BAKER COUNTY, Fla. – Tensions are rising in Baker County as Clerk of Court Stacie Harvey has filed a lawsuit against the County Board of Commissioners. The lawsuit accuses the board of obstructing her duties by not granting her control over the county’s financial system.
The lawsuit, which is dated July 2, largely centers on the management of Baker County’s finances. Harvey claims that the Board of County Commissioners is preventing her from fulfilling her responsibilities by maintaining control over the financial accounting software and computer servers.
According to the lawsuit, Harvey is responsible for the custody and accounting of all county funds and deposits. However, the board has allegedly directed its personnel to continue maintaining the financial system, refusing to transfer control to Harvey.
Read the full lawsuit below.
In a brief phone conversation with News4JAX, Harvey expressed that the situation has made it difficult for her to perform her job effectively. While she declined to go on camera, she emphasized the challenges posed by the board’s actions.
The lawsuit has sparked interest and concern among Baker County residents. While many were hesitant to speak on camera due to personal connections with those involved, Jacksonville visitor Brian Vincent shared his thoughts.
“Good old boy mentality and limiting people’s access, they’re there to do a job,” Vincent said. “I think government needs to be more transparent.”
News4JAX reached out to the five commissioners for comment. Sara Little, the county manager, released the following statement:
The Baker County Board of County Commissioners were disappointed to learn that the Clerk of Court chose to pursue costly legal action — an unfortunate use of taxpayer dollars — rather than continue the cooperative discussions that was underway.
It is important to clarify that the Clerk is seeking access to the financial system that she already has administrative access to. The Board has consistently supported the Clerk’s access, provided it is implemented in a manner that safeguards the County’s IT infrastructure and protects against cybersecurity threats.
The Board had understood, based on the last exchange between legal counsel, that the Clerk’s attorney would provide a Memorandum of Understanding for our review and consideration. Instead, we were surprised to receive a lawsuit, which not only undermines the spirit of partnership, but also unnecessarily diverts public resources toward legal fees rather than serving the citizens of Baker County.
The Board remains committed to working collaboratively and stands ready to support the Clerk’s operational needs, while balancing with the Board’s responsibility to protect the County’s data and systems.
Sara Little, County Manager
In the lawsuit, Harvey demands judgment declaring she has rights to custody of all county funds, the unconditional and unrestricted right to audit and examine, all bank accounts containing county funds, compelling the elected and appointed officials to adhere to the requirements of Florida law, etc.
As the lawsuit progresses, Baker County residents are eager for answers and resolution. The case highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in local government operations.
Harvey’s lawyer released the following statement.
I have spoken with Stacie. She offers the following comment regarding her case against the County Commission.
“I am saddened that it has gotten to the point where I have had to sue the County Commission to get them to follow the law. Now that we have filed the case, I really hope cooler heads will prevail and we can get this sorted out. I do not want to litigate any more than necessary, but this issue is not going to go away. I want the level of control over the finance system I need to properly do my job as clerk of court. We are going to fight for that if we have to.”
Joel Foreman
