Biography
Debbie Racca-Sittre
City Clerk
Debbie Racca-Sittre was appointed City Clerk May 19, 2022 after serving as Interim City Clerk since September 16, 2021 and oversees all aspects of the Office of the City Clerk. The City Clerk is the official keeper of records for the City which includes an extensive archive as well as operational records, and vital records. The City Clerk also serves as the official secretariat of City Council Meetings, recording minutes and calling meetings as requested by the Mayor. The Office of the City Clerk manages ceremonial items and official proclamations for the City Council meetings and advises on parliamentary procedure.
The City Clerk oversees municipal elected office candidate and lobbyist filings, Campaign Finance Reports, calling and certifying of Municipal Elections. The City of San Antonio contracts with Bexar County Elections Office to manage the polling sites, however, the Office of the City Clerk arranges for City-owned polling sites such as libraries, parks and senior/community centers. The Office of the City Clerk also manages a designated United States Passport facility.
For the past two years, under Racca-Sittre’s leadership, the Office had been awarded the Municipal Clerk’s Office of Achievement Award by the Texas Association of Municipal Clerks. Additionally, the Office of the City Clerk Vital Records Division has achieved a 5-Star Excellence Award from the Texas Department of State Health Services, for which Racca-Sittre serves as the Local Birth and Death Registrar for Bexar County.
Racca-Sittre started her career with the City of San Antonio in 2001 coordinating grant applications and managing contracting and procurement processes in what is now called the Department of Human Services. In 2006, Racca-Sittre began working as Department Fiscal Administrator in the Public Works Department. In 2008, Racca-Sittre was promoted to assistant director for, what is now, the City’s Public Works Department. During her time at the City, she has managed more than 1,000 contracts and a $1.7 billion capital budget including implementation support for the 2007 and 2012 Bond Programs. Racca-Sittre negotiated numerous high-profile contracts including a design-build construction contract for the expansion of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center valued at $325 million.
In 2017, Racca-Sittre was selected as Director of the Department of Arts & Culture. In this role, Racca-Sittre led the effort to create the Cul-TÚ-Art Cultural Plan which was a coordinated planning document comprised of multiple community focus areas including: Core Grants, Centro de Artes Gallery, Public Art, Film, Music, Cultural Districts, Performing Arts and Individual Artists. Racca-Sittre is particularly proud of the department’s focus on Cultural Equity in all activities and actions, including the adoption of a Cultural Equity Statement for the Department and the San Antonio Arts Commission as well as implementation of equity in grantmaking and Public Art Commissions.
In 2014 and 2015, Racca-Sittre led the City of San Antonio's United Way Charitable Campaign for two consecutive years, raising more than $1 million each year.
Racca-Sittre holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, and Master of Public Administration degrees all from Angelo State University. She is a native of the San Antonio area, is married and has three children.