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Government Services To Be More Accessible

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By TOM BRENNAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 28, 2008

BRANDON - Filing for a homestead exemption or starting married life will be more convenient and save on gas now that satellite county government offices are opening in Brandon.

Circuit Court Clerk Pat Frank has an office in the new county government service center at 311 Pauls Drive, east of the post office and south of the Bank of Tampa.
Property Appraiser Rob Turner said his part of the $4.2 million, 18,000-square-foot facility should be open by the end of June.

"It is going to provide the community with a much better location," Turner said.

Both offices used to rent space on Adamo Drive and will have more room in Brandon.

"It will be a more pleasant environment for employees, as well as customers," Frank said. "Parking will be easier, everything about it."

The additional space, Frank said, will allow employees to serve more customers.

Turner said he is moving his office's data center to the new facility, which has emergency generators, so crucial systems can be restored quickly. He said the existing office is more susceptible to flooding.

A grand opening ceremony will be at 10 a.m. June 5.

The county started designing the new government services building in 2004. The structure's architecture matches the criteria for the Brandon Main Street District along Pauls Drive and west to Lakewood Drive, where buildings are close to streets and parking lots are behind buildings.

The service center is part of a 4.5-acre, L-shaped lot that wraps around the bank. A three-bay fire station will be built on land east of the bank on Oakfield Drive.

Frank said her staff will offer almost all circuit court clerk services, except criminal court functions. Couples can get marriage licenses and have ceremonies performed in English or Spanish, file for divorce or record official records, such as wills, deeds and mortgages.

Turner said residents also will be able to file for exemptions and work out the details of the newly enacted homestead portability provision.

"It is going to be a full-service operation," he said.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 657-4528 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

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