ORR - Administrative Assistant

This position is responsible for the day-to-day administration and processing of open records requests received by the City. The employee serves as the primary point of contact for requesters; coordinates the collection, review, production, and delivery of responsive records; provides timely status updates and legally appropriate time and cost estimates; and maintains complete and accurate request files. This position reports to the City Clerk and is dedicated primarily to open records request operations.• Supports the vision, mission, and principles of the City and the City Clerk's Office.
• Serves as the primary administrative contact for open records requests submitted through the City's designated request portal, email, mail, or in person.
• Reviews incoming requests for completeness and scope; communicates professionally with requesters to acknowledge receipt, clarify requests when needed, and explain the City's process without discouraging access to public records.
• Logs, categorizes, assigns, and tracks each request in the City's open records request management system, including all communications, deadlines, estimates, payments, productions, and closure notes.
• Routes requests promptly to the appropriate departments, records custodians, and subject-matter staff and provides clear instructions regarding the records and response date needed.
• Follows up consistently with departments and staff to obtain responsive records, documents follow-up efforts, and promptly escalates delayed or incomplete responses to the City Clerk.
• Prepares and sends timely written acknowledgments, status updates, and other requester communications in accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act, City policy, and instructions from the City Clerk or City Attorney.
• When records cannot be produced within the required response period, prepares a written response explaining the basis for the delay and providing a reasonable estimated production date, schedule, or rolling-production plan, subject to review when required.
• Coordinates reasonable search, retrieval, redaction, copying, and administrative cost estimates; communicates applicable charges and prepayment requirements; and maintains documentation supporting each estimate.
• Identifies records that may contain confidential, privileged, exempt, or sensitive information and refers exemption, withholding, and complex redaction questions to the City Clerk and/or City Attorney; does not make unauthorized legal determinations.
• Applies approved redactions and prepares exemption or withholding explanations as directed, ensuring that releasable portions of records are produced when appropriate.
• Provides records to requesters through the approved delivery method, confirms successful transmission, and documents all productions, including partial and rolling productions.
• Monitors aging, overdue, high-volume, and complex requests; maintains calendars and tickler systems; and prepares routine workload, backlog, completion-time, and compliance reports for the City Clerk.
• Coordinates with departments, Information Technology, Finance, Human Resources, Police, Legal, and other offices as necessary to locate records and complete requests.
• Maintains strict confidentiality and safeguards records containing personally identifiable, legally protected, security-sensitive, or otherwise restricted information.
• Closes requests only after responsive records have been produced or an appropriate written response has been issued, the requester has been notified, and the request file contains a complete audit trail.
• Assists the City Clerk with developing templates, procedures, tracking tools, and departmental guidance designed to improve the timeliness, consistency, and accuracy of open records responses.
• Performs other open-records-related duties as assigned.A high school diploma or GED is required. An associate's degree in business administration, public administration, records management, paralegal studies, office administration, or a related field is preferred. Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in administrative support, records management, public records, legal support, customer service, or a related field is required; experience in a municipal or county clerk's office or other governmental records environment is preferred. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge and skills may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience using an electronic open records request platform, such as JustFOIA or a comparable system; experience reviewing and redacting electronic records; and familiarity with Georgia public records requirements and records-retention schedules.• Knowledge of, or the ability to learn and accurately apply, the Georgia Open Records Act, applicable records- retention requirements, City policies, and departmental procedures.
• Knowledge of public records administration, document collection, file organization, record production, and request-tracking practices.
• Ability to manage a high volume of requests with competing deadlines while maintaining accuracy, organization, and careful documentation.
• Ability to draft clear, professional, and legally appropriate correspondence, including acknowledgments, clarification requests, status updates, time extensions, cost estimates, and closure notices.
• Ability to review records carefully, recognize potentially confidential or exempt information, follow approved redaction instructions, and elevate legal questions promptly.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive information.
• Excellent customer service skills and the ability to communicate with patience, tact, courtesy, and neutrality, including during difficult or repeated interactions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, supervisors, department heads, elected officials, attorneys, requesters, and the public.
• Skill in conducting basic research, reconciling records received from multiple sources, identifying missing information, and maintaining a defensible audit trail.
• Skill in using electronic records-request platforms, document-management systems, email, word-processing applications, spreadsheets, PDF and redaction tools, scanners, and other modern office equipment.
• Ability to calculate and document basic fees, deposits, prepayments, and production estimates accurately.
• Ability to understand and accurately carry out oral and written instructions and to recognize matters requiring supervisory or legal review.

Supervisory Controls : Work is assigned by the City Clerk in terms of office goals, statutory requirements, established priorities, and request deadlines. The employee performs recurring duties independently within established procedures. Work is reviewed for timeliness, accuracy, completeness, customer service, legal and policy compliance, and the propriety of final results.

Guidelines: Guidelines include the Georgia Open Records Act; applicable federal and state confidentiality requirements; Georgia records-retention schedules; City ordinances, resolutions, policies, and procedures; legal guidance issued by the City Attorney; the City personnel manual; and City Clerk's Office procedures. Guidelines require judgment in determining the appropriate process and when to obtain supervisory or legal direction.

Complexity: The work involves numerous simultaneous requests that may differ significantly in scope, urgency, format, department ownership, volume, and sensitivity. The employee must coordinate across departments, track multiple deadlines, identify incomplete or potentially restricted records, prepare accurate communications and estimates, and adapt priorities while maintaining a complete record of each action.

Scope and Effect: The purpose of this position is to provide a centralized, consistent, and timely administrative process for responding to open records requests. Successful performance promotes transparency and public trust, improves service to requesters, supports City departments, reduces backlogs, and helps the City meet its legal obligations.

Personal Contacts: Contacts are typically with requesters, members of the public, co-workers, department heads, records custodians, elected officials, attorneys, law-enforcement personnel, members of the media, vendors, and representatives of other governmental agencies.

Purpose of Contacts: Contacts are typically to receive and clarify requests; obtain, verify, and exchange information; coordinate records searches and productions; explain procedures, estimates, and timelines; provide status updates; resolve routine concerns; and deliver responsive records or written determinations.

Physical Demands: The work is typically performed while sitting at a desk or workstation, with intermittent standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting of light records boxes or office materials. The employee uses computers, scanners, telephones, and other equipment requiring visual attention and a moderate degree of manual dexterity. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment: The work is typically performed in an office setting. The position requires sustained computer use, frequent written and telephone communication, and the ability to work with interruptions and time-sensitive assignments.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility: None.