Hillsborough Clerk 2024 Annual Report : simplebooklet.com

02 03“A MESSAGE FROM“”4.About our Ofﬁce6. Hillsborough County Government8. Hillsborough County Budget10. People and Training12. Community Engagement14.Customer Experience16. Process Review & Innovation18. Media Outreach20. Going Above the Line of Duty22. 24/7 Services23. LocationsCORE VALUESProtect | Steward | Serve | Innovate | Equity-Driven | Transparent Competent | Inclusive | Lead with IntegrityEquity, transparency, and independence drive our ofﬁce whether it’s serving the function of the Court, providing important records, or being stewards of County ﬁnances. Over the past ﬁscal year, our team has focused on four strategic priorities, each aimed at enhancing the services we provide: Customer Experience, Community Engagement, People and Training, and Process Review and Innovation.We take pride in our initiatives that exceed the expectations of both constituents and our employees. These efforts have garnered recognition, having received 11 accolades from Top Workplaces, and being awardedCertiﬁcates of Excellence in every category in the Best Practices Excellence Program by Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (page 11).Our commitment to public service means we aim to meet people where they are by participating in community outreach events to educate the public about our services (pages 12, 18).To ensure continuous improvement, we track our progress diligently. You can ﬁnd detailed information regarding each department’s accomplishments here (page 16).Recognizing the complexities of the court system, we prioritize accessibility and convenience for those who rely on our services. We continuously work to alleviate the challenges people face in navigating the court system (page 14).We remain dedicated to sharing our innovative work in the coming year and are excited to build upon these achievements.

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MEET THE TEAMABOUT OUR OFFICETIMOTHY SIMONChief Financial Ofﬁcer Deputy ComptrollerMARYLOU FERNANDEZ WHALEYChief of StaffJIM PORTERGeneral CounselMICHELLE DECKERChief Information OfﬁcerHEIDI PINNERChief Audit ExecutiveBRANDI WILLIAMSChief Ofﬁcer of Court OperationsCHRISTINE NAPPIAide to the ClerkANDREW BARRIOSChief of Human Capital and Talent DevelopmentKIMBERLY RICHARDSChief Deputy Records ManagementROBERT RUSSDirector of Community EngagementCARSON CHAMBERSSenior Director of Communications and MarketingRICK VANARSDALLChief Operating Ofﬁcer of Board ServicesJULIAN MENDEZDirector of Procurement and OperationsKATHLEEN ROCAMORADirector of Strategy RealizationThe Florida Constitution established the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller as a public trustee, independently elected to safeguard your public records and public funds. The Hillsborough Clerk of Court & Comptroller serves many roles including Chief Financial Ofﬁcer, Treasurer, Board of County Commissioners, Clerk of the Court, County Recorder, and County Auditor.Clerk of the Court, CPrepares County ﬁnancial reports Pays all County bills and pre-audit all County expendituresManages the County’s investments to earn investment income on taxpayer fundsDocuments and maintain minutes, records, and activities of the County government meetingsCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, TREASURER, BOCCProcesses and ﬁle all civil and criminal court documentsProtects evidenceProvides the public with access to court records on paper and onlineManages the County’s jury systemMaintains ofﬁcial County recordsRecords documents such as mortgages, deeds, liens, judgments, and marriage licensesCLERK OF THE COURTAssists management in achieving efﬁcient and effective administration of their areas of responsibilityMakes recommendations to management to improve internal controls and mitigate risksMonitors management’s corrective action plansOffers training to County staff on internal controls and fraud preventionCOUNTY AUDITORCOUNTY RECORDERMeet the dedicated individuals who shape the future of our organization. Get to know the faces behind our leadership and learn more about the collective knowledge and vision that propels us forward. CINDY STUARTClerk of Court & Comptroller04 05

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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERSSHERIFFChad ChronisterProtects the communitySUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONSCraig LatimerOversees the election processTAX COLLECTORNancy C. MillanCollects your taxesPUBLIC DEFENDERJulianne HoltProvides legal representation, consultation, and advice to clientsSTATE ATTORNEYSuzy LopezPromotes the safety and well-being of the public13TH JUDICIAL CIRCUITHears all criminal and civil matters not within the jurisdiction of county courtsPROPERTY APPRAISERBob HenriquezAssesses your property’s valueSHEChaProTAXNaColSTASuzProwelSUCraOvePUJulProcon13THeamajuriPRBoAssCOUNTY GOVERNMENTThe Board of County Commissioners are composed of seven commissioners elected in separate districts. They act as local legislative and executive bodies by setting public policy, levying taxes, and managing funding for public projects and programs. The appointed County Administrator carries out the policies and decisions made and approved by the commissioners. Bonnie WiseCounty AdministratorHarry CohenDistrict 1Ken HaganDistrict 2, ChairGwen Myers District 3Michael OwenDistrict 4, Vice ChairDonna Cameron CepedaDistrict 5, County-wide, ChaplainPat KempDistrict 6,CountywideJoshua WostalDistrict 7, CountywideCLERK OF COURT Cindy StuartKeeps records, services judicial system, maintains county ﬁnances06 07

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YOUR COUNTY’S EXPENSES YOUR COUNTY’S FUNDINGHillsborough County generates revenue from multiple sources, with the largest being taxes. Other revenue generators include user fees, grants, and state-shared revenues. The County uses this money to provide necessary services for residents.Tax dollars and other sources of revenue must be spent in accordance with the County’s budget. Each year, the Board of County Commissioners creates and approves a balanced budget detailing how public money will be spent on government operations, services, and projects. By law, each fund type must be balanced and may not show a deﬁcit..64% COURT-RELATED EXPENSES4.28% DEBT SERVICE4.89% CULTURE & RECREATION7.48% HUMAN SERVICES5.05% ECONOMIC GOVERNMENT8.62% TRANSPORTATION34.54% PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT20.5% PUBLIC SAFETY14% GENERAL GOVERNMENTABBREVIATED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FY2223 ADOPTED BUDGET SUMMARY52.57% TAXES26.17% CHARGES FOR SERVICES13.47% INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE6.16% PERMITS, FEES & SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS1.41% MISC. REVENUE0.22% JUDGMENTS, FINES, AND FORFEITSEXPENDITURESXPENDITURESABBREVIATED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FY2223 ADOPTED BUDGET SUMMARYESTIMATED REVENUES08 09

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•• 3,072COURSE COMPLETIONSCOMPLETIONS77,88365,255VIDEOS VIEWEDVIDEOS COMPLETEDCOURSE VIEWS13,721PEOPLE & TRAININGThe Clerk’s ofﬁce partners with college recruitment ofﬁces throughout the State to offer aspiring professionals opportunities in various ﬁelds to earn credits and gain real-world experience in the workforce. During FY23, we have hosted 32 interns, some of whom are now working for us full-time!We have made Professional Development a priority this year by bringing qualiﬁed keynote speakers from across the United States to present to our employees. This has provided specialized training for approximately 170 managers and leaders.UNLOCKING POTENTIALCULTURE OF EXCELLENCE Now, the Clerk’s ofﬁce offers LinkedIn Learning to each employee. LinkedIn Learning is an award-winning industry leader in online training, offering a digital library with thousands of courses covering a wide range of technical, business, software, and creative topics. Employees are recommended a new course weekly, and many take advantage of the courses to advance their careers and personal skill sets. TTTTTTTTTTTTTTThreeeeeofoooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvaeeeeeeeeeeeeexhhhhhhhhhhhhhhIn the spirit of excellence, we are proud to announce the Clerk’s ofﬁce has received 3 Top Workplaces Gold Badges! We have been recognized as a Top Workplace regionally by the Tampa Bay Times, a Top Workplace nationally by USA Today, and a Top Woman-Led organization. On top of this, we have received eight workplace culture awards. These awards are not just accolades; they reﬂect our employees’ satisfaction and commitment to our mission.The Annual Financial Report received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting from the Government Financial Ofﬁcers Association.Clerk Cindy Stuart was honored in the Best Practices Excellence Program by Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers. She was awarded Certiﬁcates of Excellence in every category – Appeals, Court Record Retention and Destruction, Exploitation of Vulnerable Adult Injunction, Guardianship Audits, Reporting Mental Health Cases to State Agencies, Requests to Redact Exempt Personal Information, Risk Protection Orders, and Unclaimed Funds.The Clerk’s ofﬁce was proud to accept an award from the Florida Attorney General, Ashley Moody, as recognition for the largest organization statewide to join the 100 Percent Club. 652 employees received certiﬁcates for completing the Human Trafﬁcking Awareness Course.TOP WORKPLACES 10 11

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Government Career FairSometimes it can be hard to know where to start for those seeking a career in local government. Recognizing this challenge, we took the initiative to launch the ﬁrst-ever Government Career Fair, hosting every local government agency. This event provided an opportunity for 205 attendees to engage in direct conversation with recruiters, allowing them to submit their resumes in person and take that ﬁrst crucial step toward their government careers. Volunteer EventsClerk staff generously volunteered their time at 40 events contributing to 1,658 volunteer hours throughout the year. Volunteers helped the community by performing a wide range of tasks from painting rundown houses, cleaning up local parks, extending care at animal shelters, and stufﬁng an impressive 30,000 backpacks with school supplies for children. What an exceptional year of community support!Town Hall MeetingsThese meetings hosted by Commissioner Gwen Myers were a pivotal platform for spreading awareness about our free Property Fraud alerts. Our dedicated Clerk staff attended 7 Town Hall meetings across Hillsborough County, educating 350+ residents and continuing the conversation with homeowners associations, realtors, and title companies.Local ParadesThe Clerk’s ofﬁce actively participates in local parades to foster connections and raise awareness about valuable services. We proudly join these vibrant celebrations, aiming to educate and engage our community, reinforcing our commitment to serving their needs and building strong, lasting relationships. Look for our decorated Clerkmobile in the next Hillsborough County parade!MEETING THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY ARECOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTThe transition from high school to the working world can be challenging. The Clerk’s ofﬁce provides support to high school seniors through the Future Career Academy (FCA). Through FCA, we’ve organized 12 ﬁeld trips and hosted 600 students! Attending FCA hiring events led to the hiring of 3 high school seniors ready for the workforce. The Clerk’s ofﬁce has also continued the Corporate Work-Study program through Cristo Rey. This gave 6 high school students the opportunity to intern in multiple departments in the Clerk’s ofﬁce. We’re committed to helping students make a smooth transition into their careers.Clerk Cindy Stuart pictured with 4-H and FFA Students at the Hillsborough County Fair 12 13

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Passport SaturdaysThe Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Ofﬁce is authorized by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to accept U.S. passport applications. While our Ofﬁcial Records department handles these applications during regular business days, Clerk Cindy Stuart periodically extends these services to Saturdays to assist customers who can’t visit during the workweek. In FY23, our ofﬁce processed 575 Passport Applications during Passport Saturdays.On the Road Again: April 14, 21, 28, 2023 Thousands of Floridians live with the obstacle of suspended driver’s licenses because of unpaid trafﬁc tickets, ﬁnes, and court obligations. On the Road Again is an initiative that helps community members gain their independence by saving money, settling ﬁnes and fees, and getting their driver’s license reinstated on-site. During the last event, over $180k in court costs were waived, 528 cases were removed from collections, and 73 cases were dismissed completely! Veterans Court: November 4th, 2022 It’s another way to say ‘thank you’ to veterans for serving our country. We bring court services out of the courthouse and into the community to the James A Haley Veterans’ Hospital working with our partners at the Hillsborough County 13th Judicial Circuit Court. Veterans were able to resolve ﬁnes, legal fees, and other outstanding legal issues in one hearing. During the last event, $18k in court costs were waived, and 32 cases were dismissed completely. We also honor our heroes by giving them priority in customer service lines all year and waiving fees for passport photos in November! Bail Bonds Open HousesBond agents are mandated to complete their registration with both the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce (HCSO) and the Clerk of Court before they can issue bonds in Hillsborough County. In the lead-up to the registration deadline, we hosted a series of open-house events that aimed to streamline the registration process. At these events, bond agents were welcomed at the entrance and provided with all the essential paperwork required for their registration. This one-stop shop succeeded in registering 132 bond agents, which is over half of all bond agents in Hillsborough County. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCEENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY AND CONVENIENCECommunity Wedding EventsWe believe in making our services accessible and possible for the public, and one of the ways we achieve this is by hosting special wedding events. On February 14th, Clerk Cindy Stuart presided over the unions of 32 couples, all of whom exchanged vows in the picturesque setting of Courthouse Square. Prior to the Tampa Pride Parade, the Clerk’s Ofﬁce initiated a pre-parade wedding ceremony. The newlyweds were then invited to join the Clerk staff in walking the Tampa Pride Parade. We have hosted several themed ceremonies, including a Star Wars-themed ceremony on May 4th! Our walk-in ceremony room is often decorated for special holidays. These extraordinary moments underscore our dedication to going the extra mile to make our constituents happy.14 15

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PROCESS REVIEW& INNOVATIONFACTS AND FIGURES: FY23TOTAL CUSTOMERS SERVEDJURY NOTICES MAILEDDOCUMENTSRECORDEDCIVIL CASES CRIMINAL CASESMARRIAGE LICENSES ISSUEDFACEBOOKENGAGEMENTS@hillsclerkINSTAGRAMENGAGEMENTS@hillsboroughclerkTWITTERIMPRESSIONS@hillsclerkPercentages compared to FY2323PERCENTAGES COMPARED TO FY22DEEDS RECORDEDPROCESS REVIEW& INNOVATIONFACTS AND FIGURES: FY231M+625k 582k15k168k194k27%SUPPLIER DIVERSITYLARGEST STAKEHOLDERS8.6%7.2%Purchase Orders Issued to Disadvantaged Minority /Women-Owned and Small Business Enterprises in FY23Women-Owned8.4%Asian-OwnedHispanic-Owned133%656%841%624,51913,249 581,56415,344126,639194,081168,361247246,822442,989678,794628,406 6,493Court-Related NoticesMailedFull Cases of Records ImagedDocuments Recorded (In-person & e-record)Marriage Licenses Issued (Online & In-person)Jurors SummonedCivil CasesCriminal CasesJury TrialsCustomers Served In-PersonCustomers Served in Call CenterCalls handled by phone (IVR)Visits to hillsclerk.comE-Certify TransactionsCouurt-Related NoticeesMailed48k16

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INK MEDIA OUTREACHThe Clerk’s ofﬁce has garnered attention in prominent local news outlets, newspapers, and magazines, championing various initiatives. From shedding light on property fraud prevention to providing tips for a seamless passport application process, promoting our unique themed wedding events, and informing the community about our Bilingual Pay policy — our outreach spans diverse facets. We are dedicated to spreading awareness about career opportunities including our partnership with Future Career Academy. Our overarching objective is to create a lasting impact in the community, ensuring that everyone is well-informed about the myriad ways the Clerk’s ofﬁce can serve and empower them.18 19

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INITIATIVES THATDomestic Violence InnovationsClerk Cindy Stuart joined Attorney General Ashley Moody as she introduced Project Protect, which provides an additional layer of protection for Domestic Violence victims. In addition, our ofﬁce has expanded with new ﬁling sites, which makes ﬁling for a restraining order more accessible for the 6,500 DV victims who seek help every year. We are excited to play a part in offering accessible and safe locations for victims to ﬁle.Juror Compensation Program$15 a day adds up! The Clerk’s ofﬁce added a new option to juror summons which had never been done before in Hillsborough County. Now, jurors’ charitable donations are helping the community with the added option to donate daily compensation to a statutorily appointed non-proﬁt, The Spring of Tampa Bay. During FY23, jurors donated $31 thousand to the local domestic violence shelter. Bilingual Pay PolicyOur bilingual pay policy recognizes and compensatesapproximately 50 bilingual employees who provide translation and interpretation services to our Hispanic Community in Hillsborough County. Clerk services are now more accessible to non-English speaking members of our community, particularly the more than45,000 Hispanic customerswho request support.Clerk’s Table Community Food PantryEveryone deserves access to nutritious food, so we’ve partnered with Feeding Tampa Bay to establish a dedicated food pantry, Clerk’s Table. This pantry is not only for our employees but for anyone in need, including domestic violence victims we encounter in our ofﬁces. On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the Clerk’s Table received its 42nd delivery from Feeding Tampa Bay for a totalof 34,251 lbs. which equates to28,543 meals for families. Asof October 3, 2023, the Clerk’s Table has served2,035people and1,048children. We track our service through pantry submission forms, topping 547 requests.Offering Free Property Fraud AlertsProperty and mortgage fraud is the fastest-growing white-collar crime in the United States, according to the FBI. Our ofﬁce is here to help anyone who is purchasing, reﬁnancing, downsizing, or making any real estate transaction. This free property fraud alert program notiﬁes a homeowner within 48 hours after a document, like a mortgage or a deed, is recorded using their name or business name. Clerk of Court Cindy Stuart offers this service completely free for any resident of Hillsborough County. We have been working hard to spread the word about this service! During FY23, our new subscriptions jumped from 2,275 to 20,544, which is an 800% increase!Human Trafﬁcking Prevention PanelClerk Stuart organized an essential Human Trafﬁcking awareness panel featuring survivors, a judge, and an HCSO representative. Survivors shared their experiences, and Colonel Ura provided tips on spotting trafﬁcking signs. This panel complements existing staff training on identifying and reporting suspicious activities. To reach more employees, we created an online training module that 160 staff members completed..GOING ABOVE THE LINE OF DUTYINITIATIVES THAT SET US APARTSIGN UP FOR PROPERTY FRAUD ALERTS IN UNDER 5 MINUTES!PropertyFraudAlert.com1-800-728-385820 21

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WHERE TO FIND USHOW WE SERVE YOU 24/70102030405SEARCHCOURT RECORDSMAKEPAYMENTSFIND COURT DATESFILECASESMARRIAGE LICENSESSET PASSPORT APPOINMENTSCHECKJURY STATUSSEARCHHISTORICAL RECORDSPLANT CITY COURTHOUSE301 North Michigan Avenue, Room 107, Plant City FL 33563311 Pauls Drive Brandon, FL 33511BRANDON REGIONAL SERVICE CENTER800 East Twiggs Street Tampa, FL 33602GEORGE E. EDGECOMB COURTHOUSEPAT FRANK COURTS BUILDING419 North Pierce Street Tampa, Fl 33602601 East Kennedy Boulevard, 12th Floor & 13th Tampa, FL 33602FREDERICK B. KARL COUNTY CENTERHILLSCLERK.COM | (813) 276-8100Sign up for our email newsletter Follow Clerk social media2223

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Hillsborough Clerk 2024 Annual Report

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