Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptrollers
The Clerk of the Circuit Court, established by the Constitution of 1838, is the public trustee for the county. The Clerk provides the checks and balances in county government by acting in their capacity as Clerk to the Board, Clerk to the Court, Keeper of the Public Records, Comptroller and Internal Auditor of county funds.
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FACC has a position open for a a Project Specialist. The Orange County Comptroller's office has an opening for a Records Management Department Manager. Sarasota County has a position open for a Manager of Fiscal Services. Leon County has positions open for an Internal Audit Supervisor, Internal Auditor, General Accounting Manager and an Accountant IV. For more information, go to the Employment Info page.
CLERK HONORS THREE ORGANIZATIONS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Home Depot, United Way and Hillsborough County Tax Collector Receive Award
WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Clerk Sharon R. Bock honored a private, public and nonprofit organization on October 22 for having socially responsible ‘best practices.” The following organizations each received a Dorothy H. Wilken Best Practices Award for their socially responsible programs, initiatives, actions, processes or activities: Home Depot (Private Sector Award), United Way of Palm Beach County (Nonprofit Sector Award) and Hillsborough County Tax Collector (Public Sector Award).
The award was presented at Best Practices 2008: Great Organizations...Great Communities, an event hosted annually by the Clerk & Comptroller’s office and attended by more than 300 community and business leaders at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Through inspirational speeches and workshops, attendees learned how to make themselves and their organizations more ethical, environmentally friendly, charitable and fiscally accountable. They heard from several speakers including four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Marc Kielburger, whose Free The Children initiative has been featured on Oprah as the world’s largest network of children helping children through education.
Thirteen organizations were nominated for their best practices in social responsibility, which include “green” initiatives, community involvement, ethical practices and more. A panel of independent judges from the private, public and nonprofit sectors reviewed the nominations and selected the recipients.
- The Home Depot has many initiatives that focus on giving back to the community. One in particular was implemented in other Home Depot stores across Florida and replicated by another retail giant, Wal-Mart. In 2005, the Home Depot in Boca Raton started the disability Awareness/Disability Employment Opportunities program with the Archer Disability Foundation by partnering 25 students with disabilities with Home Depot employees/mentors. The business later hired many of the students in the program.
- The United Way of Palm Beach County’s “Prosperity Campaign” includes economic programs designed to empower low-income working residents to increase their earnings, build assets and move toward self-sufficiency. The campaign has four major components: The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, which helps thousands receive millions in tax refunds; Prosperity Centers, which provides career counseling and job training; Homeownership Programs, which offer financial education and access to down payment assistance; and Health and Benefits Accessibility Programs, which screen households for eligible economic, health and human services benefits.
- The Hillsborough County Tax Collector created a best practice for comprehensive internal charity campaigns. The office began by examining their resources and current activities and found that by implementing a strategic approach to selecting which nonprofits they support each year, they could have a greater impact on charities in their community.
Clerk Sharon Bock presents Best Practices Awards to (l to r) Scott Badesch
of the United Way, Nicole St. Pierre-Evers of The Home Depot and
Hillsborough County Tax Collector Doug Belden.
Other nominees for the Best Practices award included: Alpert Jewish Family & Children's Service; AMComp; City of Tamarac; Compass, Inc.; Marion County Sheriff’s Office; Miami–Dade County Parks & Recreation (two nominations); Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office; Templeton & Company; and The Caribbean American for Community Involvement in Florida, Inc.; United Space Alliance.
After earning the 2003 Governor’s Sterling Award for organizational performance excellence, the Clerk’s office made a commitment to being a catalyst for continuous improvement in our community. Since then, the office has hosted a Best Practices event to encourage local organizations to learn and share new initiatives and programs. Best Practices 2008 is made possible with the support of community partners including the Daily Business Review, Computing System Innovations, Gehring Group and Nonprofits First.
For more information about Best Practices or the Clerk & Comptroller’s office, please visit www.mypalmbeachclerk.com. If you’re interested in being notified about Best Practices 2009, e-mail Clerkweb@mypalmbeachclerk.com or call (561) 355-2468. (October 2008)
Clerk’s Electronic Access to Court Records Pilot Project Praised
In a recently concluded survey of the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court’s pilot project, the efforts of R.B. “Chips” Shore’s office drew high praise from its users. The survey, which ran from January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008, polled all pilot subscribers seeking their responses to twelve questions such as “Which of the following reasons for accessing electronic court records apply to your use?”
Shore began this pilot project in 2007 when the Florida Supreme Court chose the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office to be the sole test site for allowing phased access to non-confidential court records over a subscriber-based web site. The site has over two thousand active subscribers ranging from attorneys, law enforcement officers and government agencies to title companies, realtors, journalists, retirees and stay-at-home moms.
Subscription to the pilot site is free and access to records is based on the type of user and the associated level of access to information and documents. Depending on their level of access, subscribers use this site to keep track of what is happening in their personal court cases, to conduct legal research, to perform background checks of perspective employees and tenants, and to verify chain of title in real estate transactions.
“In 2002, as a response to identity theft and terrorist threats, the Florida Supreme Court issued a moratorium that ended access to court documents over a publicly available website,” says Shore, “Since that time, I have been working diligently with the Court to strike a balance between the public’s right to access public information in the most efficient and cost-effective manner and our responsibility to safeguard confidential, private information. Together with the Supreme Court, our office is reaching that goal.”
The overwhelming majority of survey comments were full of praise: “Electronic access has made my practice a lot easier and more cost-efficient,” “Having access to court records in this manner is an indispensible tool in criminal investigations,” “Can’t function without it! Thank you!” and “This saves a lot of time and paperwork copied, which saves money.”
“I am very pleased with the results, which show that users are provided with economical and efficient access to court records, and that the system has heightened their understanding of the courts and their awareness of the need to protect confidential information. Overall, I believe the pilot program has been highly successful and has demonstrated that with thoughtful preparation, meaningful electronic access can be balanced with the need to protect confidential information contained in those records. I look forward to continuing to work with the Court and its committees toward providing a model for all Florida Clerks,” concludes Shore. (October 2008)
Clerks to Begin Foreclosure Sales
Recent changes to Florida Statutes have enabled Clerks of the Court to hold foreclosure sales online. Counties throughout Florida are no longer limited to just those bidders who can physically be present at the sale. The increase in bidders also means an increase in the number of properties sold.
Manatee, Duval and Charlotte County began holding online foreclosure sales in September using RealForeclose by Realauction.
"We believe it is critical to conduct efficient foreclosure sales using the latest technology, and we are prepared to lead the way with online property sales," said Jim Fuller, Duval County Clerk of the Courts. "We look forward to increasing the number of bidders, providing a fair process for all and saving taxpayers money."
Staff involved in the labor-intensive process will save time by uploading documents once so all bidders will have simultaneous access to complete information for each case.
"Our primary purpose in implementing RealForeclose is to maintain our high standards for efficient service," said Scott. "The time and cost savings for our office will help us serve our citizens better. Additionally, online tax deed applications will become more convenient for bidders, and online foreclosure sales will encourage higher bids."
Viewed as a leader in responsible, cost effective management, R.B. "Chips" Shore, Manatee County Clerk, has been proactive in reducing the paperwork involved and increasing the number of bidders participating as the leading reasons to embrace technology for foreclosure sales.
With more than 2,600 foreclosures filed in Manatee County last year, staff involved in the labor-intensive process is ready for the efficiencies of online sales. Currently, copying documents is time consuming and expensive. The Clerk's staff will save time with the new process by uploading documents once so all bidders will have simultaneous access to complete information for each case.
"Our office looks forward to an increase in the number of bidders on each property," said Shore. "The more bidders we attract, the more likely the property will sell at the highest amount possible. Reducing the paperwork in this process yields a direct savings to taxpayers and saves our staff time.”
Walton County is scheduled to begin using RealForeclose next, with more counties coming along in the near future. (October 2008)
R.B. “Chips” Shore 2008 National Award of Merit Winner
The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) has selected Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, R.B. “Chips” Shore as their 2008 National Award of Merit winner for his contributions to historic preservation and heritage education in Manatee County. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards is the nation’s most prestigious competition for recognition of achievement in state and local history. Shore was honored at the special banquet, underwritten by the History Channel, in September 2008 in Rochester, NY.
In the thirty years since he took office, Shore created a thriving Department of Historical Resources that includes two historical villages, a historical archive, and two museums. He employs staff, including professional historians, archaeologists, anthropologists and educators, who work with five non-profit organizations dedicated to preserving Manatee County’s history. Shore serves on the boards of two of those organizations. Under his management, eleven historic buildings and one steam engine were restored, the first county historical archive in the state was established, and one of the country’s largest county History Fairs is held each year. All of this is done through private and public funding partnerships that Shore spearheads.
He encourages other Clerks throughout Florida to become involved in saving the history of their community as well.
With his business and finance background and innovative management, he has helped to make Manatee County a leader in historic preservation and heritage education in the State of Florida.
“I am delighted to receive this honor. As a third generation native of Manatee County, I have witnessed and been a part of its tremendous growth. And I have an unquenchable desire to preserve a part of our unique past to share it with those who will come after us so they appreciate and understand all of the diverse and rich pieces of Manatee County’s heritage,” says Shore. (October 2008)
TAXPAYERS’ INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO RECEIVES TOP RATINGS FROM STANDARD & POOR’S
Rating Indicates Extreme Confidence in the Clerk-Managed Investments
WEST PALM BEACH, FL, September 30, 2008 – Standard & Poor’s has issued the best possible credit and volatility ratings to the Clerk & Comptroller-managed Palm Beach County investment portfolio. The portfolio received an ‘AAAf’ Fund Credit Quality Rating—indicating the portfolio has “extremely strong” protection against losses. It also received a ‘S1’ Volatility Rating—meaning it has low sensitivity to changing market conditions.
As the independent Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the County, the Clerk’s team of certified Accredited Investment Fiduciary® professionals actively manages Palm Beach County taxpayers’ $2 billion cash and investment portfolio. “Recognizing the critical importance of protecting the public’s money during these unprecedented financial times, we contacted Standard & Poor’s to request a first-ever review of the county’s portfolio,” said Clerk Sharon Bock, AIF®. “This independent review and top rating from a reputable third party ensures that we are doing the best we can to protect public funds, while reaffirming our commitment to prudently and proactively managing taxpayer dollars.”
S & P is the benchmark for money managers and the world’s foremost source of credit ratings, indices, investment research, risk evaluation and data. Prior to issuing an ‘AAAf’ and ‘S1’ rating to Palm Beach County, the agency evaluated the Clerk’s overall portfolio management.
“S & P reviewed our operating policies, risk measures, internal controls, as well as experience and stability of the Clerk’s portfolio management team,” said Felicia Landerman, Investment Manager for the Clerk’s office. “In this volatile market and with the safety of the public’s money at stake, it’s critical that we are strong in all those areas. S & P’s top ratings indicate that we are.”
S & P’s Fund Credit Quality Rating scale ranges from ‘AAAf’ (highest level of protection) to ‘CCCf’ (least protection). Volatility ratings range from lowest volatility (‘S1’) to highest volatility (‘S6’). For more information about the rating process, please visit www.standardandpoors.com.
The Clerk’s office manages the Palm Beach County Investment Portfolio in accordance with the County Investment Policy and Florida Statute. Investment objectives are clearly defined as safety of principal, followed by liquidity of funds and earning a competitive rate of return. The office proactively monitors developments in the financial markets daily, and is well poised to take any necessary precautionary measures to safeguard county assets.
For the very latest financial information from the Clerk & Comptroller office, please visit www.mypalmbeachclerk.com and click on “Get the Facts.” (October 2008)
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