Geneva City Council spent much of its recent meeting examining the future of the deputy city clerk position, weighing potential cost savings against concerns about maintaining public services, records management and operational continuity across city government.
The discussion came as city staff presented an extensive review of staffing vacancies, recruitment efforts and potential restructuring options aimed at improving efficiency while addressing budget pressures. City officials ultimately stopped short of eliminating the position, instead reviewing recommendations that favor continuing recruitment while exploring additional operational changes.
Deputy clerk position becomes focal point
The city’s review centered on whether Geneva should continue operating with a deputy city clerk, replace the position with a different role, or reduce certain services altogether.
Staff explained that the deputy city clerk serves a much broader function than front-counter customer service. The position provides backup for statutory clerk duties, supports records management, assists with Freedom of Information Law requests, helps prepare meeting materials and provides continuity when the city clerk is unavailable.
According to materials presented to council, the position also supports elected boards and commissions while helping ensure compliance with state records retention requirements and other legal obligations.
Officials outlined several alternatives, including maintaining the current structure, replacing the position with an administrative aide, relying more heavily on finance department staff, increasing automation and online services, or reducing certain service levels. Staff cautioned that each option carried tradeoffs affecting customer service, records management and operational resilience.
Staff recommends filling vacancy
After reviewing multiple options, city administrators recommended continuing recruitment for the deputy city clerk position.
The recommendation cited four primary reasons: maintaining current service levels, preserving statutory backup functions for the city clerk, avoiding labor and civil service complications associated with restructuring, and providing the greatest operational flexibility while still generating personnel savings through hiring at the entry level of the salary schedule.
Staff estimated that replacing the deputy clerk with an administrative aide could generate additional savings, but noted the change would require further review involving civil service classifications, labor agreements and legal considerations.
The city also received a letter from the CSEA Municipal Employees Unit supporting retention of the deputy city clerk position. Union officials argued the role requires specialized knowledge of state and local laws, management of vital records, preparation of meeting minutes and resolutions, and serves as a built-in succession and backup plan for the clerk’s office.
City managing multiple vacancies
Council also reviewed a broader staffing report showing the city is currently managing six and one-half vacant positions across several departments.
Vacancies include positions within the police department, Department of Public Works, city clerk’s office and assessor’s office. Recruitment efforts are underway for several positions, while some vacancies are expected to generate savings through restructuring and internal promotions.
Among the openings are two police officer positions, two motor equipment operator positions within DPW, the deputy city clerk vacancy and a part-time administrative aide position in the assessor’s office.
City officials noted that active recruitment is ongoing, with several vacancies expected to be filled through civil service lists, internal promotions or lateral transfers. The staffing review projected both short-term vacancy savings and longer-term budget impacts tied to future hiring decisions.
Interim measures planned
To maintain operations while staffing decisions are finalized, city officials outlined several temporary measures.
The city plans to direct additional traffic to the office during designated morning hours while providing supplemental staff support in the afternoons. Officials also intend to recruit a temporary part-time administrative aide to assist with front-counter responsibilities and administrative tasks during the transition period.
Staff further recommended continued investment in automation and expanded online services modeled after approaches used in other municipalities. Officials said those improvements could reduce counter traffic and strengthen service continuity regardless of the staffing model eventually selected.
The discussion did not result in a final decision on restructuring the clerk’s office, but staff recommendations presented to council favored maintaining and filling the deputy city clerk position while continuing to evaluate operational efficiencies and technology improvements.
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