Hoover city clerk, assistant clerk both to retire

Big changes are in store for the Hoover city clerk’s office.

Margie Handley, who has been the city clerk since 2009 and worked with the city for more than 27 years in total, is retiring April 30, and Assistant City Clerk Lisa Lindsey is retiring before that. Lindsey, who has been with the city 32 years, is set to retire Dec. 31.

Handley said all of her years with the city have been a blessing, but she has reached that point in her life where she is ready to let the job go. She will turn 60 on her last day on the job.

“It’s just time. I’ve worked since I was 18 years old, and I’m ready to see what it’s like not to work,” she said. “I’m ready to take a break and get some rest and spend time with family.”

Handley started her career with Jefferson County after graduating from John Carroll Catholic High School. She spent nine years working for the Jefferson County Board of Equalization and one year with the Jefferson County tax collector’s office before being hired as the zoning clerk in Hoover in 1987.

She spent more than two years in that role and then moved out of state for about a year due to a job change for her husband. When they came back to the Birmingham area, Handley worked more than three years for House Consultants, the former planning consultant for the city of Hoover, before being named assistant city clerk in 1994.

Handley’s predecessor, Linda Crump, retired in 2009, and Handley was appointed to fill her shoes. “She was a great mentor,” Handley said.

Handley said she is grateful for all the opportunities given to her during her years with the city. Being a people person, she has really enjoyed getting to know so many people, from members of the public to developers, elected officials and city staff, she said.

There’s never a dull moment in the city clerk’s office, she said. City clerks get all sorts of unusual phone calls, such as the time someone called to get directions to the Hoover Dam, she said.

But one of the most memorable moments came on a runoff election night in 2008, when an election result tape got damp and a poll worker put it in the microwave to dry it, blacking out the tape.

The city clerk’s office is responsible for serving the City Council, preparing meeting agendas and packets, taking minutes at city meetings, maintaining city records, handling paperwork for zoning cases, preparing and advertising resolutions and ordinances, and advertising public meetings and hearings.

In Hoover, Handley supervises four employees, including the assistant clerk, zoning clerk, administrative assistant and switchboard operator.

The one thing she probably won’t miss is the after-hours work, such as night meetings, she said. “I think you don’t mind that so much when you’re younger, but when you get older, more time at home would be nice.”

Handley, who lives in Chelsea, said she wants to take her first year in retirement to think and pray about what she will do next. She’ll probably do some volunteer work and spend time with family, she said. She has 12 siblings in the Birmingham area.

“I’m just looking forward to being on my own schedule and doing my own thing,” she said. “I know there’s plenty to do out there. I’m not worried about getting bored.”

ASSISANT CLERK

Lindsey, who lives in Hueytown, worked three years with the Social Security Administration before coming to Hoover as a building inspections clerk in 1986. She was promoted to administrative services manager in the Building Inspections Department in 1989 and named assistant city clerk in 2009.

Lindsey, who is 53, said Handley’s departure got her thinking about retirement as well. She has 32 years with the city, and her first grandchild is due in January.

“That was a lot of incentive,” she said, but with Handley leaving, it just seemed like a good time for her to leave as well. She never imagined she would be employed with the city that long when she started, she said.

“When you’re 21, you don’t ever think you’re going to be anywhere 30 years, but I couldn’t imagine any better place than the city of Hoover,” she said. “I was very fortunate to get hired here and fortunate to get promoted.”

She has enjoyed maintaining records, doing research, helping the public and getting to work with such good people, but she won’t miss all the deadlines, she said.

She’s looking forward to spending time with her grandchild and “being the best grandmother on the planet.”

Handley said Lindsey has done a wonderful job. “I couldn’t have asked for a better assistant,” she said. “She just has a wealth of knowledge that has been a blessing, and she always has a smile.”

At press time, Handley said she was hoping to have someone on board soon to train alongside Lindsey for at least a month.

The Hoover City Council will appoint the next city clerk. Council President Gene Smith said they want to bring that person on at least four to six weeks before Handley leaves to allow for a smooth transition there as well.

“Between the two of them, there’s so much knowledge that’s going to walk out the door within months of each other,” Smith said.

He’s happy for Handley and Lindsey but sad for the city, he said.

“Margie has been wonderful,” Smith said. “Margie’s got this place running like a top. She learned very well from Linda Crump.”