Description

SUMMARY OF JOB

Under the administrative direction of the City Marshal, the Municipal Services Specialist is a cross trained, customer facing position that blends municipal court clerk functions, utility billing operations, and front counter administrative support into a single role. The position serves as a key point of contact for residents, customers, and outside partners, and is responsible for accurate case and account processing, cash receipting, deposits, records management, and responsive service delivery. The position also provides administrative support to the City Marshal related to warrants, warrant status tracking, documentation, coordination, and reporting, while maintaining appropriate confidentiality and compliance for court and criminal justice information. This job description consolidates and expands the duties historically assigned to the Municipal Court Clerk and Utility Billing Specialist roles. 

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Customer Service, Front Counter, and Communications

1.    Greets the public and provides professional, solutions oriented assistance in person, by telephone, and through written correspondence, including inquiries related to municipal court, utility billing, payments, service requests, and City services. 

2.    Routes customers to the appropriate department when the matter requires technical review, field response, or supervisor involvement, while ensuring the customer understands next steps. 

3.    Maintains a calm, respectful tone when interacting with upset or frustrated individuals and helps de escalate situations while protecting City of Ferris policies, timelines, and requirements. 

4.    Operates a multi line phone system and performs routine office operations, including mail handling and coordination of documentation and notices. 

B. Utility Billing Operations and Customer Accounts

1.    Accepts and processes applications for utility service and other applicable City services, reviews for completeness and accuracy, and enters customer information into the financial and utility billing systems. 

2.    Supports the monthly utility billing cycle, including billing preparation tasks, receiving payments, posting receipts, and maintaining accurate account status records. 

3.    Receives payments by mail, in person, web portal, IVR, and kiosk, verifies payment accuracy, and posts transactions to the appropriate revenue categories in the financial system. 

4.    Maintains accurate cash control, including balancing the cash drawer, producing receipts, and preparing daily deposits in accordance with City of Ferris cash handling requirements. 

5.    Prepares and processes work orders for City services, which may include new service connections, disconnects, transfers, meter installations, meter tests, rereads, sanitation container delivery, and leak verification. 

6.    Responds to billing questions and complaints, including delinquencies, refunds, payment arrangements, returned checks, and account corrections, and escalates issues to the Finance Manager when needed. 

7.    Researches utility accounts for incorrect billings, potential misreads, missed reads, and other discrepancies, documents findings, and routes issues for corrective action. 

8.    Calculates winter averaging for sewage rates and supports leak adjustment requests by receiving applications, verifying documentation, and processing per City requirements. 

9.    Issues licenses and passes assigned to the position, including animal related licenses and landfill passes, and maintains accurate issuance records. 

10. Prepares operational reports on a cadence assigned by supervision, which may include daily, weekly, monthly, and annual reporting tied to billing, receipting, service activity, and customer trends. 

C. Municipal Court Case Processing and Court Support

1.    Prepares the docket or calendar of cases to be called, coordinates scheduling needs, and supports court readiness with accurate case files and documentation. 

2.    Examines legal documents submitted to the court for adherence to procedures, prepares and maintains case folders, and posts, files, or routes documents as required. 

3.    Explains court procedures, required forms, payment options, and compliance requirements to defendants, attorneys, and members of the public, within the scope of the position and court policy. 

4.    Records case dispositions, court orders, and payment arrangements, and maintains accurate records in the court case management system. 

5.    Collects court fines, fees, and costs, records amounts collected, and prepares deposits and reconciliation documentation consistent with City controls. 

6.    Accepts appearance, cash, and surety bonds, maintains bond records, and ensures appropriate documentation and receipting. 

7.    Secures information for the Municipal Judge and notifies defendants, witnesses, law enforcement, attorneys, and other parties of required court appearances or case actions, as directed. 

8.    Prepares and mails notices and forms, including defensive driving, deferred disposition, reset notices, and other court required communications. 

9.    Prepares subpoenas and attachments for witnesses and supports courtroom operations during court proceedings, including assisting the Judge and Municipal Court Director as needed. 

10. Reports moving traffic convictions to the Texas Department of Public Safety in accordance with applicable requirements and timelines. 

11. Maintains the Municipal Court records retention system and supports accurate file maintenance, imaging, and retrieval practices. 

12. Operates and maintains court software systems and, when applicable, coordinates records exchanged with collection agencies or third party service partners consistent with policy. 

13. Provides coverage when the Municipal Court Director is unavailable, as assigned, and maintains continuity of operations for essential court services. 

D. City Marshal Administrative Support and Warrant Administration

1.    Provides administrative support to the City Marshal for warrant related operations, focused on documentation quality, coordination, status tracking, and accurate recordkeeping.

2.    Prepares, processes, and organizes warrant documentation generated by the Municipal Court, including maintaining warrant packets, tracking service attempts, returns, recalls, and case status updates in the appropriate system. 

3.    Coordinates communication between the court, City Marshal, and other stakeholders as assigned, including scheduling support for warrant initiatives and facilitating information flow for timely case action. 

4.    Supports warrant round up events and warrant compliance initiatives by preparing lists, notices, and supporting documentation, and by coordinating customer facing communications within approved scripts and policies. 

5.    Maintains confidentiality and controlled handling of sensitive information, including court records, personally identifying information, and any criminal justice information entrusted to the position.

6.    Prepares internal status summaries and reports related to warrant volume, aging, activity, and disposition trends for leadership review, as assigned.

E. Records, Reporting, and Compliance

1.    Maintains accurate files and records for both utility billing and municipal court functions, including secure retention, retrieval, and documentation practices. 

2.    Ensures transactions and documentation align with City procedures for receipting, deposits, reconciliations, privacy, and records retention. 

3.    Uses sound judgment to identify potential errors, compliance issues, or control weaknesses and reports them promptly through the supervisory chain.

4.    Performs other duties aligned with the skills, authority, and pay grade that have been determined to improve City of Ferris operations. 

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1.    High school diploma or GED. 

2.    Two years of experience in customer service, cashiering, billing, municipal clerical work, or a closely related field that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties described. 

3.    Ability to obtain Level One Court Clerk Certification within two years of start date. 

4.    Ability to pass a background check appropriate for access to court records, financial transactions, and warrant related documentation.
Demonstrated ability to use standard office technology and learn assigned software systems.

PREFERENCES

1.    Bilingual English and Spanish, oral and written. 

2.    Three or more years of experience in local government, municipal court administration, utility billing, or a comparable public facing environment. 

3.    Demonstrated knowledge of basic accounting principles and sound cash control practices. 

4.    Prior experience working with a court case management system and a utility billing system.