Most people who know Cynthia S. Bennett, Washington’s city clerk, knows her to be efficient and proficient when it comes to her duties.

So it came as no surprise recently when she earned the right to place MMC after her name. Bennett is now a master municipal clerk. That designation was awarded by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks Inc.

Bennett became city clerk after former City Clerk Rita A. Thompson, also a master municipal clerk, retired in 2008.

“It took me five years to get the MMC. It would have taken longer — I was able to use my bachelor’s degree toward some of the education points. A lot of times it takes longer than that because, usually, about four hours worth of class time equates to one point. You have to acquire 100 points to get your designation,” Bennett said.

As for her motivation to earn the MMC, Bennett said, “I’ve always been the type of person to try to advance my education and career. The MMC was just the next level in the clerks field.”

Bennett said the difficulties she faced in earning the MCC designation were finding time to work on it, being away from her family, being away from work and traveling across the state to attend classes.

“The travel time away from work was kind of difficult — trying to make sure the daily process here at work still went on, agendas and minutes and such,” Bennett said. Reatha Johnson, administrative assistant to the city manager, helped “me out a whole lot with that,” Bennett noted.

“The fun part was that I met — when I first took the certification for CMC back in 2009, when I started in that — some lifelong friends that I have enjoyed spending out-of-work time with them, really building some good relationships with them. I can count on them for anything I need for work as far as any questions that I may have that they may have encountered something that I haven’t done yet. Instead of reinventing the wheel, it’s always nice to lean on your peer groups to get help from them,” Bennett said.

The MMC designation, Bennett said, shows she is dedicated to her job and knows a lot more than she did when she became city clerk six and a half years ago. Before becoming city clerk, she was the administrative assistant in the city’s planning division.

Two people who know what it takes to earn MCC status weighed in on Bennett’s achievement.

“That’s a professional standard within her realm that speaks tremendous about her efforts. It shows, from their professionalism standard … it is a standard by which they’re measured to their level of professionalism, and she has achieved that,” City Manager Brian Alligood said. “I think it speaks very highly of her, that she is dedicated to her profession and seeks out those opportunities to do the right thing.”

Alligood said Bennett’s achievement did not come easy.

“She spent a lot of time and effort to achieve that. She should be very proud, and we’re very proud of her for it.”

Thompson knows all about that kind of hard work.

“I got certified in 1989, but (later) I got my (MMC) certification. I finally did get it before I retired,” Thompson said.

“A lot of attending meetings, going to school and keeping up on the laws,” she recalled as what she had to do to earn MMC status.

Sharon “JoJo” Singleton, who retired as clerk to the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners late in 2014, earned her certification as a municipal clerk in 2013.

“The MMC program is the second and more advanced of the two professional designations granted by IIMC. The MMC program is an advanced continuing education program that prepares participants to perform complex municipal duties. The program has an extensive and rigorous educational component and a professional contribution component. The MMC applicant must demonstrate that they have actively pursued education and professional activities,” reads the IIMC website.