While some local government positions are well known — such as the mayor — there are other roles that residents may not be as familiar with. One such position — city clerk — performs a variety of administrative duties and record keeping for the city. 

In Bentonville, this is an elected position, held by Malorie Marrs.

Marrs was first appointed to the part-time position in March 2024 with approval from City Council after the former city clerk, Kirby Romines, resigned. She will begin her first full term in 2025 after running unopposed in the November election.

Marrs and her husband, Jon, have lived in Bentonville for over a decade, and have two young sons. 

“We love being a part of the community and raising our family here,” Marrs said. 

Marrs’ background is largely in sales and nonprofits. Most recently she was the executive director for Arkansas and Oklahoma at the American Diabetes Association. 

We asked Marrs five questions about the role of city clerk.

1.) So what exactly does the city clerk do? 

The Bentonville City Clerk position largely centers around City Council meetings — making sure the resolutions and ordinances for the meetings are in order and tabbed to be read by the city attorney, then voted on by Council.

The clerk takes roll, keeps track of the votes on ordinances and resolutions, and takes the minutes at each meeting. 

When a resolution or ordinance is passed by Council, the clerk will sign/attest each one alongside the mayor. The clerk submits any ordinances/resolutions/bonds passed regarding items the public as a whole would be interested in to be published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. 

When all this is completed and all the resolutions and ordinances are signed, sealed and scanned into a database by the administrative legal assistant, they are filed as official records. 

City clerk is the record keeper for the city pertaining to items passed at City Council. I also sign off on cemetery deeds. 

2.) How does your background qualify you for this position?

My background is largely in the sales and nonprofit arena. Both, while not in the political arena, do have a level of managing people, items, systems, organization/time management and general customer service to constituents. 

3.) This will be your first full term as city clerk, why did you run for this position?

I love giving back to the community, and am proud to serve in this capacity. I’ve always wanted to be involved in government, as my degree is in international political science and my masters is in international affairs. 

4.) Why is this position important?

The Bentonville city clerk houses all the resolutions, ordinances and bonds passed by the city, and keeps records at each city meeting through minutes. I work alongside various teams within the city, finance and legal largely.  

It is definitely a team, there’s a lot that goes into creating agendas, ordinances, resolutions, etc. The clerk helps to bring all this work together for signing, filing and sealing at Council. 

5.) What is one thing you’d like the public to know about this position?

I learn something every day! The wealth of knowledge within our City Council, employees and officials is astounding. The city as a whole works so hard to address the needs of the community. 

We house files that are decades old.  There’s so much history about the city in the clerks file room from years gone by!