CLAY CLERK TARA GREEN TAKES HELM OF CCOC

Tara Green, Clay County circuit court clerk and comptroller, was installed as chair of the Clerks of Court Operations Corporation (CCOC) 2026-2027 executive council during its June 22 meeting, held in conjunction with the 2026 Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers Summer Conference.

The CCOC provides the court-related budgets for Florida's clerks of court and supports the efficient administration of the state's clerk system, collaborating with clerks, the judiciary, the Legislature, and the justice system.

“It is an honor to continue this term as chair of the CCOC Executive Council,” said Green. “I look forward to working alongside our council and corporation members to keep strengthening the budget process that supports Florida’s Clerks of Court and the people we serve.”

Green leads the three-member CCOC Executive Council, which also includes Vice Chair Todd Newton, Gilchrist County clerk , and Secretary/Treasurer Michelle Miller, St. Lucie County clerk.

Judge Bertila Soto of the 11th Judicial Circuit has been appointed by the Florida Supreme Court to serve on the CCOC board – “an important and valuable influence on our decision-making process,” says Jason Welty, CCOC executive director. Judge Soto is the only member of the judiciary on the CCOC board, which is otherwise comprised of elected circuit court clerks.

“[The CCOC] sits at the intersection of judicial access, government accountability, and taxpayer stewardship,” notes Welty. “In practice, this means the council’s decisions have direct implications for court efficiency, public access to justice, and the operational health of clerk offices across the state.”

CCOC Board members for 2026-2027:

• Chair Tara Green, Clay County clerk and comptroller

• Vice Chair Todd Newton, Gilchrist County clerk and comptroller

• Secretary/Treasurer Michelle Miller, St. Lucie County clerk and comptroller

• Judge Bertila Soto of the 11th Judicial Circuit

• Nadia Daughtrey, DeSoto County clerk and comptroller

• Jody Phillips, Duval County clerk and comptroller

• Juan Fernandez-Barquin, Miami-Dade County clerk and comptroller

• Ken Burke, Pinellas County clerk and comptroller

• Stacy Butterfield, Polk County clerk and comptroller

• Senate Appointee – Victoria L. Rogers, Hardee County clerk and comptroller

• House Appointee – [vacant] (to be filled by Speaker Designate Sam Garrison)

Attorney Juan Fernandez-Barquin, Miami-Dade County clerk and comptroller, previously served on the CCOC board as an appointee by House Speaker Daniel Perez. CCOC members elected him last month in a special election to complete the term previously held by the Orange County clerk, attorney Tiffany Moore Russell, who stepped down to join the Orange County mayoral race.

House Speaker Designate Sam Garrison will appoint the final board member.

Welty noted the council reflects a “deliberate balance” from across the state’s regions and branches of government, saying “It is by design, ensuring that decisions affecting clerk funding and operations are informed by perspectives from Florida's largest urban centers and its smallest rural communities alike.”