Price is not just any employee caught in a horrible organizational chart. She is the council-appointed city clerk in San Jose, the record keeper of official city documents, such as contracts, resolutions and election nomination papers.

"I have a big job," said Price, who has been at her post since May 2004.

As part of her duties, Price works behind the scenes so that local government can operate smoothly. She and her staff compile the council agendas weekly, and during the meetings, take the minutes. After the minutes, the city clerk's office makes sure the municipal codes are updated to reflect the council's changes after a vote. The legislative process goes full circle under her watch.

Her work hasn't gone unnoticed.

District 10 Councilwoman Nancy Pyle credits Price for her smooth transition after she was elected last January.

"Lee aided my staff in organizing the office and familiarizing myself and my chief of staff, Lee Wilcox, with the city's legislative process," Pyle said.

A good city clerk is an integral part of keeping the legislative process orderly, especially in a city as large as San Jose, Wilcox said. The city council goes into so much depth that being organized is imperative, Wilcox added.

For Price, local government has long been a familiar part of her life. Her mother worked for the planning department of San Luis Obispo County, so working on the local level seemed to be a natural path to follow, she said.

"I grew up in the board of supervisors' room," she said. "I helped my mom put agendas together."

Before landing in San Jose, Price had stints as city clerk or deputy city clerk in Atascadero, Morgan Hill and San Luis Obispo.

Thanks to the experienced Price, residents and gadflies who want to know what's going on don't have to attend a city council meeting in person or watch the proceedings on television. For the technologically inclined, Price now has the council meetings archived online with closed captioning available. This online version with the transcripts has been available since August, when the council moved into new chambers. Visitors to the website don't have to watch the meeting in sequential order. They easily can jump to the agenda item of interest by clicking on a pull down menu. The online videos are typically available the day after the meetings.

"It's nice that they're available 24/7," Price said. "This is something we're proud of. We'll be saving time and money because we no longer have to make audio tapes of the meetings."

The city clerk's office also handles the nomination papers of individuals who want to run for an elected position.

Attending a city council meeting as a resident and a city official can be difficult sometimes, said Price, who lives in the Villas of Almaden, a community that saw frequent visits from coyotes last fall. Residents complained that the wild animals were preying on their small pets and urged county and city officials to get involved. Price herself panicked when her cat once slipped out the door.

"The coyotes there were a real, real threat," she said.

While the coyote issue took on an emotional dimension for Price, she maintained her neutral position, as is her usual way of conducting business. She said she doesn't view herself as a political person and keeps her political opinions to herself.

With a job with complex job descriptions, Price still manages time for a home life. Observers say she possesses a healthy amount of energy to carry her through the day.

"She works on occasion 16 hours a day and does it with good cheer," said Bobbie Fischler, president of the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara.

Price's hobbies include doting over her and her fiancé's eight children, who range in age from 13 to 27. She got engaged to her high school sweetheart in July 2001 but doesn't seem too concerned with getting married right away. There are other decisions to make before that happens, she said.

"We want to figure out what we want to be when we grow up," she said, laughing.

A self-proclaimed wine snob, Price attended the Almaden Art and Wine Festival to unwind last month. Another pastime is taking care of orchids; two flourish in her office. The trick to keeping the plants in bloom, she said, is to water them once a week over a basin or a sink.

"Let the water run through," she said.

Even with personal time set aside, Price remains committed to serving San Jose residents. Price gets personal satisfaction when she can help residents understand how the city works. Often, they go to city hall only when they have a problem and are frustrated when the city can't resolve a situation right away the way they want.

"It's a good when they learn about local government and understand that regulations aren't there to make life miserable," Price said.