Before there were mayors, town councils and town managers, there were town clerks. The municipal clerk is the oldest of public servants in local government along with the tax collector, and the profession traces back before Biblical times.
Then and now, the municipal clerk's office serves as a direct link between citizens of the community and their government. Every town, city, village and tribe in the world has at least one person who - by whatever title he or she is known - serves in the role of town clerk:
Custodian of official public records
Communicator of public policy
Organizer of public business
Recorder of the community's history
Performer of many varied tasks that assist in the smooth operation of local governance