CMC and MMC Designations

To obtain designations beyond Mississippi Certified Municipal Clerk (or Deputy), you must be a member of the International Association of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). It is recommended that you join IIMC when you begin the Mississippi certification program.

To join IIMC, complete the application form at www.iimc.com.

Upon obtaining membership in IIMC, you can begin working toward your certified municipal clerk (CMC) designation. All classes that you attend for your Mississippi CMC count toward the education points for your IIMC CMC.

1. Apply for admission to the IIMC CMC (online application).
2. Work toward obtaining all points required. Certification training program education counts toward your IIMC education requirements.
3. Be a member for at least 2 years.
4. 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.

1. Apply for admission to the IIMC MMC (online application).
2. Work toward obtaining all points required.
3. Complete the MMC application when you have achieved the needed points.

Guidelines for the IIMC CMC and MMC can be found at www.iimc.com.

Publication 3691 (POD-09-23)

By Jason Camp, PhD, Extension Specialist, Center for Government and Community Development.