West Bend selects new head city clerk

West Bend, Wi – The City of West Bend, Wi has appointed its next head clerk.

Jilline Dobratz has a wealth of experience and has received rave reviews from her colleagues.

Brad Fons worked with Dobratz for five years as a chief voting inspector in the Village of Jackson, Wi.

“She was very dedicated,” said Fons. “She was very focused and very open.”

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Fons said, during elections when things would be intense, Dobratz brought a sense of calm to the situation.

“She was very inviting; she asked for a lot of input and ways to better manage the voting in Jackson, especially during COVID,” he said. “The biggest thing was her integrity and the way she wanted to make sure all the voting in the Village of Jackson was transparent and honest and by the book.”

Questioned about her relationship with volunteer poll workers, Fons said she set the bar high, and everyone responded in kind.

“Everyone liked her very much,” he said. “It was all for the same reasons, because she treated everybody with respect yet, she was very focused on getting the job done.”

Fons recalled Dobratz was also a good leader and managed people very well.

“She gave a lot of independence to the chief voting inspectors to make sure they managed the day to day on Election Day,” he said.

Questioned whether she was visible, especially during the voting process Fons said Dobratz took her job seriously.

“Jilline was actually on the floor, probably 90% of the time, on Election Day; she had a table and was available to ask and answer any questions that any of the chief inspectors had,” he said. “And she was accessible to any of the poll workers.”

Questioned whether visibility was important as the clerk, during the normal work week and elections, Fons relayed a story from his days in management.

“I’ve been in management for over 50 years and as a manager, she was a very hands-on manager that I respected manager to manager,” he said.

“It would be great to see her back in the game and the City of West Bend is getting a very good, dedicated worker with a lot of credentials,” said Fons.

Village of Slinger Clerk Tammy Tennies also had favorable comments about Dobratz and her work ethic. “I’ve known her from meetings, and she’s always professional,” said Tennies. “She’s been a clerk in a couple other municipalities in Washington County and when I’ve reached out to her for help, she has always been accommodating.”

Dobratz resume is full of experience. Details from her LinkedIn page indicate she has certification from the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association including MMC/WCPC