Clerk Encourages Participation in Sunshine Week

March 12, 2010– Sunshine Week is about the public’s right to know what its government is doing, and why. Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and empower people to play an active role in their government at all levels, and to remind them that they have access to a wide variety of public information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger.

As Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for Manatee County, R.B. ”Chips“ Shore serves as the custodian of public records for the courts and for the County, as clerk to the Board of County Commissioners and as Chief Financial Officer and Auditor of all County funds. Mr. Shore has also made it his career’s work to ensure that these records are made readily accessible to the public in the easiest and most cost effective manner possible. To that end and to promote governmental transparency, Shore has made information available to the public online and in accordance with Florida Statute.

To promote and encourage participation in Sunshine Week, Mr. Shore invites the citizens of Manatee County to take advantage of the information provided to the public online. ”We are so fortunate to live in Florida, a state that recognizes the importance of open government. I hope everyone in Manatee County will make use of our website, www.ManateeClerk.com, and the records that may be of importance to them,“ says Shore.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court’s online records that promote open government include:

• Popular Reports http://www.manateeclerk.com/Departments/Finance/FinancialReports/PopularReports.aspx

• Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports http://www.manateeclerk.com/Departments/Finance/FinancialReports/CAFR.aspx

• Interim Financial Reports http://www.manateeclerk.com/Departments/Finance/FinancialReports/InterimFinancialReports.aspx

• Port Authority Financial Schedules http://www.manateeclerk.com/Departments/Finance/FinancialReports/PAFS.aspx

• Public Utilities Reports http://www.manateeclerk.com/Departments/Finance/FinancialReports/UtilitiesReport.aspx

• Manatee County Investment Portfolio http://www.manateeclerk.com/Departments/Finance/TreasuryManagement.aspx

• Audit Reports http://www.manateeclerk.com/Departments/InternalAudit/IAReports.aspx

• Court records http://www.manateeclerk.org/

• Official/land records http://www.manateeclerk.com/Searches/OfficialRecordsDisclaimer.aspx

• BCC minutes and records http://www.manateeclerk.com/Searches/BoardRecords.aspx

For more information on Sunshine Week, please visit www.ManateeClerk.com or www.sunshineweek.org/about.aspx

About the Clerk’s Office

The Clerk of the Circuit Court was established as a public trustee by the Florida Constitution in 1838. The Clerk of the Circuit Court serves as the Clerk of Courts, the Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners, Auditor, Recorder, and Custodian of all County Funds. In Manatee County, the Clerk’s office also administers a child support enforcement program, violence protection advocacy program, Citizens’ Review and Teen Court programs. Located at 1115 Manatee Avenue West in Downtown Bradenton, the Courthouse is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Please be sure to visit our web site at www.manateeclerk.com.