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Managing Change in the Public Sector: 4 Clerks Share Their Stories

business people discussing strategy during team meeting at the office

From new technologies to shifting city council dynamics, municipal clerks are experts at managing change in the public sector. In these four videos, clerks from around the country share their stories and advice.

Stephanie: Find Your Change Agents

The Scenario

Stephanie Storm has spent the past 7 years championing digitization and automation efforts in Wylie, Texas.

Stephanie’s Advice

“Instead of trying to force the change, we went to the departments willing to try a small change. And then moving forward, those departments that maybe were a little hesitant at the beginning saw the benefits of the electronic forms and workflow processes, not just internally but externally for the citizens. Word got around to other departments, ‘Hey, this is great! Maybe you might want to look into this,’ or ‘How can we automate our processes?’“

Phil: Be Hands-On with Training

The Scenario

Phil Scollick led the charge to digitize San Marcos, California,’s records request process.

Phil’s Advice

“Everyone recognized the old process was clunky, it wasn’t efficient. But at the same time, people hate change. People are always comfortable with what they know. But having somebody like Destiny and [the JustFOIA] team working us through the whole process, the training, the onboarding took a lot of the fear and the apprehension out of it. It was hands-on to where everyone felt comfortable.”

Maddy: Listen and Understand Your Council’s Goals

The Scenario

Maddy Sielu became Keystone, Colorado,’s first-ever town clerk and worked with the town council to build from the ground up.

Maddy’s Advice

“As a clerk, you must understand what your council is looking for and their goals. When you come into a new environment, it’s really easy to think of all of these challenges you’d like to solve. But you have to prioritize and then ensure it’s in line with the council’s and the municipality’s goals. Luckily, in the Town of Keystone, it was very clear in the incorporation process that their goal was to have a more transparent and efficient government process. And so understanding what council members meant by that and thinking about what we’re looking for.”

Shari: Have Patience with New Council Members

The Scenario

Shari Moore of St. Paul, Minnesota, ushered in the first all-female city council of any major city in the country, inaugurating four new members.

Shari’s Advice

“Have patience with new council members. They have a perception of how they think things work, and then they see the reality of how things go. And sometimes, that’s hard for them to acknowledge and understand. Give them information in small pieces. Every Wednesday, the council hears from another department in the city or another program to get them up to speed. So that when it does come budget time for them in the fall, they’ll have a pretty good understanding of how most things in the city work.”

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