Volume 1 | June 2022
SJC Clerk & Comptroller
Monthly Report
Welcome to the inaugural monthly newsletter from your St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. From valuable services that can keep you safe to county and court news that could impact you, each month we will deliver information that we hope you'll find relevant and useful. At any time, you may opt out by clicking on the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom.
 
I'd like to briefly introduce a couple of principles that guide our efforts:

Protecting Your Trust in Our Government
This office’s primary mission is to protect your trust in our government here in St. Johns County. This is accomplished through serving as an independent partner with the court system and St. Johns County government. Like the U.S. Constitution’s system of separation of duties and checks and balances, my office provides a second, verifying step in many government functions, which helps prevent fraud and ensure the integrity of our processes and procedures.
 
Taxpayer Standards
This is the highest level of service, quality and consistency that you (and I) expect as someone paying for the Clerk's office functions. Whether issuing marriage licenses, curating county records, processing court orders, or paying the county bills, we never lose sight of meeting your high standards.
 
I am excited to kick off this newsletter and share the great work we do on your behalf! Please do not hesitate to contact the office at 904-819-3600 or me directly at 904-599-8688 if I can ever be of service.
 
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.

Brandon
Protect yourself today with FREE potential fraud alerts
Subscribe today for our free noticing service, which will send you an email alert any time an official record -- deed, lien, land document, etc. -- is filed in your name with the Clerk's office. Our subscribers know to take prompt action if they recognize the activity is fraudulent.

It's free, easy and quick to sign up.

Officials cut ribbon on new St. Johns County Memorial Garden
The new St. Johns County Memorial Garden is the centerpiece of the Judicial Center courtyard and a place where visitors and staff can pause and reflect.

Service Spotlight: Value Adjustment Board
If you want to appeal your property value assessment or have your home exemption reconsidered, the St. Johns County Value Adjustment Board (VAB) hears appeals for property value assessments, denied exemptions or classifications, ad valorem tax deferrals, portability decisions and change of ownership or control.

These processes begin with the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller’s office when a taxpayer files a petition with the VAB clerk. 

St. Johns County recognized for financial reporting excellence and transparency
We did it again! For 29 years, the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller’s Office has worked meticulously to successfully earn the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement. Receiving this respected award for our 2020 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report is no less significant than the previous 28 years’ achievements — we still get energized when the certificate arrives because it recognizes our team’s abiding commitment to excellence in financial stewardship.

Employer Patriot Award recognizes support for Guard, Reserves
Clerk Brandon J. Patty was honored to receive the Employer Patriot Award, presented by Sgt. Major Doug Corbett and Kachen Coarsey of the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Program.

The award recognizes Clerk Patty’s support of Clerk staff who serve as citizen soldiers in defense of our nation. This level of support for staff who serve in the Guard and Reserves is standard throughout the St. Johns County Clerk’s office, where up to 240 hours of military leave is offered each year.

Pictured: Sgt. Major Corbett, Clerk Patty, Chief Deputy Miner and Coarsey.
Beware of text scams

Recent scams in St. Johns County and Florida
Jury duty scams. Traffic ticket payment text scams. The scammers are hard at "work," trying to steal your money. Don't fall for it - don't click on links from unsolicited email or text messages; use your caller ID to screen calls; and don't say "yes" to a yes-or-no question because scammers can record your voice and authorize charges.

Check out our website for information about current and ongoing scams. Don't be coerced into divulging your personal or financial information -- scammers can be tricky!

We will never request personal information from you via email. telephone or door-to-door. Call us at 904-819-3600 if you ever have questions or concerns about communications from our office.