Tina Barton, the deputy clerk of Bloomfield Township, has been named city clerk in Rochester Hills.
Barton, who was appointed to the position by Rochester Hills City Council this week, replaces clerk Jane Leslie, who retired earlier this month after more than 30 years working for the city and its predecessor, Avon Township.
A search committee, which included Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett, three councilmembers and Keith Sawdon, director of finance for the city, reviewed 24 applications for the position. Four finalists included two internal and two external candidates. Councilmembers said any four of the final candidates could have been an excellent clerk but praised Barton's professionalism and knowledge of election procedures and the Freedom of Information Act as qualities that stood out during the search.
The city clerk is responsible for acting as a record-keeper for city council, administering all city oaths and overseeing elections, among other duties outlined in the city charter.
Barton said Thursday that the appointment was "bittersweet." She has been with Bloomfield Township for 16 years; before that, she worked for Oakland County government. Barton lives in Davisburg with her husband and two children.
Barton said the reputation of Rochester Hills as a well-managed and well-respected community inspired her to apply for the position.
"It's a community that has been faced with the same challenges we all have been faced with and it has come out shining," Barton said, adding that she was impressed by the energy of the city's staff and council during the interview process.
She is still negotiating her start date in Rochester Hills.
