After more than 20 years of working for DeKalb, City Clerk Donna Johnson is running uncontested for reelection on April 5.

Johnson began working for the city in 1977 and has been city clerk for eight years. Before that, she was an alderman as well as deputy city clerk.

“By the time I think I have heard every question or discussed every topic, somebody comes up with something new,” Johnson said.

The city clerk has two primary duties: to record the minutes for city council meetings and to file official city records such as ordinances, resolutions, contracts, petitions and deeds.

“I think the city clerk is a very integral part of the city government,” said DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow.

Sparrow worked with Johnson for a number of years and said he is pleased with the quality and consistency of her work.

The city clerk also plays an important role in the local elections, Johnson said.

The city clerk is in charge of sending candidates the proper legal documents needed in order to run for election, Johnson said.

When those candidates return the paperwork, the city clerk informs the county clerk which candidate is running for what position, Johnson said.

The city clerk is also assigned duties by the city council, Johnson said. Those tasks vary from city to city.

The city council has appointed the city clerk to compile and update the DeKalb Municipal Code, a book of local laws in addition to state laws, she said.

“Some cities outsource their municipal code, but in DeKalb, it’s all done in house,” Johnson said.

Johnson also volunteered to do the administrative processing for the liquor commission in 1977 and has done it ever since.

“DeKalb used to have more liquor licenses issued with a low level of problematic activity,” Johnson said. “But now we have less licenses issued and have a lot more problems.”

The administrative processing for the liquor commission has changed a lot over the years as the market for college students’ business has become increasingly competitive, Johnson said.

Johnson is able to appoint an assistant, Tonya Christensen, to help her with all the clerical duties.

Christensen runs and coordinates the agenda for city council meetings and assists Johnson with her archiving or anything else she is working on, she said.

Another responsibility Johnson volunteered for is fulfilling Freedom of Information Act requests, Johnson said.

She volunteered because she said the city clerk’s office was most apt at knowing which department to get the requested information from, Johnson said.

The FOIA is a law that states if anybody wants public information of the local municipality, they can submit a request for it, Johnson said.

“We are required by law to respond within seven days,” she said.