Court clerk plans more furloughs, layoffs

Clerks in all 67 counties are being informed they may have to cut another $36 million from their budgets before this fiscal year ends on June 30.

Highlands County Clerk of Courts Bob Germaine said he'll know by Feb. 1. But in the meantime, the state clerk's association is asking each clerk how he or she will deal with the request.

"We've got to cut $87,000," Germaine said.

If he responds with layoffs, six of the 40 clerks in the courthouse would lose their jobs.

Germaine considers that unacceptable, so he plans to ask each of the 81 clerks in the courthouse and the Government Center to take five furlough days.

"And then I'm going to go before the board to ask them to use the savings on the county government side. That will keep us from having to lay off more employees on the court services side," Germaine said.

The clerk of court operates with two budgets, the courthouse and the County Government Center. The county commission controls the clerk's county budget; the state approves the courthouse budget.

Last year, in addition to sharp fee increases, the Legislature cut 18 percent of the clerks' budgets, statewide. About 1,400 Florida deputy clerks were cut last year, Germaine said. "We're thinking another 1,600 will get cut this year."

In Highlands County, Germaine cut six positions and reduced the budget by $400,000.

"We can't provide as many clerks in the courtroom," Germaine said. "They may have to used somewhere else. I'll have to ask the judges if they can get along maybe with only one clerk in the courtroom instead of two."