County Clerk

The county clerk is the keeper of all county records. Duties of the county clerk’s office range from administering elections to conducting a great deal of the state’s taxation duties. The complexity of the recording process, along with the volume of work and the many different types of instruments required to be filled in the clerk’s office, place much responsibility on the clerk.

The five major functions of the clerk’s office include:

Keeper of County Records
As the keeper of county records, the clerk’s office is responsible for the care and custody of all the records, book and papers filed or deposited in the respective offices of the county. Records in the clerk’s office include notary public applications, liquor licenses, mobile home files, business registrations, landfill site applications, lawsuits, and delinquent tax records just to name a few. The county clerk is responsible for developing a records management program and ensuring the preservation of these essential records.

Clerk of the County Board
As clerk of the county board, the county clerk attends all county board meetings and is responsible for keeping an accurate record of all the proceedings of the board. The clerk also preserves all bills of account acted upon by the board. All claims for county expenses are processed in the county clerk’s office.

Registrar of Vital Records
The county clerk is the only official in the county authorized to issue, record and maintain birth and death certificates and issue marriage licenses.

Tax Extender
The county clerk calculates and extends the tax rates on all real estate in the county. The clerk files the annual budgets and levies of all taxing bodies, computes the tax rates for each unit, extends the taxes by applying the tax rates to the equalized assessed valuation, and certifies the information to the county treasurer. The clerk also collects delinquent tax payments and calculates Enterprise Zone abatements.

Other Responsibilities
The clerk’s office provides numerous services to the public including genealogical searches, county assistance to those visiting the courthouse, instructions on obtaining licenses and passports and notary public registry. The county clerk is also the keeper of the seal of the county.