Stacy Butterfield, Polk County Clerk of Courts & Comptroller, has released her 2021 Strategic Update, a report that provides residents with an update on the work and development of the Clerk’s office. The report details the advancements of the Clerk’s Strategic Plan. The plan focuses on four key strategies, which include enhanced customer access, greater transparency and accountability in county government, exceptional customer service, and community engagement.
Notable accomplishments in 2021 include:
- Operation Green Light: During the 2021 event, 363 customers paid their cases in full; 440 customers established payment plans; 767 cases were pulled from collection agencies; 47 customers were able to reinstate their driver's license; and an additional 427 customers became eligible for driver's license reinstatement.
- Appointment to Self-Help Work Group: Clerk Butterfield has been appointed by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady to serve on the newly formed Workgroup on Access to Justice. The Workgroup will pursue projects that “will focus on improvements that can be made within the State Courts System to assist self-represented litigants and support the judicial branch in ensuring effective access to justice for all.”
- Distinguished Best Practices: The Polk County Clerk's office received recognition of excellence awards for best practices in Compliance Services, Confidential Judicial Records, Guardianship Audits, Marriage Licenses, Recording Fundamentals, and Service of Pro Se documents at the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers summer conference.
- Award-winning excellence in financial reporting: The Polk County Clerk's office and the Board of County Commissioners together earned the coveted Triple Crown Medallion from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), the national authority on best practices in governmental accounting and financial reporting.
“It is a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to serve as the elected Clerk and Comptroller for Polk County. It is my duty to maintain public records and safeguard county funds. These services are critical to the stability of our county. From court cases to marriage licenses, buying a home or paying a traffic ticket, my office is deeply rooted within the Polk County community, and the interests of its residents are my top priority.” Clerk Butterfield said, “In 2021 we balanced the continuing challenges brought by COVID-19 with making strides to meet my office's strategic goals. These guiding strategies allowed us to continue adapting to the sudden changes brought by the pandemic while providing reliable service to the judicial system and Polk County community. As we continue to weather the storm of COVID-19, we are proud of the accomplishments made in 2021 and look towards the future with hope and excitement.”
Access the report online to discover more.