Seminole commissioners ask county manager to seek details on Clerk of Court budget growth, trust funds
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Summary
After discussing a sharp rise in the Clerk of Court's office budget and lingering questions about trust funds, the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners directed the county manager to request documentation and a status update from the Clerk and from the Florida Chief Financial Officer's office.
Seminole County commissioners on Oct. 14 discussed rapid growth in the Clerk of Court's adopted budget and directed the county manager to obtain more information from the Clerk's office and to request the Florida Chief Financial Officer's (CFO) office for the status of prior recommendations. The discussion focused on a multi-year increase commissioners characterized as unusually large and on reporting around two trust funds tied to the Clerk.
The commissioners said the Clerk's adopted General Fund budget rose sharply between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2026, and that the board has not received full answers about how some internal trust funds are funded and spent. Commissioner Zembower told the panel, "I am not okay with this budget," and pressed for a formal, documented response.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the scale and pace of the Clerk's budget increases are significant compared with other county functions and warrant follow-up so the board can evaluate county-funded portions of the Clerk's operations before next year's budget. Several commissioners noted past letters and audit recommendations from the state CFO's office and asked staff to confirm whether those recommendations have been implemented.
What the board directed: Commissioners agreed by consensus to three immediate actions: (1) have the county manager draft and send a formal request to the Florida CFO's office asking the status of recommendations described in the CFO's 2024 letter; (2) ask the Clerk of Court for documentation that explains the two large technology-related trust funds (balances, sources, and intended uses) and any employee time-and-effort studies that allocate payroll between court-related and county-supported functions; and (3) return the compiled information to the commission for review and possible budget action. County staff were also asked to coordinate questions and bring a consolidated fact package back to the board.
What commissioners said: Several commissioners said they support accountability and transparency but asked that the process be collaborative. Commissioner Lockhart said she favored getting answers through the county manager's office and working the questions into the normal budget review process. Commissioner Constantine said he would not move to cut funding immediately without the Clerk present but supported a prompt staff-led information request.
Background: Commissioners referenced a 2024 letter from the state CFO's office that recommended time-and-effort documentation and other controls for clerk operations. Staff and several commissioners said that some funds identified as "trust funds" in the Clerk's financial statements appear to have multi-million-dollar balances and that commissioners need detailed, auditable documentation explaining sources and authorized uses.
Next steps: The county manager will prepare a draft letter for the board to review that requests the CFO's status update and asks the Clerk for the requested documentation. The commission expects the county manager to return with the compiled responses and staff analysis ahead of next year's budget discussions.
