City Clerk Biography

Donna McAllister was appointed to the Office of Des Plaines City Clerk on January 20, 1982, a position left vacant due to the death of Eleanor Rohrbach. In April 1985, Donna was elected to serve in the position and was re-elected in 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2005.

In addition to many diverse duties which include taking City Council meeting minutes, publishing ordinances, sending out meeting and legal notices, advertising for bids, maintaining City Code books, retaining the City Seal and serving as the Local Election Authority, Donna is active with the Municipal Clerks of Illinois and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

City Clerk McAllister attained the status of Registered Municipal Clerk in the State of Illinois and in 1985 was designated a Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. In 1988 she attained the Academy for Advanced Education (AAE) designation, achieved the first sustaining membership in the Academy for Advanced Education (AAE) in 1992, the second sustaining membership in 1996, and the third and final sustaining membership in 1998. In August of 2000, Donna was designated a Master Municipal Clerk, the final and highest level of certification attainable by a municipal clerk. She continues to attend the Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy through the University of Illinois.

City Clerk McAllister completed the monumental task of recodifying the Des Plaines City Code in 2002, which will now result in a more modern, computer applicable and user friendly City Code. The entire recodified City Code is now on the City’s web site.

In addition to her role as City Clerk, Donna has the following affiliations:

• Vice Chairperson – Advisory Council/The Salvation Army-Des Plaines Corp

• Board Member/Des Plaines Senior Citizen Center

• Board Member/Des Plaines Historical Society

• Board Member/Des Plaines Crime Stoppers, Inc.

• Advisory Board Member/Center of Concern

• Charter Member/Des Plaines Sister Cities Association

• Charter Member/Des Plaines Arts Council

• Member/Oakton Community College Literacy Council

• Chairman/Registered Clerks Program, Municipal Clerks of Illinois

• Past President/Municipal Clerks Association of North & N.W. Suburbs of Cook Cty.

In addition to her present community involvement, Donna co-chaired the Des Plaines Sesquicentennial Commission in 1985, which coordinated the City’s 150th Birthday celebration activities.

Years prior to becoming City Clerk, Donna’s government experience led her to the Far East for a year and Europe for two years. Following her return to the Chicago area, where she was born and raised, and her role as parent, Donna became Administrative Vice President of the Greater O’Hare Association of Industry and Commerce. During this time she attended the Institute for Organization Management at Notre Dame University. Later, she became Vice President of Management for a condominium management company.

City Clerk McAllister has received the following honors:

• 1981 Woman of Achievement/Women In Management, Inc.

• 1989 Distinguished Service Award/Des Plaines Area Jaycees

• 1989 Community Service Award/Optimist Club of Des Plaines

• 1997 Community Builders Award/Des Plaines Mason Lodge 890

• 2000 Community Builders Award/Des Plaines Mason Lodge 890

• 2004 IIMC Quill Award

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