Seal of Approval: Humor and Hacks for City Recorders
Posted by Communications on Jan. 28, 2025 / Just for Fun / Subscribe 26
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Welcome to the UMCA Blog - A space for questions and comments that are a little... less relevant.
The Member Forum is for questions and answers that are directly relevant to the job.
This Blog is for everything else - (clean) jokes, hacks to make the job easier, funny or
interesting stories/articles, office supply suggestions, etc.
Any member can comment on the post, and a new post will be created when the first one gets too long.
Inappropriate posts will be deleted.
Have fun!
26 Comments
Jamie Olson
May. 1, 2025
Does anyone have a preferred or favorite pen for signing mylars?
Kim Crane
May. 1, 2025
I use a Sharpie. I get the two-sided one with a fine tip and a fuller tip. Seems to work well.
Michelle Marigoni
Apr. 3, 2025
I played an April Fools joke on my council... When I set up our council chambers for the meeting on April 1, I switched their seats around. They usually sit in order of seniority. I put them in alphabetical order. I explained to them before the work session that HB401 (4/01 - get it?) mandated that all councils sit in alphabetical order, to include the mayor. EVERY ONE OF THEM believed me! And boy were they annoyed that the legislature would waste time on something like that. Annoyed, but not surprised. They were asking me to send them links so they could write the sponsors and everything. At the end of the work session I had my attorney emphasize that it was HB401, and one of them finally caught on. They still sat where I put them the entire meeting. Anyone else pull a prank on their whole council? Just me?
Lisa Smith
Apr. 4, 2025
I didn't do anything this year, but a couple of years ago we sent out a prank packet with all the big, controversial issue. We had one who believed it.
Katie Hansen
Apr. 3, 2025
I love it! That's a great prank.
Brooke Smith
Apr. 3, 2025
haha! That is great. I loved that they fell for it! Epic. haha!!!
Brooke Smith
Apr. 3, 2025
haha! That is great. I loved that they fell for it! Epic. haha!!!
Michelle Marigoni
Mar. 18, 2025
Hey Friends - Two quick questions: 1 - Are you salary or hourly? 2 - Do you supervise anyone?
Stephanie Shelley
Mar. 19, 2025
Hourly. More of a team than a supervisor.
Stephanie Shelley
Mar. 19, 2025
Hourly. More of a team than a supervisor.
Stephanie Shelley
Mar. 19, 2025
Hourly. More of a team than a supervisor.
Stephanie Shelley
Mar. 19, 2025
Hourly. More of a team than a supervisor.
Stephanie Shelley
Mar. 19, 2025
Hourly. More of a team than a supervisor.
Amalie Rose Ottley
Mar. 18, 2025
I'm hourly. I don't supervise anyone currently. I was salary at a position for a different city 4 years ago and I can say that I prefer being hourly. When I was a salaried employee, the expectation was to be available at all times and work more than 40 hours every week. However, I'm sure that's not the case in every city.
Amalie Rose Ottley
Mar. 18, 2025
I'm hourly. I don't supervise anyone currently. I was salary at a position for a different city 4 years ago and I can say that I prefer being hourly. When I was a salaried employee, the expectation was to be available at all times and work more than 40 hours every week. However, I'm sure that's not the case in every city.
Jamie Olson
Mar. 18, 2025
I'm hourly, we have a Planning and Zoning Secretary that I kinda supervise to some degrees. I wonder if those that are salary like that they are or would they rather be hourly? The topic of going salary comes up in our city sometimes, and I hear from other employees (outside our city) "don't do salary" and some that like it. Im curious how other Recorders feel.
Michelle Pitt
Mar. 18, 2025
I'm salary. I supervise my full time deputy recorder, the city hall receptionist, and an outstanding very part time minute taker.
Michelle Pitt
Mar. 18, 2025
I'm salary. I supervise my full time deputy recorder, the city hall receptionist, and an outstanding very part time minute taker.
Heidi Allman
Mar. 18, 2025
Hello! I am salary and do not supervise anyone. Lone wolf over here!
Annemarie Plaizier
Mar. 18, 2025
I'm hourly and I do not supervise anyone.
Wendy Downs
Mar. 18, 2025
Hi! I am salary and I do supervise 3 employees. I have my FT Deputy Recorder, a 30 hr Passport Agent, and a 20 hr Passport Agent.
Jamie Olson
Feb. 27, 2025
Amalie, this is a great questions and I can share what works for me. I have only been doing this for 2 1/2 years and have many many responsibilities past the normal recorder duties. So I can understand the frustration and choas at times (okay all the time). I also work from home. I have tried multiple ways of tracking "to does" none of which include any type of extra software programs since we are a smaller city. I have a note pad that I have next to my desk and goes with me to meetings. I jot down anything I need fast, especially when taking an incoming call, notes on the call etc (so similar to maybe what you are doing already) We use Outlook, so appointments and reminder deadlines all go into my calendar. There is no way I could track it all without reminders (no way). I do have several types of calendars in Outlook that include other people, so when I enter that item it automatically shares it with who I have shared that calendar with. I have done ToDo list on excel with check boxes. Actually created one for the whole council so they could check off items that were assigned to them to do (works for some) My new favorite that is actually quicker because it is right on my desktop and I don't have reopen a file to add something. Anyway for iMACS they have an application called Stickies. I have several Sticky Notes that have quick copy paste items and a todo list. This has been my favorite. Once I have accomplished the task or the meeting I needed to attend, I cross it off, plus it makes me happy to see all the things I have accomplished that day. Anyway nothing fancy, but works for me. Your doing great and your not alone.
Amalie Rose Ottley
Feb. 27, 2025
Friends! What method do you use, at work and at home, to keep everything straight? To-do lists, appointments, notes, etc. I've always been a hand-written planner person and am going through a bit of an identity crisis in that area. I'd love to hear what works best for you?
Alicia Fairbourne
Feb. 27, 2025
Hi Amalie!rnI don't think there's anything wrong with a physical day planner. I think we get a lot of stuff thrown at us at random times, and I need to have a central place to write it all down. rnI ordered this one to use this year, and I'm liking it a lot! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXJWPNDM?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
Michelle Marigoni
Jan. 28, 2025
Think of a city recorder as the human version of Ctrl+S—saving everything, organizing chaos, and occasionally reminding everyone they should’ve read the minutes. ~ChatGPT
Alicia Fairbourne
Feb. 27, 2025
I call myself "The Hoarder Recorder"