1. Marion County Clerk’s Office 2009 Budget Presentation
Elizabeth L. White
Marion County Circuit Court Clerk

2. Marion County Clerk’s Office
Mission Statement
To ensure the accuracy and accessibility of court records.
To accurately collect and distribute funds for the courts.
To provide the secure collections of child support payments and court fees.
To issue marriage licenses.
To serve the citizens of Marion County in a professional, courteous and efficient manner.

3. Clerk’s Office Organizational Chart

4. Clerk’s Office - Statistical Information Case Filings
2006
2007
Forecast 2008
Change
Change
Change
Civil
64,292
63,793
72,857
-1%
14%
13%
Civil Filing
42,891
44,504
48,996 4%
10%
Probate
4,423
4,259
4,680
-4% 6%
Juvenile
8,410
6,699
9,612
-20%
43%
Environmental
3,927
3,898
4,147
Other Civil
4,641
4,433
5,422
22%
17%
Criminal
200,389
226,536
272,762
20%
36%

5. Revenue Sources
General Fund – various fees including tax warrant fees, document fees for photocopies, annual support maintenance fees for child support, marriage license applications, and administrative fees.
Perpetuation Fund – document storage fees applied to all civil, criminal, infraction, and ordinance violation actions.
Title IV-D Incentive Fund – payment to counties from Federal Gov. for enforcing and collecting child support.
Enhanced Access Fund – the Clerk’s office requests reimbursement for operating expenses incurred in providing enhanced access to public information.

6. Special Funds - Uses Clerk’s Perpetuation Fund (IC 33-19-6-1.5)
Must be used for the preservation of records or the improvement of record-keeping systems and equipment.
Enhanced Access Fund (IC )
Must be used for the replacement, improvement and expansion of capital expenditures or the reimbursement of operating expenses incurred in providing enhanced access to public information.
Title IV-D Incentive Payments (IC )
Must be reinvested in the Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Program. The funds must be used to supplement and not replace existing funds.

7. 2009 Projected Revenues

8. 2009 Revenue Enhancements
Increase revenue and customer flexibility by continuing to expand payment options.
Payment by credit card for cash bonds, at environmental court, and expanded credit card payment options for child support.
Continue to expand receivables program - invoicing monthly for copy fees and fax filings.
In the first seven months of 2008, increased revenues for copy fees by $64,000 (43%) over same period prior year and increased revenues for filing fees by $5,700 (13%).

9. 2009 Revenue Challenges
Increased reliance on special funds for operating costs places the special funds balances at risk over the next several years.
Support Maintenance Fee
Beginning in 2007, the State of Indiana began collecting this annual fee from child support participants – 74% reduction in revenue over prior year.

10. Clerk’s 2009 Proposed Budget

11. Character 1 - Personal Services
$37,300 - new deputy clerk position for new court and upgraded team leader of Training position.
$68,700 - increases in fringes (health & life, PERF, FICA, and long term disability per OFM recommendation).
$56,200 - fewer savings from attrition, as positions are immediately filled.
Majority of increases funded by Clerk’s special funds, not general fund.

12. Character 1 – Enhancements
Strengthened the Training Department in 2008.
Six assistant trainers serve as subject matter experts and assist deputy clerks with on-going training and mentoring.
Goal is to improve work product and reduce errors.
Developing plan for turnover reduction.
Reviewing current processes and developing plan for improving workflow and efficiencies.

13. Character 1 - Challenges
Staff is among the lowest paid in county government.
A deputy clerk makes about $4,500 less than a court employee.
50% of turnover in 2007 was individuals voluntarily leaving Clerk’s Office for employment in courts.

14. Character 2 - Supplies
Supply costs include file folders and labels, file stamps, shelving, check stock, photocopy paper, and ink and toner.
Continue to use special funds for expenses related to the preservation of records.

15. Character 3 - Services Overview of Reductions
In the 2008 Clerk’s budget presentation, we committed to looking for savings through efficiencies and enhancements:
$149,000 Postage - enforcement of Local Rule 49-TR5 Rule 205 and use of alternative to certified mail.
$16,000 Telephone - efficiencies with state child support phone line.
$18,000 Printing - efficiencies with state child support payment coupons.
TOTAL: $183,000

16. Character 3 – Services Overview of Reductions (cont’d):
$131,000 cost savings through cuts (doing without).
$26,000 reduction in contractual services.
$41,000 reduction for microfilming service.
$49,000 cost savings though reductions in internal chargebacks.
ISA and Building Authority reduced chargebacks by 5%.
$53,000 of General Fund expenses transferred to special funds.

17. Character 3 – Challenges
Storage space for archived files continues to be an issue.
The Clerk’s Office began microfilming old records in Prior to that, microfilming had not occurred since 2000.
Microfilming must continue at a rapid pace, otherwise there will be no space left to store archived files. Special funds are intended for the purpose of microfilming.

18. Character 4 - Capital
New PCs and printer for implementation of alternative to certified mail planned for 2009.

19. Looking Ahead
Assist the courts by prioritizing the development of a working case management system over the next several years.
Develop a plan to reduce turnover with intent to increase staff effectiveness.
Focus on distributing unclaimed child support payments.
Pursue other payment options for costs, fines, and fees.
Continue revenue collections though consistent and regular invoicing for reimbursements, copy fees, and filings fees.

20. Marion County Clerk’s Office 2009 Budget Presentation
Questions?