ABOUT US
MISSION STATEMENT
The Clerk’s Office is committed to four key elements of local democracy: (1) conducting orderly elections; (2) maintaining safe, sound and accessible records; (3) conducting orderly Council proceedings, and (4) securing the public’s right to access government records while protecting legitimate governmental interests and the privacy rights of individual citizens. The Municipal Clerk works with all branches of government and serves as the City’s general point of contact for the public.
The Clerk acts as legislative administrator for the Mayor and City Council and is the custodian of all public body legislative and administrative records. Duties include: a) coordinating, preparing and distributing Mayor and Council meeting agendas; b) live streaming meetings; c) recording and producing meeting minutes; d) indexing and logging ordinances and resolutions; e) ensuring the actions of the Mayor and Council are legally advertised; f) overseeing codification of the City Code; g) managing document and record retention schedules; h) administering beach equipment, photo and vehicle vending franchises; i) dissemination of information to the public as outlined in the Maryland Public Information Act and Open Meetings Act; and j) custodian of the city seal.
In conjunction with the Board of Supervisors of Election, the Clerk conducts the municipal elections, including certificates of candidacy, campaign expenditure reports, legal notices, printing of ballot, absentee ballots, and preparing poll books.
The Clerk’s office also issues Senior Citizen Bus Passes and employee ID’s, application for Ocean City license plates, and is a passport acceptance agency.
DIANA L. CHAVIS, CMC, City Clerk, has been employed by the City since 1999, serving as administrative assistant to the finance director and executive associate to the city manager prior to her 2015 appointment as city clerk. Mrs. Chavis graduated summa cum laude from Salisbury University with a B.A. degree in Communications. She is a Certified Municipal Clerk and an active member of the Maryland Municipal League, the International Institute of Municipal Clerks Association, and the Maryland Municipal Clerks Association (MMCA), currently serving as its Education Committee chairman. Diana was selected 2022 City Clerk of the Year by the MMCA. Diana’s administrative experience in public finance and public management provides a solid foundation for her role as city clerk. [email protected] 410-289-8842