County Clerk wins award for the 20th time

PUNTA GORDA 10/18/06 -- The staff of the Charlotte County Clerk of the Circuit Court were not surprised when they received the Government Finance Officers Association's Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. They won the award last year, and the year before that.

In fact, this is their 20th consecutive year receiving the certificate, given by a professional organization representing 14,000 government finance officials in the United States and Canada.

Though the element of surprise was lacking, Clerk Barbara T. Scott was nevertheless pleased with the award that recognized her office's preparation of Charlotte County's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2005.

"I am just so pleased," Scott said Tuesday. "I do know what a wonderful job they do."

Scott was first elected clerk in 1984. She is the official recorder and custodian of the court and county records. Her financial and audit staff of about 20 accountants and clerks put together the financial documents for the board of commissioners, the court, the Sheriff's Office, the supervisor of elections, the tax collector and the property appraiser, said county Finance Director Ann Navan.

"It communicates to the public as well as the financial community," Navan said. "It communicates the financial picture to them of the county as a whole."

That information is used by government, investors and others, Scott said.

The financial aftermath of Hurricane Charley made reporting data more complicated than it had been in the past, Navan said.

"We had some challenges this year," she said. "At some points, it was interesting to see how it was all going to come together."

Scott credits her staff for her office's 20-year winning streak.

"My people are very dedicated. They're also very experienced," she said. "They know what's good for the county."

By CAROLYN QUINN

Staff Writer

Charlotte Sun Herald