The Lee County Clerk’s office was honored with its 39th consecutive award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for excellence in financial reporting. The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report was awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence, which is the highest form of recognition in government accounting and financial reporting.
The Clerk’s office produces the 200+ page report after each fiscal year. The document details Lee County government’s revenue and spending, and it contains audited county financial statements for the Board of County Commissioners, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Property Appraiser, Sheriff, Supervisor of Elections and Tax Collector. It also lists the county’s statements of net assets, balances of funds, investments and debt information.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the Lee Clerk team for producing yet another award-winning annual report,” said Clerk Kevin Karnes. “To be recognized with this honor for the 39th consecutive year demonstrates our office’s commitment to ensuring transparency of county taxpayer dollars.”
The GFOA award was established in 1945 to encourage state and local governments to increase financial transparency. The reports are judged by accountants and financial experts throughout the country.
As Clerk of the Circuit Court, Karnes serves as Lee County’s comptroller, auditor, recorder, and custodian of all county funds. Through the comptroller function of his role, Karnes is responsible for managing and investing more than $2 billion of Lee County’s tax dollars as well as auditing and paying more than $1 billion in county bills annually. Last fiscal year, his office also collected more than $44 million in tourist tax.
For more information about county finances and to download the Lee Clerk’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, visit www.leeclerk.org/finances.
