Michelle Hewitt
Sherman
Summary
Detail-oriented City Secretary with expertise in public administration, record keeping, and legislative support. Ensures efficient city council meetings and municipal operations. Leverages strong communication, organizational, and time management skills to enhance decision-making processes and streamline workflows.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
City Secretary
City of Howe
Howe
03.2024 - 04.2026
- Prepare and disseminate City Council meeting agendas and packets, attendance at Council meetings, keeping accurate minutes of the proceedings, and transcription and posting of the minutes.
- Prepare and administer departmental budgets and coding invoices.
- Administer all Human Resources documents including TMRS and insurance.
- Receive and review for accuracy application requests for zoning, variance, plats and re-plats requests, publishes required notices, mail notices and generates calendar for timeliness.
- Prepare notice to bidders, requests for proposals and/or qualifications; attends bid openings.
- Directly responsible for the city obtaining compliance with last 3 years of audits.
- Attend each meeting of the Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustment, Economic Development, and other important meetings as assigned by the City Administrator and keep accurate minutes of the proceedings;
- Engross and enroll all laws, resolutions, and ordinances of the governing body;
- Serve as the Chief Election Official for the City and plan and coordinate City elections;
- Keep abreast of election laws and new procedures by attending annual seminars on Election Law presented by the Texas Secretary of State and the Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program or equivalent;
- Oversee the appointment process of Boards and Commissions, keep records of attendance of members, and report this to City Administrator before the appointment process;
- Manage the publication of official notices, agendas, City website, ordinances and resolutions; seal City documents, receive bids and attend bid openings;
- Countersign all commissions issued to municipal officers and keep a record of those commissions;
- Preserve and document all adopted City Ordinances and Resolutions for codification.
- Act as a custodian of all official records and practices records management per the Texas State Library and Archives Commission retention schedule.
- Respond to open records requests and monitors responses to open records requests filled by other departments to ensure accuracy and timeliness of responses.
- Monitor publication of all official City notices and ensures compliance with applicable laws.
- Participate in the compilation and preparation of Mayor and Council's Honorary Certificates, Proclamations, and prepares City Council and City Administrator correspondence.
- Support the relationship between the City of Howe and the general public by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with citizens, visitors, and City staff; promotes the City goals and priorities and complies with all City policies and procedures.
Court Administrator
City of Gainesville
Gainesville
07.2021 - 03.2024
- Ensured compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations while executing duties and providing service according to established operating procedures and city policies.
- Supervised daily operations and maintained various records and files.
- Prepare material and information for criminal and non-criminal court cases.
- Issue court notices; ensure the availability of officers for court.
- Prepare dispositions on tickets when finalized and mail a copy to the Department of Public Safety; prepare a variety of reports for submittal to appropriate State Attorney.
- Prepare appeals for County Court.
- Respond to complaints and requests for information regarding regulations, policies and procedures.
- Resolved complaints and implemented solutions within set timeframes, enhancing customer satisfaction and trust.
- Managed payroll processes for Municipal Court by reviewing employee time cards and entering data for bi-weekly payroll; prepared and submitted Personnel Action Forms for pay changes to the Human Resources Department; liaised with employees on HR and payroll matters.
- Mentored departmental team, boosting efficiency, success, and morale among employees.
- Cultivated culture of continuous improvement and innovation, enhancing operational efficiency and achieving better service outcomes.
- Contributed to smooth business operations by planning and organizing zoom E-Court.
- Performed notary public services for legal documents.
Client Relationship Manager
Essential Planners
San Diego
10.2016 - 07.2022
- Fostered customer trust by addressing concerns and needs using targeted problem-solving.
- Developed monthly and quarterly summaries to assess each department's participation level and determine targets for follow-up plans.
- Increased profitability by developing sales pipelines that aligned marketing efforts with customer needs.
- Held weekly meetings with all staff to identify techniques to overcome sales and internal obstacles.
- Built deep relationships with other business professionals and business owners by employing industry expertise and knowledge, client acquisition strategies and sales tactics.
- Drove team and company profits by developing and strengthening relationships with industry partners and potential clients.
- Investigated and integrated new strategies to expand business operations and grow customer base.
- Managed revenue models, process flows, operations support and customer engagement strategies.
- Generated over $13MM in AUM by building strong relationships with clients and delivering tailored solutions.
- Led targeted training programs to educate staff on new technology, its benefits and service capabilities.
- Increased profits through providing excellent customer service, following established guidelines, and auditing A/R reports.
- Directed work of efficient administrative department by maintaining accurate workflows, task execution and proper documentation.
- Aligned company goals with customer outcomes and increased satisfaction by automating contact management systems.
- Collaborated with upper management to implement continuous improvements and exceed team goals.
- Allocated executive tasks and managed complex calendars and administrative functions.
- Developed and updated spreadsheets and databases to track, analyze and report on performance and sales data.
- Produced accurate office files, updated spreadsheets, and crafted presentations to support executives and boost team efficiency.
- Updated executives on changing business needs by thoroughly documenting internal and client meetings.
- Responded to emails and other correspondence to facilitate communication and enhance business processes.
- Managed administrative functions, including complex calendar management with focus on proper allocation of executive availability.
- Used Freshbooks to produce monthly invoices, reports, and other deliverables.
- Prepared presentations, materials, and documentation for use by Senior advisor in meetings and engagements.
- Assisted in coordinating the implementation of policies and practices across the organization.
- Kept physical files and digitized records organized for easy updating and retrieval by authorized team members.
- Assisted with team building initiatives and overall support for maintenance of organizational culture and employee morale.
- Collaborated with clients to identify and respond to partnership management challenges.
Director of Client Service
Illumination Wealth Management
San Diego
10.2012 - 10.2016
- Cultivated culture of continuous improvement and innovation, enhancing operational efficiency and achieving measurable results.
- Achieved high staff morale and retention through effective communication, prompt problem resolution, proactive supervisory practices, and facilitation of proactive work environment.
- Supervised daily operations and sales functions to maximize revenue, customer satisfaction and employee productivity.
- Streamlined operations and prioritized tasks, allowing senior staff to increase revenue by 40% year after year.
- Mentored departmental team, boosting efficiency, success, and morale among employees.
- Implemented and monitored accounting processes to support contractual obligations resulting in increased revenue and client retention.
- Built client relationships by responding to inquiries, identifying, and assessing clients' needs, resolving problems, and following up with potential and existing clients.
- Managed complaints, delivering timely solutions and alternatives while ensuring follow-up to achieve resolution.
- Developed customization reporting tools and dashboards to generate client, revenue, and internal intelligence reports.
- Delegated tasks to support team members and utilized cloud-based tools to address complex business issues effectively.
- Organized daily workflow and assessed appropriate staffing to provide optimal service.
- Collaborated with owners on invoicing accuracy for applicable products, services, software, and logistics.
- Collected confidential financial information from clients to construct comprehensive financial plans.
- Handled all scheduling for the Senior Advisor's calendar and prepared meeting agenda and materials.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Business Management
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT01-2027
High School Diploma -
El Cajon Valley High School
El Cajon, CA06-1993
Skills
- Public records management
- Records management
- Municipal administration
- Policy development
- Staff coordination
- Office personnel management
- Research skills
- Public records management
Certification
- Certified Notary Public
- Driver's License
Languages
- Multilingual
- Bilingual
Timeline
City Secretary
City of Howe
03.2024 - 04.2026
Court Administrator
City of Gainesville
07.2021 - 03.2024
Client Relationship Manager
Essential Planners
10.2016 - 07.2022
Director of Client Service
Illumination Wealth Management
10.2012 - 10.2016
Bachelor of Science - Business Management
Western Governors University
High School Diploma -
El Cajon Valley High School