Q&A: Deputy city clerk earns master municipal clerk certification

In 2011, Portales Deputy City Clerk Veda Urioste set out to become a certified municipal clerk. Six years and countless trainings later, she has gained an even higher distinction.

Urioste was recognized at Tuesday's Portales City Council meeting for having received the master municipal clerk certification, which she earned by attending multiple training sessions a year in which she worked with other city clerks to gain a more intimate knowledge of her position.

"It's a learning tool. You go and you learn a lot of what goes on in the municipality, as far as the rules and regs, and they go over everything: Procurement, budgeting, just about everything that is part of a clerk's duties," she said.

The desire to be a better resource for her colleagues was a major reason to pursue the certification, according to Urioste.

"I know that Joan (Martinez-Terry, Portales city clerk) is walking knowledge around here. You need to know anything, you go to Joan. Some day, some year, maybe I'll be in that same spot. This is just helping me to help her as the years go by," she said.

How does it feel to have finally earned the certification?

On a personal note, I'm just really, really excited about it. You're never too old to learn. I'd like to instill that in my kids. It's an accomplishment that is yours, that you've worked towards. You can't ever lose it; it's yours.

Why is this distinction important for you?

It's just an accomplishment that an individual works towards, and has under their belt, for furthering their employment, for betterment in the employment area. I'm hoping now that I'll be able to help Joan out with a lot more. If there's a question or something that needs to be done, now more than before, it's something that we've touched on at the academy, and I'm able to say, "Hey, we went over this," and so I'm able to help and give my suggestions, or give my outlook as to what I know about that situation. It may help, it may not. It may be something that we need, it may be something that we don't need. It's the knowledge of knowing, and not really just thinking.

How do you think this process has made you better?

I'm able to step up and help in more situations with Joan, I'm able to answer a few more questions. Just going through the trainings, I'm able to let these other, younger employees we have know that there is opportunity to advance out there. It may not be an advancement in job, per se, but an advancement in your educational knowledge and your personal knowledge. Any kind of education is a plus, I would say.

- Compiled by Staff Writer Eamon Scarbrough