In memoriam: A visionary, R.B. 'Chips' Shore a blessing for Manatee County
With a commitment to ethics and transparency in government second to none, R.B. "Chips" Shore gave Manatee County superior public service for decades as the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's Office. His reputation extends well beyond our borders with his state and national renown as a pioneer in creating electronic records and opening the portal to the public.
His passing on Wednesday at age 74 marks the end of a remarkable and successful career, one that began in 1977 with his election as clerk of the circuit court and chief financial officer in November 1976.
Though battling ailments that restricted his physical movements which would have slowed down lesser individuals, Mr. Shore fully intended to continue his public service. He'd already filed to campaign for a 12th four-year term as clerk.
In his post, Mr. Shore also served as the county's chief historian. One of his proudest moments came just a few weeks ago with the realization of a long-held dream, renovations of the Manatee County Historic Courthouse. After other interior and exterior work was completed, Mr. Shore unveiled the final piece of this project on July 15 with the grand reopening of the original 1913 courtroom. The $1 million restoration brought the now magnificent courtroom, long neglected, back to life.
During the dedication ceremony, Mr. Shore spoke to a crowded house of dignitaries in conveying his joy: "Today is meaningful in the fact that it was a dream and it has gotten done. We restored this great room to its turn-of-the-last century grandeur and it's fully functional."
"Chips put his heart and soul into that project," Circuit Court Judge Gilbert Smith told the Herald upon learning of Mr. Shore's death. "It's sad losing him, but it's special that he accomplished the spectacular project with the Manatee County Historic Courthouse."
Indeed, both the building and courtroom will long stand as a testament to Mr. Shore's dedication to the historic preservation of structures, monuments and documents.
His commitment to preserving the past captured the attention of historians across the country, earning Mr. Shore the 2008 National Award of Merit from the American Association of State and Local History.
With the Florida Supreme Court's blessing some eight years ago, Mr. Shore launched a pilot program to provide online access to public records. Manatee County's open electronic database remains somewhat unique today as the vast majority of Florida counties have yet to implement this public service.
Under Mr. Shore's leadership, the clerk's office operates on a simple principle: The public's interests first -- for accountable government.
Circuit Judge Lee Haworth, who worked with Mr. Shore during the conversion to the paperless court system, pointed out the resulting impact of the database: "He had people from all over the country coming to look at his case management system."
Among his other accomplishments, Mr. Shore also helmed the only Child Support Enforcement Program operated by a clerk of circuit court in Florida. "He made the clerk's office one of the best operated in the state, if not the nation," Smith said.
The accolades for Mr. Shore from community leaders include such well-deserved terms as visionary, innovator and icon.
On a more personal level, Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore described Mr. Shore thusly: "He was always a gentleman, never got mad and was always respectful. That's why he was so successful." Anyone who had the pleasure of working with Mr. Shore would heartily agree.
While Mr. Shore will be greatly missed, his legacy will live on as an inspiration to excel in service to community.
This story was originally published August 2, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "In memoriam: A visionary, R.B. 'Chips' Shore a blessing for Manatee County ."