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Promotion awaits, but deputy city clerk leaving

Jennifer Nye is stepping down from the Treasure Island job she has held for three years. A farewell reception for her takes place at City Hall Tuesday.

By KATHY SAUNDERS
Published November 13, 2005

TREASURE ISLAND - Days before her promotion to city clerk, Jennifer Nye announced she was quitting her job.

Nye, who was to receive a 10 percent raise this week, said she was ready for a change after three years as deputy city clerk. Friday is her last day.

Nye, 36, said she has not accepted a new job elsewhere and plans to remain a resident of Treasure Island.

"I am aggressively pursuing my options," she said, adding that she may not continue in public service. Her degree is in business administration.

City Manager Ralph Stone, who until Tuesday also serves as the official city clerk, said he was surprised at Nye's decision to leave.

"She's a bright lady and she did a real nice job for us and I think she'll be good at whatever she decides to do," said Stone.

Nye, a native of Vermont, was a former records manager and archivist when she was hired by the city in December 2002. She replaced deputy clerk Bonnie Williams who retired after 35 years with the city.

Earlier this year, commissioners asked Nye to obtain her certification as a municipal clerk in order to appoint her to the job this fall. Although the city manager is officially the clerk under the city's charter, the manager traditionally has not handled any clerking responsibilities.

Nye attended career development courses, went to conferences, took classes on her own time and completed some self-study projects. She obtained her certification at the end of June. The formal appointment to city clerk would have boosted her salary to $47,500.

"I was definitely excited about achieving that goal," Nye said of the certification. "I really felt that I had a great working relationship with the commission and I felt like part of the community."

Under the new ordinance, expected to be adopted Tuesday, commissioners will appoint the clerk and set the salary for the position. The city manager will be the clerk's immediate supervisor and conduct annual job evaluations.

Nye said commissioners are still planning to formally appoint her as clerk on Tuesday, following a farewell reception in her honor. The public reception is at 5 p.m. and the meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 120 108th Ave.

"It made me feel really good that the commissioners wanted to appoint me as their clerk," said Nye. "But I felt I was ready to make a change." Nye said she didn't want to begin the new position, knowing she was ready to leave.

"It was a respect thing and doing what's right," she said.

Stone said he already has initiated a search for a new city clerk. Meanwhile, commissioners also plan Tuesday to appoint Stone's executive assistant Sandra Carnevale as deputy city clerk.

[Last modified November 13, 2005, 03:00:43]