ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., June 9, 2022 — The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Office has been recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting (PAFR), Clerk Brandon J. Patty announced today.

“The inaugural PAFR’s release offered additional transparency and accountability of our county government’s finances to the public,” Clerk Patty said. “Earning the GFOA’s award on our first-ever PAFR recognizes our work to ensure the document was easy to understand and appealing to readers, which is a testament to our ongoing efforts to meet the high standards of taxpayers and residents in St. Johns County.”.

The 2020 PAFR, titled “Tracking Your Tax Dollars: A Guide to St. Johns County’s Finances,” presented St. Johns County’s financial picture in quick snapshots showing how tax dollars are collected and spent, as well as trends on demographics, housing, taxes and more. Unveiled by Clerk Patty last fall, the PAFR is a condensed version of the county’s more voluminous 2020 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

Judges review each eligible report and evaluate them for reader appeal, understandability, distribution methods, creativity and other elements.

In order to be eligible for the PAFR Award, the Clerk’s office was required to submit the 2020 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report to the GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program and receive the certificate for the same fiscal year. The Clerk’s office in April received the certificate for its 2020 comprehensive report.

Headquartered in Chicago, Ill., GFOA advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources, and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.

About the St. Johns County Clerk of Circuit Court and County Comptroller

The Florida Constitution established the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller function in 1838 to create a system of checks and balances at the county level. In St. Johns County, the clerk is Clerk of the Circuit Court and serves also as the County Treasurer, Recorder, Auditor, Finance Officer and Ex-Officio Clerk of the County Commission.

Learn more about the Clerk’s office online at stjohnsclerk.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.