February is the month of love! I hope you are as excited as I am to meet the couples participating in our upcoming Valentine’s Day Wedding and Vow Renewal Ceremony. Many thanks to our community partners that contributed to make this a special occasion. A list of sponsors is inside this month’s newsletter. These great sponsors make our event possible, please support them as they support our event. There are still a few registrations open if you are looking to surprise your spouse on the most romantic day of the year.
I would like to thank my friends and community leaders at the East Naples Civic & Commerce (ENC&C) association for recognizing me last month with the organization’s inaugural DIAMOND Award. It has been a privilege and an honor to work alongside community leaders like my fellow nominees, Sandra Simmons and Val Simon, who have contributed greatly to the future of East Naples. Together, we will be able to accomplish much more!
If you serve on a homeowners’ association (HOA) board, we have an important article for you in this issue. We’ve recently received inquiries about the Florida Marketable Record Titles Act (MRTA) which was enacted in 1963. While the act was intended to stabilize property law, one of the unintended consequences is that an HOA’s Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions may expire 30 years after the date they were recorded. Please take a look and make sure that your HOA is in compliance.
Our team has been working closely with Board of County Commissioners staff members to take advantage of a bond refinance opportunity that will save local taxpayers $4 million in future gross debt service payments. Through our fiscal responsibility, Collier County has received Moody’s highest rating of ‘Aaa’ for Special Obligation Bonds. This rating will allow Collier County to borrow at lower, more favorable interest rates, saving potentially millions of dollars over the life of the bonds. In these difficult times, we are taking every opportunity to save dollars.
I want to bring your attention to a deadline extension for the Value Adjustment Board (VAB). The Collier County Property Appraiser’s office has the responsibility to assess the value of any real and tangible property, including your home. Once you receive your property’s assessed market value from a Truth in Millage notice, you can submit a protest if you disagree with the initial appraisal. Typically, the deadline for filing a protest is in September, but due to Hurricane Ian, the deadline has been extended into March.
As we continue to celebrate Collier County’s Centennial, we are highlighting stories through the decades. This month, we are starting with 1923, the year that Collier became Florida’s 62nd County. I hope that you enjoy learning more about how our community was formed and how we are moving forward together!
