Rules and Regulations for Certification of Connecticut Town Clerks

Per C.G.S. 7-22a, a Certification Committee was created to establish a training program for and certification of Town Clerks, Deputy/Assistant Town Clerks and other Town Clerk staff. If room is available, class is opened to any individual at a higher fee since the CTCA supplements the Academy. Individuals not permanently employed in a Town Clerk’s Office do not qualify for certification and classes taken will NOT count toward certification at any time.

II. CERTIFICATION

    A. Eligibility

Candidates may satisfy the eligibility requirements for certification as follows:

        1. Must be a permanent employee in a Town Clerk’s Office.

        2. Must be a CTCA member.

        3. Successfully complete the prescribed training program consisting of five modules.

        4. Submit a certificate to meet technology requirement of basic computer skills.

       5. Completion of on the job training consisting of not less than two-and-one-half years work in the municipal clerk field. (must be a permanent employee during such training)

        6. Successfully pass mandatory final examination.

        1. The classroom training program shall be administered at the school for Connecticut Town Clerks, notice of which shall be mailed to each Town Clerk’s Office.

        2. The sequence of the five modules is as follows:

            i. Municipal Records Management

            ii. Elections

           iii. Land Records

            iv. Vital Records

            v. Miscellaneous Records, other duties

            vi. Technology – provide certificate of class taken to prove basic computer skills

    A candidate who has not completed all modules of the classroom training program, but has completed the on the job training prescribed in Section A of these regulations, may submit evidence that such candidate has experience that is substantially equivalent to all or part of such module. Substantially equivalent evidence to only part of a module will be acceptable for a candidate who has successfully completed the remainder of the module.  Such evidence shall be in the form of an affidavit describing such experience in detail and executed by said candidate. Upon review, verification and acceptance of such evidence by the committee and successful completion of the final examination, such candidate shall be recommended for certification.

        1. The final examination shall be conducted annually.

        2. Applications for the final examination shall be accepted from persons meeting the eligibility requirements.

        3. Applications shall be obtained from the committee chairperson.

        4. Applications shall be returned not less than two weeks prior to the examination, together with an application fee to be established annually by the committee.

        5. The passing grade for the examination is 70.

        6. Any applicant who fails the examination may retake the examination once upon payment of a reexamination fee to be established annually by the committee.

        7. Any applicant failing the examination twice must repeat the training program.

III. RESCISSION OF CERTIFICATION – TWO METHODS

    Upon receipt of a written complaint by the Committee for Certification of Connecticut Town Clerks alleging a prohibited act as defined in this paragraph by a person certified as a town clerk, the committee shall hold a hearing upon such complaint. The committee shall give written notice to the person certified as a town clerk against whom the complaint has been filed, and to the complainant, as to the date, time and place of the hearing. Such notice shall also contain a clear and concise description of the alleged prohibited act. The person certified as a town clerk and the complainant shall have a right to appear before the committee and to be heard. Upon completion of the hearing, the committee may retire to consider the evidence presented. The committee must present its findings within thirty days of the conclusion of said hearing. If a majority of the committee present at the hearing find that the person certified as a town clerk committed a prohibited act, the committee shall notify the Secretary of the State of its findings and shall recommend that the designation of said person as a Certified Connecticut Town Clerk be rescinded. Prohibited acts for the purpose of this regulation are:

        1. Knowingly engaging in fraud or material deception in order to obtain designation as a Certified Connecticut Town Clerk.

        2. Knowingly engaging in fraud or material deception in order to aid another in obtaining designation as a Certified Connecticut Town Clerk.

        3. Conviction in criminal proceedings for actions taken in direct connection with the office and duties of Town Clerk.

    B. Removal under C.G.S. 7-22

    If any person who holds the designation of Certified Connecticut Town Clerk is removed from office under the provisions of Section 7-22 of the Connecticut general Statutes, the committee shall not hold a hearing but shall meet for the purpose of recommending to the Secretary of the State that the designation of said person as Certified Connecticut Town Clerk be rescinded.