After a three-month search, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz named Diane Hermann-Brown Monday as the new City Clerk for Madison.

As the new Clerk, Hermann-Brown's duties will include conducting elections, administering city licenses and working with the City Council.

"We feel we've picked a very well-qualified person to be the new City Clerk," said George Twigg, communications director for the mayor. "She has a good background for the kind of issues that she'll have to deal with."

Hermann-Brown's experience includes 21 years of municipal government work and several certifications in various clerk positions. She has also served as City Clerk for Sun Prairie for 11 years and expressed optimism in receiving the Madison position.

"I am looking forward to this opportunity to work for the City of Madison," Hermann-Brown said in a press release. "There will be many exciting and challenging times ahead for the City Clerk's office."

Twigg said the selection process began after former clerk Ray Fisher retired in January. Possible candidates were reviewed by a screening committee and filtered down to four finalists.

The committee interviewed the finalists and chose two candidates, who Cieslewicz personally interviewed.

"The mayor was impressed with [Hermann-Brown] in the interview, and she got good reviews from the people she talked to," Twigg said. "She's from the area, so she knows the Madison community."

According to Twigg, the knowledge will come in handy as city officials expect to encounter "major" changes in the upcoming months. This includes issues relating to the state election system and the statewide voter list.

Hermann-Brown will replace Acting City Clerk Sharon Christensen, who has worked for 37 years in that office, and is looking to soon retire.

In her many years working with the City Clerk, Christensen noted she has seen many changes in the system.

"There's been a lot of changes that have been started in the City's Clerk's office," she noted. "Things like voter registration, voter equipment, the statewide voter registration system that we've had to work with and various software for the licenses."

Given she is approved by the City Council, Hermann-Brown is tentatively planning to start work June 5 with an annual salary of $75,000, according to a release.