Clerk's budget remains lean 

Barbara Scott's office spent less in 2008 than it did in 1998.


To decrease a government department's budget over 10 years in terms of adjusted dollars is a particularly noteworthy accomplishment.

Consider, then, how much of an achievement it is that the Charlotte County Clerk of Court's office spent less in 2008 than it did in 1998, in terms of both real and nominal dollars.

In 2008, the clerk's office spent $100,000 less than it did in 1998. Adjusted for inflation, the office reduced its budget by nearly $1.4 million.

Tommy White, chief deputy, board services, has served under Clerk Barbara Scott for 20 years. He said he's not surprised that the numbers show a lean budget over the last decade.

"(Scott) has always, always managed her budget looking at the minimum amount to run the operation," White said.

Scott has run the office since 1984 -- long before any members of the Charlotte County Commission were elected. This year, the commission has asked each of its constitutional officers to cut 15 percent of their budgets.

At a workshop with the commission in March, Scott noted that while the county's budget has seen exponential increases, hers has not. In fact, over the last 10 years, the two budgets have headed in the opposite direction.

White said he expects the 2008-2009 fiscal year budget to continue the trend, though he doesn't know if it will amount to the requested 15 percent.

"There's no question she'll have cuts because she's always taken it seriously, even when not asked to cut," he said.

The clerk was out of town for a conference and unable to comment for this story.

In viewing the Sun's 10-year budget breakdown, Commissioner Bob Starr singled out Scott's office.

"The only one that actually looked reasonable was Barbara Scott," Starr said.

Commissioner Adam Cummings concurred.

"It isn't like we've had any fewer crimes or anything," Cummings said, "so I would say that's a pretty good accomplishment."

The workload has increased in a number of ways over the last decade. For example, the County Commission now holds many more meetings than it used to. The clerk's office is constitutionally required to record each meeting of the commission.

"The volume, the number of meetings, the volume of the work, the complexity of the work has just skyrocketed for the minutes division," White said. "We're still doing it with four people."

The office also handles property valuation petitions, which have seen a dramatic rise. In 1998, the clerk's office would usually handle 200 or 300 petitions. Last year, the number topped 1,000.

The office has been able to do more with less, White said, due to a number of factors. Today, many tasks that required personnel a decade ago can be accomplished through computers and software.

Cross-training has also been a help. White's secretary is going to start taking meeting minutes, to help out the staff of minute-takers that has been overwhelmed with meetings lately.

Employees in the office are often trained to do multiple jobs, White said.

"That kind of thing is happening all over the office," he said.

The clerk's office has been cutting employees for the last five years. While there were 163 employees in the office last year, the 2009 total is now in the 140s. White noted that the office began making those cuts before the Florida Legislature-mandated reductions began.

"Barbara has been trying to cut back all along," he said.


Clerk of Court

FY97/98 FY07/08

County Population: 133,655 165,781

Budget: $3,896,696 $3,777,670

Cost Per Resident: $38.50 $22.79

No. of Employees: 141 163


Read the Sun newspapers throughout the week for in-depth examinations into the constitutional officers' budgets.


E-mail: nhughes@sun-herald.com


By NEIL HUGHES

Staff Writer