The County Clerk’s office is the “Nerve Center” of county government: ranging from the daily administration of the County’s business to conducting elections. The County Clerk serves a four year term and is elected county-wide.
Financial
The County Clerk is the Budget/Accounting officer for that county and accounts for all monies expended from and received into the various county funds. The Clerk’s office is responsible for the processing of accounts payable and payroll for the county. He/she is responsible for the preparation and publication of the county’s annual financial statements. This office maintains account books for the county Collector-Treasurer. This provides a system of “checks and balances”. It is the duty of the Clerk’s office to prepare and receive all bids for the county for any item or services in excess of the amount required by law to be advertised for bids.
County Licenses
County Liquor Licenses and Auctioneers Licenses are issued by the County Clerk’s office. The Clerk is responsible for signing off on all county Merchant Licenses. All businesses selling goods within the county are required by law to obtain this license. These licenses are issued in the county Collector-Treasurer’s office.
Elections
The County Clerk is the local election authority and is responsible for conducting all elections in the county. This includes conducting voter registration, maintaining voter registration files and keeping these files current. To comply with the law, the Clerk mails new voter I.D. cards every two years. Candidates filing for any County office including County Hospital and Health Boards must file in the County Clerk’s office. All other filings are done at the office of that political sub-division clerk or another designated person. Filings for State and Federal offices are filed with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office. Campaign Finance Disclosure Statements that are required to be filed for any local candidate or committee are maintained in the Clerk’s office. It is the responsibility of the Election Authority to count the votes cast in an election and to certify the results. A list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of the County offices, County Boards and Township Officials are maintained in the Clerk’s office.
Tax Assessments & Tax Books
The Clerk’s office certifies the current year assessed valuation totals to the county’s political sub-divisions and to the Missouri State Auditor’s office. This office assists political sub-divisions in completing necessary documents in setting their property tax levies and prepares the public notice for setting the county’s property tax levy. It also prepares and extends tax rates for the Collector-Treasurer’s real and personal property tax books, railroads and utilities tax books.
The County Clerk serves as the clerk to the Board of Equalization and the Board of Appeals. He/she by state law does not have a vote on these boards. The office of County Clerk prepares the tax statements for the County Collector-Treasurer. This office also maintains the records of any additions, changes and deletions of the tax books which must have the approval of the County Commission.
Miscellaneous
The County Clerk maintains a permanent record of the proceedings of the County Commission (formerly the County Court), the governing body of Texas County. These records date back to 1845, the year Texas County was organized. After being approved by the Secretary of State the Clerk’s office issues Notary Public Commissions. To comply with certain laws the clerk’s office maintains a list of all named public records, drives and named private lanes, it also maintains inventory records of county property. This office is responsible for preparing forms for the townships to comply with various laws. The County Clerk provides forms and assistance on completing Missouri’s “Gas Tax Refund” forms. Upon request the Clerk provides assistance to township and other elected officials.
As the County’s Budget Officer the County Clerk has overseen the 2006 Capital Improvement Projects. Federal and State rules and regulations must be complied with for these projects. The County Clerk spends numerous hours planning and designing various parts of the project in order to insure funds are expended as budgeted.