Vote: approved

Item Text

11. CLERK OF THE SUPERIOR COURT REQUEST FOR REVIEW OVER THRESHOLD Per the Board approved FY 2015 Budget Guidelines and Priorities, approve allowing the Office of Management & Budget to review the following request(s) over threshold: • Personnel Services for Fill the Gap Positions $565,176 (Operating expense, Fund 100, Priority #4) • Personnel Services for 3.0 Dependency Positions $138,395 (Operating expense, Fund 100, Priority #4) The Fill the Gap Fund, which is funded by state and local revenues, has seen a significant decline over the past several years. This fund pays for staff positions, primarily comprised of courtroom clerks assigned to criminal divisions. In order to maintain structural balance this fiscal year, fund balance is being used to cover personnel costs; however, this is a one-time exception to special fund policy. Looking ahead and based on our revenue forecast for FY15, there will be a $565,176 shortfall to meet expenditures. These expenditures are comprised of filled positions and do not include an additional four positions that are being held vacant. Our Office is requesting that the positions that encompass the shortfall be fully-funded in the General Fund beginning in FY15. If revenues come in higher, personnel costs will be shifted back to this fund on a year-by-year basis. In Juvenile dependency cases, the number overall has risen significantly over the past several years and the impact has caused an increase in operations including minute entries generated by our juvenile courtroom clerks. In addition, there continues to be a rapid increase in juvenile guardianship, severance and adoption filings. Filings of dependency petitions must be handled within strict time requirements and is inflexible. Based on time requirements and increased filings, our courtroom clerks and operations staff must shift other responsibilities in order to comply. The cost for three FTEs (including benefits and merit increases) is $138,395. In FY14, the Office of Management and Budget agreed to temporarily fund these positions, acknowledging the operational need but desiring to determine its permanency. However, as we have seen through data, the increase in dependencies continues to escalate, with estimates increasing another 30% in FY15. As a result, the Clerk's Office requests permanent funding for the three positions in FY15 and respectfully requests additional funding consideration if dependency responsibilities continue on their upward trend. (C-16-14-012-M-00)