VALUE ADJUSTMENT BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

august 21, 2012

The Lake County Value Adjustment Board (VAB) met in regular session for its Organizational Meeting on Tuesday, August 21, 2011, at 2:49 p.m., in the Board of County Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Lake County Administration Building, Tavares, Florida.  Present at the meeting were:  Commr. Jimmy Conner, Chairman; Commr. Sean Parks; Jim Miller representing the Lake County School Board; and Ralph Smith as a Citizen Member.  Mr. Will Walker, Citizen Member, was not present.  Others present were:  Alison Yurko, Counsel for the Value Adjustment Board; Barbara Lehman, Chief Deputy Clerk, County Finance; Frank Royce, Chief Deputy, Property Appraiser’s Office; and Courtney Vincent, Deputy Clerk.

call to order

The Chairman called the meeting to order.

Appointment of chairman and vice-chairman

Commr. Conner remarked that he appreciated being Chairman but thought it was time to give someone else the opportunity.  He nominated Commr. Parks to serve as Chairman.

Mr. Smith seconded the motion.

Commr. Parks expressed his thanks and appreciation at being nominated but stated he wished to decline the position.  He stated that Commr. Conner was doing a great job as Chairman.

The motion was declined.

On a motion by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Miller and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB elected Commr. Conner as Chairman.

On a motion by Mr. Miller, seconded by Mr. Smith and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB elected Commr. Parks as Vice-Chairman.

Appointment of legal counsel

Ms. Lehman stated that the contract for Ms. Yurko, who had served as legal counsel for the VAB since 2010, allowed for a one year extension with VAB approval.  She recommended extending the contract.

On a motion by Mr. Miller, seconded by Mr. Smith and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB appointed Ms. Alison Yurko as legal counsel for the VAB and extended her contract until September 30, 2013.

Condolences

On behalf of the VAB, the Chairman expressed their condolences to the Property Appraiser’s Office for the passing of Mr. Ed Havill, who had been the elected Property Appraiser for Lake County.

Appointment of special magistrates

Ms. Lehman stated that a Request for Proposal (RFP) had been advertised for one attorney special magistrate and two appraiser special magistrate positions for Lake County because the contracts for the special magistrates used the previous year had expired.  She reported that two responses had been received for the position of attorney special magistrate and specified that one of the responses had been from Ms. Denise Lyn, who had served as the attorney special magistrate for the last three years.  She noted that Ms. Lyn’s rate was lower than that of the other applicant and then recommended that Ms. Lyn be appointed as the attorney special magistrate.

On a motion by Mr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB appointed Ms. Denise Lyn as the attorney special magistrate and approved contracting her services until September 30, 2013.

Ms. Lehman stated that six responses had been received for the RFP for appraiser special magistrate.  She specified that two of the responses had been from Ms. Kathy Edmundson and Mr. Paul MacDermott, who both had served as appraiser special magistrates for Lake County for the past three years.  She noted that both Ms. Edmundson and Mr. MacDermott were local to the City of Tavares and that one had submitted a rate of $100 per hour and the other $125 per hour.  She recommended that Ms. Edmundson and Mr. MacDermott be appointed as the two appraiser special magistrates.

On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Mr. Smith and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB appointed Ms. Kathy Edmundson and Mr. Paul MacDermott as the two appraiser special magistrates and approved contracting their services until September 30, 2013.

lake county Value adjustment board administrative code

Ms. Yurko reminded the Board that they were subject to Sunshine laws as well as Public Record laws, adding that they were also subject to rules forbidding ex parte communication.  She noted that attached to the agenda was a sheet containing the websites for the Florida Administrative Code as well as State resources to review the rules and statutes governing the VAB.  She also reviewed the petition process of the VAB.

Resolution regarding adoption of a filing fee

Ms. Lehman explained that Resolution 2012-1 was a resolution required by the Florida Administrative Code to establish a filing fee for the maximum allowable amount of $15 for each petition and a $5 fee for each additional parcel filed for a joint petition.  She noted that there were a few exceptions to the filing fee that were listed in the resolution.  She requested approval to continue to charge the $15 filing fee per petition.

On a motion by Mr. Miller, seconded by Mr. Smith and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB approved VAB Resolution 2012-1 adopting a $15 filing fee for individual petitions and a $5 fee for each additional parcel filed for a joint petition.

Resolution to adopt local administrative procedures

Ms. Lehman explained that Resolution 2012-2 pertained to local administrative procedures covering areas where the rules governing the VAB procedures did not specify filing deadlines in order to allow adequate time for the clerks to process incoming paperwork and make proper arrangements for hearings.

On a motion by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Miller and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB approved VAB Resolution 2012-2 regarding local administrative procedures for the VAB.

Announcement of tentative 2012 VAB schedule

Ms. Lehman reviewed the tentative schedule for the 2012 VAB year.  She noted that the TRIM Notices were mailed on Monday, August 20, 2012 instead of Friday, August 17th, as stated on the tentative schedule.  She clarified that this meant the filing deadline for petitions would now be Friday, September 14, 2012.  She stated that the tentative schedule would be adjusted as needed throughout the year.

minutes

On a motion by Mr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB approved the Minutes of the VAB Regular Meeting held January 13, 2012 and the VAB Special Meeting held January 23, 2012, as presented.

Special magistrate and legal counsel vendor invoices

Ms. Lehman stated that the invoices were received throughout the year.  She explained that the invoices were reviewed for accuracy, paid, and then put before the VAB for approval retroactively.

On a motion by Mr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the VAB retroactively approved the payment of submitted special magistrate and legal counsel vendor invoices.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the VAB, the meeting was adjourned at 3:03 p.m.

 

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JIMMY CONNER, CHAIRMAN

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

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NEIL KELLY, CLERK