Clerk Guide

This Clerk Guide and the other articles in the Clerk Resources section of the Help Center will provide you with the information you need to successfully use your Codification services.

 

 

What We Need from You

Legislation can be emailed to us, submitted online through our file share application, or sent through and Agenda and Meeting Management software integration. We will hold the legislation for your next scheduled supplement or electronic update unless otherwise instructed. If enrolled in OrdBank, the ordinance will be posted online in PDF format within 48 business hours of receiving the material. Submitting material in Microsoft Word format is preferred, although you may also send your material in digital PDF format.

 

For tips on how to write your legislation, view our Suggested Steps for Drafting an Ordinance article.

 

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Key Components of Your Code

Preface

The preface is a summary of the code. It gives the history of codification and materials used. The preface also explains the organization and structure of your code.

 

Instruction Sheet

Every printed supplement will include an instruction sheet for the removal of obsolete pages and the insertion of new pages.

 

Checklist of Up-To-Date Pages

Every printed supplement will include a checklist of up-to-date pages for your new code.

 

Supplement History Table

The Supplement History Table is a list of the legislation submitted for each supplement and whether that legislation was codified.

 

Comparative Tables

Please review the table(s) in the back of the volume as these are important for reference.

 

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Online Code Hosting Additional Upgrades

 

• CodeBank provides instant access to past versions of your code after each supplementation.
• CodeBank Compare + eNotify provides you with the ability to select a past version of your online code and compare it to any other version of the code each time the code is updated. The differences will be shown through highlights (added materials) or strikethrough (deleted material).
• eNotify allows staff and residents to enroll to receive an email notification each time the online code is updated. Once updated, a “modified,” “removed” or “added” badge is shown within the online table of contents to alert users of recently amended sections of your code.
• OrdBank will create one-click access to every amendatory ordinance through linked history notes. Ordinances are permanently stored online in the OrdBank repository and filed in annual folders.
• OrdLink will create highlights within your online code to help users identify what amendatory ordinances have been recently adopted and what code sections have been amended.
• MuniPRO is a great tool for attorneys, developers, planners, clerks, and other users to search over 4,500+ codes in the Municode library, save frequently used or complex searches, create notes to attach to any publication and draft new ordinances.
• MuniDocs allows you to upload many types of documents to search and browse alongside your code, including minutes, agendas, resolutions, and more.

 

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Supplementation Services

Initial Receipt

The receipt of the submitted legislation is acknowledged within 24 to 48 hours. Our production support team will record the adoption date, effective date, and ordinance number(s) and ensure that all necessary exhibits, tables, and graphics are included. You will be advised promptly if any pertinent information is missing from your submission. If you utilize the OrdBank service, the legislation is posted within 48 business hours in PDF format on the hosted code as "Adopted Not Yet Codified" until the legislation is codified.

 

Submit newly adopted legislation now automatically between Agenda and Meeting Management Essential (formerly Municode Meetings) and Online Code Hosting (formerly MunicodeNEXT) with OrdBank, for the history notes to be linked to the meeting in which your newly adopted legislation was considered. View our Legislation Integration between Meetings Software and Your Code video for a short demonstration.

 

Editorial Review

Our editorial team will review all ordinances received to determine whether the ordinance should be included in your code; where the ordinance should be placed; whether the ordinance conflicts with your existing code format; what material should be removed from your existing code; whether history notes will be added; what tables will be updated; and whether the table of contents in the front of the code and at the chapter/title level should be amended. If any significant errors or numbering issues are noted, your editor will contact you for clarification. Our editorial team will make no substantive changes to your legislation; however, minor typographical errors will be corrected as part of the supplement process. Should the editorial, legal, or proofreading team find discrepancies in your ordinances, we will communicate with you promptly.

 

Indexing

If an Index is elected, your supplement will be sent to our indexing team, where new legislation is indexed and cross-referenced in all appropriate locations.

 

Proofreading

The proofreader assigned to your editorial team will then examine your supplement line by line to ensure correct handling of the incorporated legislation, correctness in hierarchy and layout, and accuracy in spelling, capitalization, and language style.

 

Posting the Supplement Online

After your supplement has been completed, your online code will be updated as quickly as possible, and we will provide any electronic products requested. You will receive a notification that the website has been updated by email. If our CodeBank Compare + eNotify service is elected, residents will be notified when the online code is updated. When your code is updated, all internal cross-reference links are updated on our Online Code Hosting system.

With our OrdBank feature, each history note will be linked to the ordinance that amended the respective section. With our CivicPlus agenda and meetings management to Online Code Hosting integration, your OrdBank-powered history notes will be permanently and automatically linked to the meetings in which the associated legislation was adopted.

 

Printing and Shipping

We will print, cut, hole-punch, insert divider tabs (if needed), and ship your supplement to you.

 

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Resources

• Submit Your Legislation
• Legislation Integration between Meetings Software and Your Code
• Amending Your Code
• Traditional Codification Services Videos

 

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