Polk
County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Richard M. Weiss, speaks of the future with
the voice of experience. Appointed as Clerk by Governor Chiles in August 1997,
and subsequently re-elected four times without opposition, Weiss sums up his
mission as "Excellence in service through team effort and cutting-edge
technology." Prior to his appointment as Clerk, Weiss served for 19 years as
Chief Deputy Clerk, directing and overseeing the operations of the office.
Polk County's Clerk of Courts has
three major responsibilities:Clerk of the Circuit and County
Courts;
County Recorder; and Clerk, Accountant and Auditor to the Board of County
Commissioners. The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the ex-officio Clerk of the
Board of County Commissioners, auditor, recorder and custodian of all County
funds. The Clerk is the chief financial officer for the County and serves as the
County comptroller and treasurer. As Clerk to the Board, the office maintains
all records pertaining to official County activities. This includes minutes of
the County Commission Board meetings, copies of ordinances and all other
official County documents. As Accountant and Auditor to the Board, the Clerk is
charged with keeping records and making required reports of all monies received
and disbursed by the Board. The Clerk is also responsible for investing surplus
county
funds.
Weiss is pleased with the fully automated computer imaging system which makes recorded
instruments available electronically. By typing in a name or other description,
a person can receive the document on a computer screen at the Clerk's Office
and quickly print a copy. Weiss is committed to utilizing cutting edge
technology in carrying out his responsibilities to his customers.
Another of Weiss' initiatives is staff development. As a result, the Clerk's Office Mission
Statement was developed with input from all employees. Customer service and
teamwork is the focus of the mission statement, which also includes furnishing
assistance in a compassionate manner, and preparing and maintaining accurate
records. Weiss sees continuous training as an essential tool for high-quality
customer service, and to that end provides ongoing opportunities for staff
development through training.
The Office of the Clerk of Courts for Polk County is dedicated to promoting multi-cultural
equity and harmony, in a manner consistent with this organization's mission
statement. Mandatory diversity training has been initiated for every employee
at the Clerk's Office, where the broad subject of diversity is explored.
Voluntary diversity discussion meetings are available to all employees on a
quarterly basis. It is the intention of the Clerk's Office to foster an
environment which accepts and celebrates differences in all people.
Weiss is married to his wife, Maxine, who is now retired and was the principal of Floral Avenue
Elementary in Bartow. They are most proud of their children, Stephen (and his wife, Jennifer) and
Alisha (and her husband, Chris), and their two grandchildren, Kaylee and Ellery.