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Highlands Today

Germaine Pledges To Cut Clerk Office Costs

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By JIM KONKOLY

Highlands Today

Published: January 9, 2009

SEBRING - Bob Germaine, who was sworn in Tuesday as the new Highlands County Clerk of Courts, announced a reorganization and other measures to cut operating costs.

After working in the clerk's office for 38 years, Germaine won election as clerk in November and said he won't fill the position he left, senior director of court services.

To eliminate that salary of more than $90,000, he said, he'll continue to fill that role along with help from division directors in court services.

"If a clerk was coming in from the outside that didn't know the job, they would have to have my (former) position filled," he said. "But with me knowing the job - a lot of it is working with the judges and with the attorneys - I'm going to continue there.

"Now," he added, "I've asked my five directors in court services to all step up, they're going to have to take on some additional responsibilities, I'm going to pass some of the work down."
Germaine also combined the Financial Reporting and Accounting departments into one, naming Anne Roberts, director of accounting, to lead both operations. Pam Cross, who had been director of financial reporting, was offered a job as a senior accountant. With a total of six employees in the two departments, Germaine said, there is no need for two directors.

Another change comes with the retirement of Deborah Williams as director of recording. Jerome Kaszubowski was promoted to senior director of business services, replacing Bob Jameson, who retired. Kaszubowski also will serve as interim director of recording until a person is promoted to that post, with his or her old job left vacant, Germaine said.

"I have just a ballpark figure now, but I'm looking at cutting close to $200,000 in payroll budget with these changes," he said.

With about 80 employees in the clerk of courts' office, Germaine said he won't eliminate any current employees, but will carefully consider the need to fill vacancies as they come up.

"This is just a start for me," he said about cost cutting moves. "I've been here long enough to see where I think I can save and I'm looking for areas where we can."

Upgrading computer software will provide additional cost savings, he said. The first installation of new computer software, started last year and due online soon, will cut the workload in recording court cases.

On court day, Germaine explained, two clerks spend a day in court recording the dispositions in up to 200 court cases, then have to work another full day or more inputting the judge's decisions into the clerk's electronic case files.

The new software program, In Court Processing, will allow the dispositions to be electronically filed for each case in court.

"That will save a whole day's work," Germaine said.
Germaine also said he will launch more cross training so that employees can be transferred from one job to another as the workload dictates.

"We're going to provide the best services to the public," Germaine said, "and at the same time we're going to reduce costs."

Highlands Today reporter Jim Konkoly can be reached at 863-386-5855 or e-mail jkonkoly@highlandstoday.com

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