It has been a month since Hurricane Ian wreaked havoc on Southwest Florida and caused significant damage to many of our friends and neighbors. I would like to take a moment to recognize our staff members who were impacted by the storm with flooded homes and cars but were so committed to serving the public that they returned to the office as soon as we were able to reopen on Monday following the storm.
I would also like to thank our colleagues around the state that contributed to the Clerks Care GoFundMe campaign that assisted employees throughout the state that had suffered losses due to the storm. The gift cards provided relief for gas, groceries, and other essential items to help our local employees recover from the storm. We’re proud of the Clerk team, who is continuously serving the community.
In the November issue of the Clerk’s Report, we’re pleased to share with you some important updates about how your tax dollars are being spent in Southwest Florida’s recovery efforts. In our last issue, we shared with you a report on a $1.9 Billion dollar budget that was approved by the Collier County Board of County Commissioners. That budget has since been increased by $104 million for recovery efforts. Through sound fiscal management, Collier County has the reserves available for these repairs until we can be reimbursed by FEMA.
We’re also pleased to share that a portion of the one-cent infrastructure sales tax contributed to Collier County’s preparedness and swift recovery efforts through the Hurricane Hardening and Infrastructure Tax here. These projects include the Emergency Services Center East Bay enclosure project, emergency generator power at wastewater pump stations, and the installation of emergency generators at the North County Regional Park and the Immokalee Sports Complex. The generators that were installed were utilized during the storm and the following recovery efforts for various areas.
During and after the hurricane, our online portal for submitting documents remained operational. From Hurricane Ian’s landfall on September 28th through the period that ended on October 7th, the Clerk’s office processed 450 Notice of Commencements to assist in property repairs. While recording Notices of Commencement is faster than ever, we are also working on an upgrade to our Recording Software that will allow online submittals and recording of the Notice of Commencement forms. We are currently on schedule to have this new enhancement available to the public after the first of the new year. Stay tuned and we’ll inform you of our newest updates as soon as they’re ready for use.
Lastly, I want to invite everyone to become part of our Clerk’s Corps, our very own volunteer group that provides their skills and expertise to aid in our mission of providing quality services to the people of Collier County. We are currently opening our volunteer registration for this season with volunteer opportunities ranging from clerical and administrative tasks to technical and financial tasks. I am looking forward to meeting more volunteers with the heart to serve the public!
Read The Clerk’s Report – Nov 2022
Hurricane Hardening and Infrastructure Tax
The State of Florida reduces Clerk’s FY 2023 Budget
Clerk Kinzel recognizes International Fraud Awareness Week
Recording Notices is Faster and more Efficient
Volunteers sought to serve in the Clerk’s Corps
Community Partners sought for 3rd Annual Valentines Day Wedding Ceremony