Subject:
Title
Provide $500,000 funding to Clerk of the Circuit Court to maintain staffing during the remainder of fiscal year ending September 30, 2020.
End
Fiscal Impact:
FY 2019 - 2020: $500,000 impact to the General Fund.
The Governor's Office at the State of Florida a few weeks ago implied the Governor would make good $30 million of the $60 million revenue shortfall for the statewide Clerks of Court. This would bring $750,000 to the Brevard Clerk of Courts. If the money is appropriated after the Board appropriation, the Clerk of Courts will fully reimburse the Board.
Additionally, future Federal legislation may allow the Board of County Commissioners and/or the State of Florida to use Federal CARES Act funds towards revenue shortfalls. If so, the CARES Act funds could replace the $500,000 from the General Fund.
All Clerk of Courts offices are funded by the statewide collection of court revenues. With the Courts virtually shut down since mid-March, 2020, revenue has fallen dramatically.
Dept/Office:
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners authorize the County Manager to approve necessary budget change requests to provide $500,000 to the Clerk's Office for the remainder of FY 2020 and to substitute CARES Act funding if such funding is determined to be an eligible expenditure of CARES Act funds.
End
Summary Explanation and Background:
The 67 Florida County Clerks court support activities are funded from fines, court service charges and other revenues statutorily set by the Florida Legislature and Article V of the Florida Constitution. The only recurring annual funding provided by the Board to the Clerk's Office is $1.9 million for County Financial operations, Minutes/Records and facilities.
Brevard County Clerk's Office annually collects $9 million of local court revenue and was also budgeted to receive $2.4 million shared by other Florida Clerks to fund operations f...
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