 With the primary election only a week away, it is finally hitting me that my time as your Clerk & Comptroller is about over. It has been my pleasure to serve you and I sincerely hope that the services we've given you have been, at a minimum, satisfactory.
I've been involved in a technological revolution in the courts for the past nearly sixteen years. We've gone from our lobbies being full of attorneys and law firm runners filing cases, motions and official records to where I seldom see or hear from you anymore. Sixteen years ago our court functions were housed in eight different locations on three different floors in the courthouse and two floors at the Thomasville Road Annex. Today we have a single, one-stop location on the first floor of the courthouse plus a payment facility near the intersection of Thomasville Road and Interstate 10.
As a Board Member of the Florida Courts E-Filing Authority, we've allowed you to work later hours and still get your filings in on time. Hopefully, the improvement in services and administrative functions along with other enhanced functionalities have made your work easier and more efficient.
We've put all of the cases online and allowed access through a free subscription website to all of the information you need to manage your case load, including images. We've enhanced file security to ensure that confidential information is not accessible except by those with authorized access.
We have greatly expanded our citizen and pro se services. In conjunction with Legal Services of North Florida and the judiciary in the 2nd circuit, we continue to hold small claims clinics and recently added a family law clinic for pro se filers. We continue to post information on our website to inform the public of processes, increasing their comfort level with the judicial experience. Most recently, we've provided a chat function for traffic and small claims cases.  We've done much, and there is much more to do. Many of you have heard me say before that I'm blessed with an amazing staff. On my first day as Clerk & Comptroller in January 2001, there were 205 employees. Beginning the first of October 2016, we will be down to 140 employees. We are serving more judges and providing more services while enhancing the quality and timeliness of the services we provide. Given our inability to give raises and the elimination of higher level positions as they have become open, we are struggling to keep our quality staff. Our turnover rate this year is at 30 percent. That is unhealthy, and the inability to deliver a convincing message to the Legislature is my biggest failure. I'm hoping your next Clerk & Comptroller will have more success.  Remember to exercise your Constitutional right to vote. The ballot is crowded and the Clerk & Comptroller position is down ballot where many people get confused and elect not to vote. As direct recipients of our services, I'm sure you know the importance of this election. Take some time to study the candidates and make sure you are electing someone with the skills, knowledge and experience to move the office forward.
Thank you again, for giving me the opportunity to serve you. I'll be working until January 3rd. So if you are ever in the courthouse, drop by and say hello. Sincerely,  Bob Inzer, Clerk & Comptroller
| 
