City Recorder

Contact the City Recorder: Ruth Post

Ruth Post was hired as the Philomath City Recorder in June 2002. Her employment with the City began in 1999 as the Utility Billing Clerk and she was the Utility Billing/Municipal Court Clerk from 2001 to 2002.

Ruth is a Master Municipal Clerk, as certified by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks; and she served as the President of the Oregon Association of Municipal Recorders in 2009-2010.

A lifelong Philomath resident, Ruth graduated from Philomath High School and Linn-Benton Community College. Along with her husband Henry, she raised two daughters who also graduated from Philomath High School. When away from the office, she is likely to be found backpacking, quilting or enjoying her grandchildren.

 

City Council Meetings and Council Services

The City Recorder is responsible for the preparation and dissemination of City Council meeting agendas and packets. The City Recorder must attend every meeting of the City Council and keep accurate minutes of the proceedings, engrossing and enrolling all ordinances and resolutions of the City Council. The City Recorder handles Council meeting preparations and correspondence for the Mayor and Council.

Records Custodian/Records Management Officer
The City Recorder is responsible for the care and maintenance of all City of Philomath records. This office houses all City Council minutes, agendas, ordinances, resolutions, contracts and a vast array of other historical and regulatory information. The City Recorder is designated as the City’s Records Management Officer. She is responsible for adherence to the OAR Division 200 City General Records Retention Schedule and for monitoring the records storage center. In addition to these duties, the City Recorder responds to requests for City records filed each year under the Oregon Public Records Law.

Elections
The City Recorder serves as the Chief Election Official for the City of Philomath ensuring compliance with Oregon elections statutes, the City Charter, and City ordinances. She manages all elections of the Mayor and City Council, initiative measures, city referrals, referendums and recall petitions, in coordination with the Benton County Elections Office.

Boards/Commissions/Committees
The City Recorder coordinates the application process for City Council appointed commissions and committees and maintains all board and committee agendas, meeting packets, and minutes. The City Recorder attends meetings of the Planning Commission and other committees as needed, keeping accurate minutes and permanent records of the proceedings.

Permits/Licenses
The City Recorder is responsible for the issuance of certain permits and licenses for various operations within the City of Philomath including alcoholic beverage licenses, tobacco sales permits, non-domestic animal permits, and broadcast permits.

Building Permits/Planning
The City Recorder serves as the City’s Building Permits Clerk and Planning Assistant, accepting, coordinating and issuing all building permits and accepting, documenting and tracking all land use applications. The City employs a part-time Planner and contracts with Benton County for building permit plan reviews and inspection services. The City Recorder works as a hub ensuring compliance with building, land use, infrastructure and fire department conditions of approval prior to issuance of certificates of occupancy or permit finalization. She maintains the official permanent record for all building and planning actions. The City Recorder assigns all new addresses in the City and is the City’s jurisdictional contact with the Census Bureau.

Community Outreach
The City Recorder is the City’s Webmaster, maintaining all website postings, updates, and enhancements. She monitors and maintains the City’s official Facebook page and manages the Community Electronic Readerboard Sign.

Miscellaneous
In addition to the duties listed above, the City Recorder serves as custodian of the City corporate seal and attests the Mayor’s signature on all official documents; records and files easements; drafts ordinances and resolutions; coordinates the codification of City ordinances into the Philomath Municipal Code; publishes and posts all legal ads and notices for the City; is the City’s jurisdictional contact to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission; and answers myriad questions related to the City’s 135 year history.