Elkins City Clerk Sutton Stokes Receives Clerk of the Year Award

Elkins W. Va., August 14, 2024: Sutton Stokes was named West Virginia Municipal Clerk of the Year 2024 at the West Virginia Municipal League Conference in Huntington last week.

Over the years, Municipal Clerks have become the hub of government, the direct link between the inhabitants of their community and their government. The Clerk is the historian of the community, for the entire recorded history of the town (city), and its people is in his or her care.

The eminent political scientist, Professor William Bennett Munro, writing in one of the first textbooks on municipal administration (1934), stated: “No other office in municipal service has so many contracts. It serves the mayor, the city council, the city manager (when there is one), and all administrative departments, without exception. All of them call upon it, almost daily, for some service or information. Its work is not spectacular, but it demands versatility, alertness, accuracy, and no end of patience. The public does not realize how many loose ends of city administration this office pulls together.”

Stokes currently serves as the City Clerk for the City of Elkins, West Virginia, bringing dedication and excellence to his role since March 11, 2023, with a prior term from February 21, 2012, to March 18, 2016. His contributions to both municipal operations and community engagement make him a standout candidate for this prestigious award.

“I love my job and the team I get to work with,” stated Stokes. “I’ve had a lot of help over the years learning this job. I couldn’t be happier for this recognition, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of the mentors and colleagues I’ve had.”

Stokes has been a driving force behind numerous advancements in municipal operations during his tenure. Recently, his leadership in developing and implementing a Strategic Plan for the City of Elkins has provided a clear roadmap for sustainable growth and development for the next five years. Leveraging innovative technologies and prioritizing transparency, Sutton has optimized internal processes and fostered citizen engagement, driving positive change for the community.

Additionally, Sutton’s dedication to modernizing city operations has yielded tangible results. From helping to implement software solutions like CivicClerk, WENS, and DocuSign, to ensuring timely posting of meetings and agendas, Sutton’s attention to detail has streamlined processes and enhanced productivity within city departments. His proactive communication strategies, including the use of the city’s website, social media platforms, and notification systems, have facilitated greater citizen participation and awareness, encouraging transparency and accountability.

Stokes is also spearheading the initiative of a junior council within the City of Elkins. He is very passionate about getting our area youth more civic minded and involved in our community.

“Sutton is a great asset to this community,” said Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco. “His commitment and dedication to his civic duties, his unwavering love for his family and friends, and his immense knowledge of the City Clerk position, and inner workings of government in general, makes him the ultimate professional.”

WV Municipal Clerk/Recorder of the Year 2024

Clerk Sutton Stokes

“For exemplary leadership abilities, symbolic commitment, and inspirational courage, the WV Municipal Clerks and Recorders Association honors this dedicated public servant”