Carthage Mayor Ronnie Fields has proclaimed this week as Municipal Clerk's Week.

"The office of the municipal clerk is a time-honored and vital part of local government, it exists throughout the world," Fields said. "The office of the municipal clerk is the oldest among public servants, and provides the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies and agencies of government at other levels."

Town Clerk Melissa Adams has worked as a municipal clerk for 16 years. She worked for Pinebluff before coming to Carthage in 2001.

"Municipal clerks serve as the information center on functions of local government and community," Fields said. "(They) continually strive to improve the administration of the affairs of (their office) through participation in education programs, seminars, workshops and the annual meetings of their state, county and international professional organizations."

Adams is a member of the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks and of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. She is a Notary Public.

Adams entered the IIMC Master Municipal Clerk Academy in 2003. Her classes at the N.C. School of Government included Effective Management 2002, IIMC Clerks' Certification Institute 2002, NC Institute (School) of Government Introduction to Zoning 2003 and IIMC Master Municipal Clerk Academy.

Her FEMA-Emergency Management Institute Classes include: Emergency Prepared-ness 2004, Emergency Planning 2004, and Principals of Emergency Management 2004. Department of Homeland Security -- Orientation to Community Disaster Exercises 2004.

Fields is following a longtime tradition of Carthage mayors, and mayors of other towns, in signing his proclamation. He extended the official appreciation of Carthage to Adams and to all town clerks "for the vital services they perform and their exemplary dedication to the communities they represent."

Contact John Chappell at 783-5841 or by e-mail at jchappell@ thepilot.com.