Council selects new clerk

Jenny Marder

The City Council opted to bypass experience for general savvy on

Monday when it appointed Joan Flynn, a public works employee, to

serve as city clerk until the November election.

Of the eight candidates interviewed Monday, Flynn stood out for

her confidence, intelligence and work ethic, City Councilwoman Connie

Boardman said.

The position opened on Tuesday when longtime City Clerk Connie

Brockway officially stepped down because of a family illness. Since

Brockway’s term won’t officially expire until November, the council

chose to open the temporary spot to interested candidates.

Flynn, 51, who works as a senior administrative analyst in the

Public Works Department, will take over as city clerk on June 1.

The office of city clerk has been a longtime goal, Flynn said.

“With the skills that I have, it’s the perfect match for me and I

see it as a place where I can make a difference,” Flynn said. “My

management style is something that can blend and enhance that

office.”

Flynn describes herself as analytical, organized and a people

person.

“My drive seems to be altruism, I just love to help people,” she

said. “This will give me an opportunity to use the skills that I

have, which are organizational and management [skills.] I’m very

tenacious and also people-oriented. I have the ability for accuracy

and I’m also very ethical. It’s a position that demands ethics and

excellence.”

Flynn was chosen over Deputy City Clerk Liz Ehring, who has taken

over Brockway’s duties since the former city clerk retired.

The City Council has made a decision, Ehring said, and she will do

her best to help Flynn adapt to her new job.

“It’s always the council’s prerogative to make a decision and they

have decided that [Flynn] can do it,” she said.

Ehring hasn’t decided yet whether she will run for city clerk in

the November election.

Boardman went into Monday’s interviews prepared to back a

candidate with city clerk experience, but was won over by Flynn, she

said.

“Overall I was really impressed and it overcame my concern about

her not having experience in the city clerk’s office,” Boardman said.

“She knows what she doesn’t know and she knows what she’s going to

have to do to be an effective clerk during the campaign period I’m

confident that she has the intelligent and work ethic to learn what

she needs to learn to be a successful clerk.”

Flynn said she will look to the experience of other employees in

the department to help bring her up to speed. She has also been in

contact with city clerks from other cities who are helping her

prepare for the job.

Mayor Cathy Green cast one of the two no votes for Flynn. Green’s

main concern was timing, she said.

“I like Joan very much and I think she can do anything,” Green

said. “But at this point, right now, we have to start getting ready

for the next election. We have the presidential election, three

people are running for City Council, the city clerk and the city

treasurer are running It’s a lot. There’s rules for everything. It’s

not only public records, but it’s the election laws, “

Still, like Boardman, Green has no doubt that Flynn can take on

the challenge in stride.

“I’m sure there will be some bumps in the road, but nothing Joan

can’t handle,” Boardman said.

* JENNY MARDER covers City Hall. She can be reached at (714)

965-7173 or by e-mail at [email protected].