Osceola Clerk & Comptroller Kelvin Soto, Esq., Publishes FY22 Popular Annual Financial Report Osceola on the Rise

 

KELVIN SOTO, ESQ., OSCEOLA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COUNTY COMPTROLLER, PUBLISHES THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SECOND EDITION OF OSCEOLA ON THE RISE, THE OFFICE’S POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Kelvin Soto, Esq., the Osceola Clerk of the Circuit Court & County Comptroller, proudly presents the second edition of Osceola on the Rise, the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for Fiscal Year 2022. Following the prestigious recognition received for their inaugural PAFR for Fiscal Year 2021, the Office of Kelvin Soto, Esq., continues to enhance transparency and accessibility in financial reporting.

Osceola on the Rise serves as an accessible summary of the financial information presented in the Osceola County Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). Presented in a simplified format, this report offers citizens a clearer understanding of Osceola County’s financial trends. New to this edition is “Helpful Chirps,” designed to provide insights into the PAFR presented by “Mocki,” the mockingbird from the office’s seal. To provide context, the report also includes statistics about the county’s rapidly growing and diverse community.

In a further demonstration of its commitment to excellence, the Clerk & Comptroller’s Office introduces the inaugural Community Services Guide alongside financial summaries. This guide comprises a directory of parks & recreation facilities, libraries, emergency services, public services, hospitals, utilities, transportation, secondary education institutions, County services, and achievements of the Clerk & Comptroller’s Office.

Clerk & Comptroller Kelvin Soto, Esq., expressed, “We take immense pride in presenting not only our financial report but also our Community Services Guide. Our ethos is rooted in integrity, accountability, and profound social responsibility. This comprehensive document embodies our dedication to transparent financial practices and our passion for delivering valuable information to our community.”

Aligned with Clerk & Comptroller Soto’s vision of engaging the public, Osceola on the Rise can be accessed digitally on www.osceolaclerk.com, through various social media channels, and on ISSUU.com. Print copies are available upon request.

 

Osceola Clerk & Comptroller Kelvin Soto, Esq. Announces Comprehensive Compensation Plan for Current & Future Employees

 

OSCEOLA CLERK & COMPTROLLER KELVIN SOTO, ESQ., ANNOUNCES COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATION PLAN FOR CURRENT & FUTURE EMPLOYEES

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Office of Kelvin Soto, Esq., Osceola Clerk of the Circuit Court & County Comptroller, has announced the June 17, 2023, rollout of a comprehensive compensation strategy designed to enhance recruitment efforts, increase retention of valued employees, and to provide a long-term strategy tied to a merit-based philosophy in lieu of prior administrations’ longevity-based systems.

In 2020, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment to implement a minimum wage of $15 per hour by September 2026. Upon taking office in 2021, Clerk & Comptroller Soto committed to swiftly implementing a $15 minimum starting pay which he realized in 2022. The Soto Administration’s new compensation plan will ensure the average hourly pay of operations employees is $18.80 in FY23 and that the office’s minimum starting salary will well exceed the 2026 constitutional mandate at a rate of $16.50—$1.50 per hour more and three years ahead of the constitutional mandate.

“I am pleased to announce a competitive compensation strategy that is designed not only to entice recruitment, but to reward our employees by ensuring their compensation is competitive in both the private and public markets,” said Clerk & Comptroller Kelvin Soto, Esq. “Our mission is to advance the well-being of all, one person at a time. This necessarily includes our valued employees who serve our constituents every day.”

The compensation strategy takes into consideration various factors, including salary adjustments for eligible employees, market research based on industry standards and local market trends, as well as adhering to transparency and just pay in establishing job responsibilities and competencies. To ensure future success of the compensation plan, the Soto Administration committed to excellence in innovation, reclassifying staff where necessary to maximize efficiency, combining departments with complimentary duties, and embracing the use of technology to assist the office in reducing costs wherever possible.

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Statement from The Honorable Kelvin Soto, Esq., Osceola County Clerk of the Circuit Court & County Comptroller, on the Passage of HB 837

 

STATEMENT FROM THE HONORABLE KELVIN SOTO, ESQ., OSCEOLA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COUNTY COMPTROLLER, ON THE PASSAGE OF HB 837

“Over the last several days, my office has processed an unprecedented number of circuit civil cases related to auto and other negligence claims in response to the legislature’s passage of HB 837.

Beginning March 17, 2023, attorneys from across Florida began filing cases in anticipation of the Governor’s approval of the bill, which took effect Friday, March 24, 2023.  As a result, my office received more than seven times the anticipated number of circuit civil cases we would expect for March.

Our office actively monitors the legislative process and anticipated the passage of HB 837.  As such, we nimbly deployed staff to ensure that we could stay within state mandated timeliness requirements for the processing of new cases.  As of today, I’m proud to share that 99 percent of these cases were completed within those guidelines.

This was only possible due to the hard work undertaken by this Administration to modernize personnel management, prioritize training, and our commitment to a robust recruitment process; this has enabled a more agile workforce that can more easily address changing needs made apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This in turn allowed us to benefit from our cross-training efforts, permitting deputy clerks to learn new competencies and to provide opportunities for professional growth.  These efforts reduced the backlog in half by the end of the weekend.  While we still have some outstanding cases to process, we have confidence that they will be complete before the week’s end.

Moving forward, we are fully prepared to address the proportionate increase in subsequent filings.  We are equipped to manage these increases without any hindrance to our customers, maintaining the high level of customer care and service our constituents have come to expect.”

Kelvin Soto, Esq.
Osceola Clerk of the Circuit Court & County Comptroller