The clerk is the city’s business manager or office manager and can be considered the “face of the city” as the clerk is the first contact most people have with the city. The clerk handles all of the city paperwork. He or she receives the city’s mail, prepares agendas and meeting packets for the Board members for City Council meetings, and conducts city business when the board is not in session.

For every board meeting, the clerk must ensure that proper notice is posted within the required time and that a tentative agenda has been prepared in advance. The clerk is responsible for preparing minutes of all formal meetings and proceedings.

The clerk receives, files, and keeps city records and he or she is designated the custodian of records as required by law.

The Clerk is also appointed as City Treasurer and becomes the custodian of all city funds. The primary task is careful accounting of revenues and expenditures, and careful allocating of each to the proper fund. The city treasurer has the power to prepare financial reports and sign checks. As a general practice, two signatures are required on checks. The Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem serve as the second signatories.

The City Clerk is also the Utility Billing Clerk, responsible for water and sewer utility billing, including calculation of bills, preparation, printing, and mailing of all utility bills. She posts penalties on utility bills, calculates, prints, and prepares shut-off notices, as well as manages the Utility Deposit Fund for final bills and refunds to customers of any amount remaining after payment of the final bill.

The Utility Billing Clerk signs up new customers and collects Utility Deposits in accordance with ordinance 71-2021. Each utility customer shall file the city’s utility application with the Clerk before service will be connected.

Water bills are mailed the first day of each month and are due and payable by the last business day of the same month. Payments can be made in person at City Hall, 13203 Railroad Avenue. A convenient 24-hour secure drop box is by the front door of city hall for your check or money order payment (no cash please). Community Point Bank also accepts our payments, through their drive-thru or inside the lobby. Please provide the teller with your name (as on the account) and your account number if you know it.

Meters will be shut-off, locked, or removed for non-payment of water bills, or tampering with the city’s water meter.

A one-time notice will be made by door hanger, stating the amount of the delinquent bill due and date payment must be made to prevent shutoff of service. Only one notice will be given. Should conditions of the notification not be met or contact with City Hall not be made, water will be shut off without further notice.

In the event of the return of a non-sufficient funds check (NSF), a door hanger will be delivered, requiring payment of the bill in full (cash) within 3 business days. No further notice will be given before shut off for non-compliance.

Your City Clerk is Jan Wyatt, bringing over 35 years of experience in municipal government, community and economic development, public infrastructure and utilities, and project financing through various state and federal programs. She can be reached at City Hall, 13203 Railroad Avenue, by calling 573-782-3511, or by email at clerk.russellvillemo@outlook.com.