Annual Report of the Sarasota County Clerk and Comptroller

T o the C itizens of S arasota C ounty Clerk of the Circuit and County Court | Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners | County Comptroller, Auditor and Recorder 2000 Main Street | P.O. Box 3079 | Sarasota, FL 34230-3079 | Phone: 941-861-7400 | SarasotaClerk.com KAREN E. RUSHING CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT AND COUNTY COMPTROLLER FCCC FLORIDA COURT CLERKS AND COMPTROLLERS 2011 Special Recognition Award 2010 Excellence in Leadership Award 2009-2018, Chair, Legislative Committee 2008-2009 Chair, Strategic Planning Committee 2007-2008 President 2005, 2009, 2012 and 2013 Clerk of the Year CCOC FLORIDA CLERKS OF COURT OPERATIONS CORPORATION 2014 Legislative Committee 2014 Florida Courts E-Filing Committee 2011 Co-Chair, Revenue Stabilization Workgroup REPUBLICAN PARTY OF SARASOTA, FLORIDA 2007 Statesman of the Year UNITED WAY OF SARASOTA COUNTY Member, Board of Directors 29TH ANNUAL WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2013 Women of Light Award UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA 2002 Distinguished Alumni Award FLORIDA SUPREME COURT – FLORIDA COURTS TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION (FCTC) 2010-present, Florida Courts Technology Commission 2003-present, Committee for Electronic Filing UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 2002-2007 Advisor, Commercial Law Department ACHIEVEMENTS GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION 2012-present, Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting 1984-present, Excellence in Financial Reporting Award ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC TREASURERS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA 2014, 2018 Certificate of Excellence for Sarasota County’s Investment Policy UNITED WAY SUNCOAST 2017, 2018 Top 25 Most Generous Workplaces, Sarasota Area FLORIDA GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATORS ASSOCIATION 2009-Crystal Award, Online Foreclosures 2008 Second Place Crystal, Annual Report 2007-2009 Special Judges Awards ASSOCIATION OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS 2009 Gold Winner, MarCom Award, Annual Report 2009 Honorable Mention, MarCom Award, Photography It is hard to believe that we are at the start of 2020! It is almost scary how quickly time passes. Yet another year is over, and I take pride in reporting the accomplishments of this office, and its dedicated people who have served hundreds of thousands of citizens over the course of the past fiscal year, beginning October 1, 2018, and ending September 30, 2019. Fortunately, the economy proved to be healthy with respect to selling and buying homes in our communities. With a three percent increase in land and property-related documents filed into the Official Record of Sarasota County, this office collected $84 million in recording fees and documentary stamps for the state. With regard to court activity, case filings were steady, with only a very slight decline in criminal cases. This office’s commitment to transparency focused us on enhanced online access to systems that the community relies on for valuable information, while protecting information declared to be confidential by law. In the finance world, a priority to protect the public’s financial resources lead to an award-winning investment policy focused on preservation of capital, while maximizing the earnings of a $1 billion portfolio, also the responsibility of the Clerk and Comptroller. I am very proud of the professionals in my office who contributed to the policy, and of those whose professional efforts contributed to another annual recognition for financial reporting. To have two professional associations award certificates of excellence for our investment policy and our annual financial report is a testament to our commitment to transparency and full disclosure, in service to our community. Florida’s Clerks serve their communities with pride and dedication, and provide important services that affect public safety, access to justice, and commerce. It is a privilege to serve as your Clerk and Comptroller, and as public trustee of Sarasota County. Karen E. Rushing