City Clerk Retires After 37 Years of Service to Community
On the evening of June 11, the Collinsville City Council met for their routine meeting as the mayor, council members and citizens came together to discuss town business such as improvements going on at the city hall building.
But this meeting was more special than others. Peggy Wright, City Clerk and Municipal Court Clerk for the town, stood before the Council to announce her retirement after 37 years of service to the community. She stated, “It has been an honor and pleasure to serve this wonderful town with dedication and integrity.”
Mayor Traffanstedt and other officials at the meeting thanked her for her service to the Collinsville for almost four decades.
Wright started in 1981 at the Water Works building in town and then moved to town hall in 1982. Some of her duties as town clerk include record keeping, serving as a go-between with council members and the mayor, and assisting with municipal elections.
“I love the job working for the small town I love. I have been fortunate to have wonderful mayors and council members to work with,” Wright said. “The relationships I have made and the memories that I have can never be replaced nor will they be forgotten.”
Wright’s role as clerk is a vital job with both financial and legal responsibilities. She was the first certified Municipal Court Clerk in Dekalb County. She was also in the first graduating class of certified magistrates in Alabama. Throughout the years, she has kept up with changing laws, grants, issuing warrants and much more in her roles as city and court clerk.
Being a city clerk is more than just being a record keeper. In fact, when Wright first started, the mayor wanted her certified as an EMT so she could accompany the volunteer emergency department on their runs.
Over the years, citizens have called Wright about anything and everything. “They have called to ask what heat to bake their cake on, what time is it, or even to ask if I could take them to the grocery store on my lunch break,” Wright reflected. “If citizens want anything, they will contact me first.”
Being so connected to all of the members of the community is what makes stepping away from her role so hard, she added.
To Wright, being a part of the Collinsville community is like being part of a big family. If you call, someone will come help you, she said. “It’s in a perfect location. You can walk around here and not be afraid. It’s like living in a Norman Rockwell or Andy Griffith setting.”
Although she is retiring, Wright is not planning on stepping away from the town. She serves on many boards, including the Beautification Board, which helps put up Christmas decorations around town.
Wright said she hopes to continue in her many roles in order to help Collinsville live up to its potential. Always looking out for what’s best for her town is a mission she plans to continue even after retirement.
Tags: Collinsville
