Posted 12-27-04

Congratulations to Kathryn J. Wall, CMC, Town Clerk of Berlin who has been accepted into the First Level Membership of the IIMC Master Municipal Clerk Academy.  Kate has been employed with the Town of Berlin since January 2002, serving as Town Clerk.  Prior municipal service includes serving 8 years with the Town of Wallingford and 5 years with the Town of Manchester.  She received her CMC award in June 1993 and has continued her education my completing IIMC-approved education programs conducted by the CT Town Clerks Association and other seminars related to government service..  She is an active member of IIMC, NEACTC and CTCA.

Congratulations to Leslie G. Cotton, CMC, Town Clerks of Southington who as been accepted into the Second Level Membership of the IIMC Master Municipal Clerk Academy.   Leslie has been employed with the Town of Southington since 1984, serving as Registrar of Voters before elected to her current position of Town Clerk in 1994.  She received her CMC award in February of 1997 and entered into the Academy in October of 1999, continuing her education by completing IIMC-approved seminars relating to government service.  Leslie is an active member of IIMC, NEACTC, CTCA and the Association of Records Managers and Administrators.

Congratulations to Laura L. Francis, Town Clerk of Durham who has been accepted into the First Level Membership of the IIMC Master Municipal Clerk Academy.  Laura has been employed with the Town of Durham since 1992, serving as Assistant Town Clerk before her appointment and then election to her current position of Town Clerk. in 1997.  She received her CMC award in March of 1997 and was accepted into the Academy in June 2000.  Laura has continued her education at the New England Municipal Clerks Institute at Salve Regina University and through other seminars related to government service.  She is an IIMC, NEACTC and CTCA.

Posted 12-22-04

Dear Fellow Clerks and Staff:

I wanted to take a moment to send you a note as this year comes to a close.

I am looking forward to this New Year with great hopes that our Association will continue to move forward.  We have many important items to address in 2005 and your Executive Board and I are up to the task and will put every effort into this upcoming legislative session to change, create, or better the statutes that dictate our duties.

As always, I, along with your county vice-presidents, am open to your comments and suggestions.

This past year had many challenges for us to face, and for me, they were both professional and personal, as many of you know.

I cannot begin to express to you during this holiday season how much your care and concern have touched me.  Your phone calls, notes and words of encouragement throughout the last several months have strengthened my resolve and reinforced why I am in the Town Clerk profession! We are truly a special group of people.

I care deeply about this Association and my sincerest hope is that you and your families will have the happiest and healthiest of New Years and most of all, a very Merry Christmas!!!!

With all my love and respect, Sandra Hutton, President, CTCA

Posted 12-17-04

There is an error in the JP manuals regarding the return of marriage licenses.  The Secretary of the State's office is aware of the mistake and will send out out a correction sheet for us to disburse.

Posted 12-15-04

Congratulations to the New Haven County Clerks who  gave Boy Scout Troop 921,  a total of $162.00 for the purchase of phone cards for members of the military.

The NHC Clerks donated, in lieu of a raffle,  extra dollars at their Christmas Dinner meeting for this purpose.  Pat O'Sullivan and Stephanie Ciarleglio collected the money and forwarded it all to Boy Scout Troop 921 who in turn, mailed the amount to USO Operation Phone Home the very next day !

Posted 12-15-04

Please click here to download the Annual CTCA Dues Notice.  The annual dues are due my January 31, 2005.  County VP's please copy and send to those clerks in your counties who do not have email.  Thank You.  Sarah Becker, Secretary

Posted 12-10-04

Please visit the Document Directory and view the lecture recently given at CTCA Academy titled "Strategic Communication".  It's a must ready especially if you were unable to attend.

Posted 12-8-04

Well, the verdict is in.  We lost the opportunity to host the 2009 IIMC Conference in Hartford by a vote of 13-11.  Many thanks to Dan Carey, Hartford Town Clerk for all the fine work he did to get us this far.  We made a good impression at IIMC, we just fell a few votes short.  Dan and his colleagues at the Visitors Council will make a decision after the New Year about making a bid for 2010. 

Posted 11-30-04

Top Ten Email Time Wasters

According to Joan Tuntstall, author of “Better, Faster Email” (Allen & Unwin, 1999)

1. Working on unimportant messages with low pay-off.
2. Fragmenting your work.  Jumping from message to message.  Not handling each message only once.
3. Not filing messages or using a poor filing scheme with an unproductive screen layout.
4. Taking on work that belongs to others.  Replying to everything yourself.
5. Trying to process your email message in a distracting environment.
6. Keeping too many messages and too much reading material.
7. Writing too many email messages.
8. Failing to ask or answer questions fully.
9. Not making your mailer work for you with tools such as message filtering, the address book, templates and an automatic signature.
10. Having a loser’s attitude.  Believing there is nothing you can do to change things.

Posted 11-30-04

Here is some useful information I learned at seminar called “Conquering Information Overload: How NOT to be Pushed by Paper and Email” by Abby Marks-Beale.  Abby Marks-Beal is a corporate educator who helps busy professionals manage their time, reading and email workloads. For more information, go to www.readmorefaster.com.

10 Ingredients for GREAT email.

1. “Attached” Attachments – Don’t forget to attach your attachments.  Get in the habit of attaching the documents before you type your message.
2. Be personal, yet business appropriate. (Forget theJ)
3. A revealing, specific and captivating subject line.  This is a sure way to get your message read in a timely fashion.
4. Put the main point up front.  Remember, writing an email is similar to a postcard.  Be succinct and remember anyone can read it.
5. Be brief (yet complete).
6. Include all reply information – Learn how to create a signature line.  It should include your name, title, address, telephone number, email and website. 
7. Consider the reader’s eyes – Don’t use all capital letters, crazy fonts, hard to read colors.
8. Include “please” and/or “thank you”
9. Double-check tone and proof carefully.
10. Pause before pressing “send”.

Posted 11-30-04

Posted 11-29-04

Also, download ED-639 - Town Clerks Returns of Election of Registrars of Voters.

Posted 11-23-04

Please visit the Document Directory.  There are more election forms posted including ED-134-Listing of Justices of the Peace.

Posted 11-22-04

The ST of CT Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return (OP-236) has been revised as of July, 2004.  You may receive the old form (Rev. 10-99)  until supplies run out.

Posted 11-20-04

Please be advised that effective immediately the Town of Essex will  no longer be using the Post Office Box 98 as part of the mailing address.  Fran Nolin, Essex Town Clerk

Posted 11-16-04

Go to the Document Directory to download a copy of the 2001Municipal Campaign Audit conducted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission.

Posted 11-15-04

I am looking for an independant land record auditor.  If you are using someone other than COTT or ACS, please send me the contact information for that person.  It would also be helpful to know if they carry their own errors and omission insurance.  Thank you.  Sandra Hutton, MIddletown Town Clerk sandra.hutton@cityofmiddletown.com

Posted 11-15-04

The State Elections Enforcement  Commission would be interested in hearing from Town Clerks who wish to share their experiences with presidential balloting this year. Thanks, Jeff Garfield Jeffrey.Garfield@po.state.ct.us

Posted 11-12-04

Calling for volunteers!!  Sandra Hutton, President and Joe Camposeo, VP, Chairman of Legislative Committee need volunteers to serve on an Absentee Ballot Pilot Program committee in conjunction with Jeff Garfield, Elections Enformcement Commission.  Please contact either Sandra or Joe if you are interested.  Thank you .

Posted 11-12-04

Congratulations to Agnes Pier, Deputy Town Clerk of Windsor who has been awarded the prestigious designation of "Certified Municipal Clerk" (CMC) from IIMC.  Agnes has been employed with the Town of Windsor since March 2002.  She holds a Masters of Science in Organizational Behavior degree from the University of Hartford, has attended courses and seminars conducted by the Connecticut Town Clerks Association and attended the IIMC approved institute program conducted by the New England Municipal Clerks Insitiute at Salve Regina University.

Posted 11-9-04

Hello troops, thanks in advance for your help on such short notice.

Please craft a brief letter that speaks to your support of the 2009 IIMC conference coming to Hartford, CT. In the letter you can mention the number of years you've been town clerk, your involvement in our professional associations, you can also touch on our region and what an appropriate fit it would be.( the conference has not been in New England since 1986) I also think its important to mention how powerful our state association is and how much talent we have. You can address the letter t Dear Board Of Directors...  and send it to

Jessica Linda Christie 

IIMC

8331 Utica Avenue, Suite 200

Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Fax 909-944-8545

Email  jc4u@iimc.com

Please remember they will be receiving many letters, so be brief.  Thanks for your help, we're getting real close, a decision will be made in early Dec. Dan Carey,  Hartford Town Clerk

Posted 11-8-04

Posted 11-6-04

Posted 11-4-04

Please visit the Document Directory of this website.  I've just posted  the ED-628dp - Absentee Ballot Disposition Form.  This should make it easier for you to fill out.