West Pelzer Town Clerk Paula Payton achieves Master Municipal Clerk designation

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West Pelzer Municipal Clerk Paula H. Payton recently achieved the professional title of Master Municipal Clerk (MMC).
Payton has served as the Town Clerk & Administrator for the Town of West Pelzer since 2007. She was officially recognized for the achievement during the West Pelzer Town Council meeting Tuesday.

City of Greenville Municipal Clerk Camilla Pittman, who represents the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) – Region 3, presented Payton with a plaque.
Pittman said the Region 3 organization is the largest in the IIMC organization, representing South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Payton earned the profession designations of Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) in 2015 and more recently, Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) in 2021.

The Certified Municipal Clerk program is designed to enhance the job performance of clerks in small and large municipalities. To earn the CMC designation, a Municipal Clerk must attend extensive education programs and have pertinent experience in a municipality.

Pittman said it takes 120 hours of study to qualify, then 100 more hours to achieve the Certified Municipal Clerk designation, which Payton obtained in 2015.
An additional 180 hours is required to become a Master Municipal Clerk.

According to the IIMC website, the MMC program is the second and more advanced of the two professional designations granted by IIMC. The MMC program is an advanced continuing education program that prepares participants to perform complex municipal duties. The program has an extensive and rigorous educational component and a professional contribution component. A MMC applicant must demonstrate that they have actively pursued education and professional activities.

“The program encourages growing, learning and continuing to learn,” Pittman said.
Payton thanked Council for their support in allowing her to pursue the designations. She also thanked Pittman for being an example and her husband for his support. “It has been my honor and privilege to serve the Town of West Pelzer,” she said.
During the recognition, West Pelzer Mayor Blake Sanders said, “Paula works closely with the Mayor and Council to fulfill their vision for the Town and serves as a liason between the citizens, staff and elected officials.”

She also serves as the Municipal Representative on the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee and Anderson County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; she is a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, Business License Officials Association, Municipal Finance Officers and Clerks Association, IIMC Capstone Committee, Athenian Leadership Society and National Association of Parliamentarians.

Payton is a graduate of the Leadership Anderson Class #33, South Carolina Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Institute (2014) and University of Wisconsin Parliamentary Procedure: Dynamics in Leadership (2021).

“Through continued growth and education, Paula strives to improve the quality of life for every citizen in West Pelzer,” Mayor Sanders said.