Florida Association of City Clerks

Promoting and Developing the Educational and Professional Status of Florida City Clerks

Summer Conference & Academy Host Committee, 2026

The Summer Conference & Academy Host Committee shall act as the local host during the annual Summer Conference & Academy under the direction and approval of the Board of Directors.

This committee works closely with FACC staff. Members of the committee are appointed by the President, serve a one-year term, and usually represent the general area in which the Summer Conference & Academy is held.

The committee should begin planning and making arrangements as soon as possible following appointment of the committee members and the chair. Many aspects of the Summer Conference & Academy, such as contracts and reservations for the various functions are coordinated by the FACC staff and must receive the Board’s approval. Summer Conference & Academy sponsors and/or exhibitors are negotiated by FACC staff.

For more information on committee responsibilities and chair responsibilities, scroll down this page.

2025-2026 Committee Chair

Genesis Guevara
Deputy Town Clerk, Town of Surfside

2025-2026 Committee Members:

Lilliana Baker, CMC, Deputy City Clerk, City of Fort Myers
Jacqueline M. Burgess, Deputy Clerk, City of West Palm Beach
Mary Hagemann, CMC, City Clerk, City of Fort Myers
Lezli Merritt, MPA, City Clerk, City of Belleview
Jennifer Myers, CMC, Recording Specialist, City of Fort Myers
Anna Rottermond, MMC, Deputy City Clerk, City of Leesburg

Committee Responsibilities

1) City Treasures for Welcome Bags:
FACC staff will purchase and provide the welcome bags, and the committee solicits items for the bags to include area information, i.e. restaurants, a map, etc., as well as little giveaways that local municipalities and businesses may have on hand, i.e. pens, notepads, tissues, hand sanitizer, etc. FACC staff will include advertisements in the Friday Newsletter requesting welcome bag donations. The committee should put together informational pages that include local places of interest, restaurants and maps of the area to include in the attendees’ welcome bags. Before the conference begins, the committee will meet and fill the welcome bags on site at the conference.

2) Clerks' Night Out:
The committee selects a venue for Clerks' Night Out, and coordinates with FACC staff to secure the venue for Clerks' Night Out. Clerks' Night Out needs to pay for itself if possible. The committee members will work with FACC staff to market the event and include the details in the academy announcement. FACC staff will accept and process registrations for the event. Committee members will attend the event and manage the event. If you need a bus for Clerks' Night Out, please let FACC staff know. Note that all contracts for venues, transportation, and related services must be signed by FACC staff, not by committee chairs or members. For any questions, contact FACC staff at facc@flcities.com.

3) Opening Ceremonies:
The Opening Ceremony is held first on Monday morning. The committee must arrange/schedule the following aspects in order of their performance:
a) Honor/Color Guard – present colors/flags and generally the host city has their own within the fire or police departments or will be able to provide information.
b) National Anthem Performer – FACC Staff can help recommend singers if needed.
c) Welcome Address – usually given by the mayor or other top official of the host city/area. The welcome address is limited to 2-4 minutes.

It is recommended that the committee start planning the details of the opening ceremony as early as possible in order to avoid unanticipated problems.

4) Door Prizes:
The committee is responsible for soliciting items from Clerks throughout the state to use as door prizes at the Summer Conference and Academy. FACC staff will include advertisements in the Friday Newsletter requesting door prize gifts, such as gift cards, goody baskets, candles, jewelry, etc. In addition, the committee should contact local businesses to request appropriate items or gift certificates to use as door prizes. Please note that the committee cannot solicit monetary donations. If a business wishes to donate money instead of a prize, provide FACC staff with their contact information and let the business know that FACC staff will contact them regarding sponsorship.

Door prizes will be brought to the conference registration desk and collected by FACC staff. Door prize drawings will be held until the end of the conference closing session. Attendee names shall be placed in a software program by FACC staff and this software will be utilized to electronically select names. To win a prize, the person must be present in the room. Committee members will help move the door prizes from the FACC conference staff office to the session meeting room, either the night before the last day of conference or either the morning of the last day. The committee will coordinate with FACC staff to know when and where to move the door prizes to the closing session. At the end of the closing session, committee members will distribute the door prizes to the winners.

5) President’s Presentation & Welcome Reception:
The committee orders a small cake and cupcakes (typically the cupcakes are in to-go containers) for the President's Presentation & Welcome Reception. It is advised to ask the outgoing FACC President what type of cake flavor they prefer.

6) New Member & First-Time Attendee Meetup:
This event takes place in the hotel lobby on Monday evening. This is a casual opportunity for first-time attendees and new members to meet and network. There is no formal agenda. Attendees can stick around and chat, or head out to dinner together (meals are pay-on-your-own). Committee members will attend this meetup at the beginning to be sure everything is running smoothly.

Chair Responsibilities

Letter of Support
Before accepting the position of Committee Chair, the member shall provide a letter of support from his or her city to the FACC President.

Committee Coordination
The chair serves as a coordinator and oversees the committee, acting as a liaison between the committee and the Board of Directors. The chair should make sure that all committee members understand their duties and the role they play in accomplishing their goals. Shortly after appointment, the chair should begin to organize the members and establish a meeting calendar including proposed timeframes. The chair should be available to answer questions from committee and board members during their term.

FACC Board Meetings
The chair should plan on attending all of the FACC Board meetings. When a required report is due, the committee chair will prepare an agenda item for inclusion in the Board agenda packets; if there has not been any committee activity and a report is not warranted, the chair shall send an email to FACC staff notifying them an agenda item is not being submitted.

Committee Appointments
The president of FACC will send the list of appointees to the committee chair each year. The committee chair will contact the members of the committee. The chair must document those committee members that remained active and sufficiently participated during the year. This information needs to be sent to FACC staff at the end of the year. FACC staff will then forward the Certificate of Committee Accomplishment to those members who actively served.

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