By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
Arguably the most important position and person in city governance is the clerk, and in the City of Inglewood there is no other individual as significant as Aisha L. Thompson who is responsible for the safe keeping of all Inglewood’s most sacred documents, including protecting its treasured seal.
In addition to overseeing elections for the city, Thompson is the gate keeper of an ordinance and resolution book, and must record all ordinances and resolutions in such book with certifications, while also attending all meetings of the city council, keep accurate records of city council proceedings and retain custody of the city seal.
The office of the clerk is shielded by confidentiality and secrecy, that if not upheld could be catastrophic for a local government.
Hence, Thompson is the most coveted and trusted ally of City Hall, continuing in a long running tradition of being the clerk that spans 18 years, 16 of those under the leadership of Yvonne Horton.
Aisha L. Thompson 
Aisha L. Thompson
Her seamless transition came on the heels of Horton’s abrupt retirement in 2020. Thompson has operated in the shadows of Horton for 18 years as the deputy clerk doing most of the heavy lifting.
While serving as the Deputy City Clerk, Thompson was responsible for coordination of Municipal Elections, Roberts Rules of Order, Political Reform Act, swearing in of Elected Officials, interactions with State Legislators, recording, editing, and distribution of minutes, election and municipal codes, financing and budgets, city charter requirements, bond security, drafting meeting agendas, Brown Act open meeting laws, as well as office management.
Before that, she served six years in the California State Assembly and 15 years as a Civil Service Employee to the City of Inglewood.
Thompson shocked the political establishment when as a first time candidate he was elected as Inglewood City Clerk in on Nov. 3, 2020.
Now, two years in, Thompson has already made the essential changes to bring the city’s antiquated record system from the past into the future.
“The first challenge was bringing our office out of antiquation and bring us into the modern era. It’s been challenging because I had to understand that the mayor and council are there to help me and I had to make the necessary adjustments here in the office to learn that I could not do it by myself,” she said during an interview with Inglewood Today. Therefore, Thompson leaned on the shoulders of Mayor James T. Butts, Jr., councilmembers and ultimately earned their trust while demonstrating the clerk office was in capable hands.
She says the rewards that come with the position is when she is in Vons and a local resident point to her and acknowledges the good job she has been doing.
Thompson says that she always aspired to be the clerk someday.
“Yes, this is something that I really wanted to do. I actually started with (Yvonne’s husband) Jerome Horton in the state assembly and then down to the city and working with Yvonne from 2006, I had an aspiration. I had a dream and a goal and I didn’t know where or when it was going to happen, but yes this is something that I did aspire to become.”
The City Clerk Office is the keeping of all the records from 1908. “Our office houses everything that transpires within the City of Inglewood. The Clerk office is the first to receive and then process any claims against the city. Contractor’s bids dates, opening and closing come to my office,” Thompson added.
Thompson is the secretary for the city council and oversees all elections, for the city including the school board.
She learned from two of the most savvy and seasoned political servants in the Hortons, but has since added her own approach to that wealth of experience and thus has evolved into her own woman.
Aisha L. Thompson can try to hide underneath a baseball cap in the supermarket all she wants, but eventually like the resident who recognized her from the news, everybody will soon know who she is and it’s all for the good of Inglewood.
