Borough Clerk Kim Lane named the best in the state

Nothing unlucky about the number 13 for Kim Lane, who is in her 13th year as borough clerk.

She was honored as Clerk of the Year by her colleagues in the Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks.

Lane was at the association's annual conference and dinner in Anchorage on Dec. 10 when the announcer started talking about the 2024 award winner, without spilling the name and spoiling the surprise.

"And then I realized, it's me," she said in an interview after returning to Wrangell. "It makes you feel like what you're doing is appreciated."

Lane has been borough clerk since 2012, moving into the job after a year as deputy clerk for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

She was nominated for the award by the mayor and assembly members, borough manager and department heads.

"They praised her ability to consistently enhance the quality of life in her community while performing her daily responsibilities with dedication - guiding elected officials and leading by example for citizens and voters alike," according to the announcement read at the award presentation.

The award started in 2000, honoring municipal clerks "who have made significant contributions" to the profession and their community.

"In recent years, she redesigned the municipality's website to improve citizen engagement and implemented updates to the municipality's election code, making the voting process more efficient and accessible for residents," the award announcement said.

Lane said running municipal elections is the most interesting and fulfilling part of her job. She follows how many people register to vote and how many cast ballots, taking pride in strong turnouts. She also is encouraged when more people run for office.

She earned her certified municipal clerk designation in 2013 and her master municipal clerk designation in 2015, with the goal of becoming a registered parliamentarian. She has also served as the communication director for the Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks and was sworn in the group's first vice president at the Dec. 10 conference, putting her in line to serve as president for 2026.