Tommy Melton
Tommy Leon Melton is only the fourth posthumous inductee into the Hall of Fame. This mentor to most every Oklahoma municipal clerk or treasurer who took office between 1963 and 1999 succumbed on March 19 to cancer. He learned prior to his death that his colleagues were intending to nominate him for the Hall of Fame.
Tommy’s remarkable 43-year municipal government career began in 1956 when he was hired as a meter reader for the City of Dewey. Recognizing his potential, city officials arranged the next year for him to “unofficially” take over the City Clerk’s function. It was “unofficial” since he was not yet 21. He was “officially” appointed to the post three years later in 1960. He was appointed the next year to also serve as City Treasurer. He served in both positions until 1963 when he was named as City Clerk for Broken Arrow. As in Dewey, he was also named the following year as City Treasurer. He continued to hold both positions until 1966 when he was named City Clerk for the City of Midwest City where he served until he retired in December 1999.
Tommy served for more than 20 years on the board of the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund, including five years as chairman from 1991 through 1996. Throughout his career, Tommy was very active in the Oklahoma Municipal League, including a number of legislative, committee, and district leadership roles. In 1992 he was selected by OML for the Don Rider Award. He was again honored by OML in 1997 with a “Going Above and Beyond for Oklahoma Cities and Towns” citation for his personal involvement and leadership to preserve the municipal sales tax on groceries.
He immersed himself in the professional organizations for his field. This included a term as President of the state chapter of the Government Finance Officers Association and participation in the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. He also actively involved himself in the state chapter of the Municipal Clerks, Treasurer and Finance Officials. At various times he served the organization as a reporter – secretary-treasurer - board member - Vice President - and President. This organization honored him for outstanding service in both 1970 and 1987.
As noted many times in letters accompanying his nomination from other clerks and treasurers, he was “the smartest guy in the room” when it came to know the duties of a municipal official or the laws or rules relating to Oklahoma municipal government. To paraphrase one writer, “you might not always like his answer, but you could always trust it to be right”.