Clerk of Committees

City of Somerville; Somerville (MA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 57,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

4 weeks annual vacation

GIC health insurance

Dental coverage

Vision care

Long term disability

Group life insurance

Flexible spending

PSLF eligibility

Job summary

The City of Somerville seeks a Clerk of Committees to attend City Council and committee meetings, take precise minutes, and prepare reports for agendas. The role involves operating audio/video equipment and providing technical support on parliamentary procedure and open meeting laws.

Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree with 1–3 years of related experience, outstanding note-taking and writing skills, and the ability to work with City staff and the public.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 1–3 years of related work experience.
• Excellent contemporaneous note-taking, writing and documentation skills.
• Knowledge of parliamentary procedure and open meeting law.

Responsibilities

• Attends and prepares minutes for Committee meetings and City Council meetings, including Executive Sessions as needed.
• Uses legislative tracking software to prepare and track items before the City Council and committees.
• Operates audio/video equipment to record meetings, including remote/hybrid conferencing when needed.
• Provides technical assistance regarding parliamentary procedure and related laws to the Council.
• Creates detailed, well-documented notes as a core job responsibility.

Skills

Note taking

Writing

Communication

Parliamentary procedure

Roberts Rules

Records management

Computer skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Legistar

AV equipment

Job description

Statement of Duties

The Clerk of Committees attends all assigned City Council meetings and committee meetings. The Clerk of Committees takes notes at committee meetings and Council meetings and prepares reports of such meetings. The Clerk of Committees operates audio/video equipment used for recording meetings, and prepares orders, resolutions, and other items for inclusion into the City Council agendas, when needed. The Clerk of Committees provides technical assistance to committees with respect to parliamentary procedure, the rules of the City Council, and applicable laws, as needed. The Clerk of Committees assists the City Clerk in managing and implementing the actions of the City Council, and performs such other duties as required by the City Clerk, or the President of the City Council.

Essential Functions

• Attends and prepares minutes for Committee meetings, City Council meetings, and the City Council’s Executive Sessions as needed. Minutes must be completed promptly, accurately, and thoroughly.
• Uses the City’s legislative tracking software to prepare and track items that are before the City Council and in each Committee.
• Operates audio/video equipment to record Committee meetings, and remote or hybrid video conferencing technology, as needed.
• Provides technical assistance to the City Council with respect to parliamentary procedure, the Rules of the Board, Open Meeting Law and relevant state laws.
• Creates well documented, clearly written and detailed notes as a core responsibility of the job.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree with one to three (1-3) years of related work experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to effectively perform the essential functions of the job.

Must possess and demonstrate excellent contemporaneous note taking, writing and documentation skills.

Special Requirements: This employee is prohibited from taking public positions on issues that are or may reasonably come before the City Council.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Familiarity with the broad scope of issues relevant to Somerville and the region. Working knowledge of the structure of Somerville City government. Working knowledge of governmental processes. Working knowledge of office procedures and machines.

Abilities: Ability to meet and deal with the public effectively and appropriately; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer; ability to maintain confidential information; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to deal appropriately with City employees, City officials and the public. Ability to identify, follow up, and follow through on errors. Ability to work independently.

Skills: Excellent writing and contemporaneous note-taking skills; Excellent organizational skills; excellent data processing skills in the use of personal computers and office software including word processing, database, internet, spreadsheet applications, and legislative tracking software (Legistar).

Other: Working knowledge of parliamentary procedure, Roberts Rules of Order, rules of the City Council, and relevant state laws including, but not limited to, the open meeting law and the conflict of interest law.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills: Little or no physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as ledgers or photocopy and computer paper (up to 30lbs.).

Motor Skills: Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone system, computer and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting of materials.

Visual Demands: Routinely reads documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Please note that applicants selected for an interview will be asked to complete a minute-taking exercise.

Hours: Part-time, 1-3 days per week Monday - Thursday 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Salary: $35 per hour
FLSA Status: Non-exempt, non-benefited
Date Posted: September 10, 2026

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or [e-mail].

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.