From administering city elections to keeping track of all birth and death records, the city secretaries for Tomball and Magnolia work behind the scenes to ensure their respective local governments are adequately serving their residents and accommodating future growth within the community.
Tomball City Secretary Doris Speer began her role in 2003 after spending 13 years working as an assistant in the same office. Speer said her role has little in common with a clerical job since she serves as a department head and has authority on ordinances, resolutions and contracts within the city. Speer said she enjoys her job because no two days are ever the same.
Magnolia City Secretary Lynne George has served in her role for almost four years. Previously, George worked for the city of Conroe in various positions until she was hired into the building permit department at Oak Ridge North, where she was later promoted to city secretary in 2002. George said her role in the city is rewarding because she is able to dabble in various departments on a daily basis.
Doris Speer, city secretary for Tomball
How have you seen the city grow and expand during your time as city secretary?
When I started in 1990, I started as the assistant city secretary, and I was the only assistant. I now have an assistant city secretary, a deputy registrar and an administrative assistant. I think our population was a little over 6,000 when I started, and the population now is almost 11,000.
