Fresno City Council names Amy Aller permanent city clerk

Fresno residents who follow council decisions, file public records requests or need city paperwork now have a permanent name attached to the office that keeps those records moving. The City Council promoted Amy Aller to city clerk in a 6-0 vote Thursday, with Councilmember Mike Karbassi abstaining, ending a months-long interim stretch that began after Todd Stermer left for a Sacramento County clerk job.

The appointment mattered well beyond City Hall ceremony. The city clerk’s office is often the first stop for people looking for general information about Fresno, and it sits at the center of how the city publishes agendas, minutes, ordinances, resolutions and other public documents. City records show agenda packets dating back to 2003, along with agreements, oaths and recorded minutes, while the legislative center keeps meeting records that include the date, time, location and agenda for each meeting. Council videos are available from July 2014 to the present.

Aller had been serving as interim city clerk since November 2025, when the council first tapped her in a unanimous 7-0 closed-session vote after Stermer’s departure. Stermer’s last day was Nov. 30, 2025, after 17 years in city service, including the last four as city clerk. The permanent promotion now gives the office a steady hand heading into a busy summer of budget, land-use and election-related work.

The job is a major administrative post, not a ceremonial one. Fresno’s city clerk is appointed by and directly responsible to the council, serves at the council’s will and is responsible for planning and coordinating the office’s day-to-day operations. The clerk also prepares council agendas and minutes and keeps a full, true and accurate record of council proceedings. Recruitment materials described the position as a charter officer overseeing a staff of eight.

The council’s decision also reflected the practical pressure on the office. Fresno receives thousands of records requests, and the clerk’s role is tied to how quickly residents can track city action, verify what was said in public and obtain official information. Aller’s interim base salary was listed at $230,000 a year. Council President Nelson Esparza praised her work, and the permanent appointment followed weeks of closed-door deliberations, signaling that the city wanted stability in one of its most important transparency jobs.