As September began with the Labor Day Holiday, I want to thank all workers who provide services every day to make our county the best in the world. I want to particularly thank the staff at the Clerk’s Office for all of their hard work and commitment to provide quality services to our community throughout the year. They are our greatest asset, and it is through their efforts that we continue to improve services to our county. I also want to recognize our Deputy Clerks’ contributions and all they do for our paradise coast community. Through their volunteer work and individual support of many charities they not only make our Office shine but create a better place for us all to enjoy.
September is the historic peak of Hurricane season. We encourage everyone to always be prepared, stock up on supplies, make arrangements should you need to relocate and make sure that your personal records are secured and accessible for quick evacuation. The second 2024 Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday started on August 24 and will end on Friday, September 6. During this period, Florida citizens will have the opportunity to buy tax-exempt items that are essential for hurricane preparedness, including portable generators, food storage (don’t forget pet food), batteries, and more. This will save dollars so make sure to take advantage of this tax holiday period.
Several county project updates that were discussed during the August Board of County Commissioner’s (BCC) meetings are included in this issue. One is the award of a $10M grant funding agreement between Collier County and Renaissance Hall at Old Course, LLC, for the development of housing at the Golden Gate Golf Course property. Plans for Phases 3 and 4 of the Paradise Coast Sports Complex were presented for discussion and direction. The BCC considered waiting for results of the new Soccer Team and other events before investing millions more in the facility.
Like any large business, Collier County has a fiscal year end and must close its books and report its financial condition annually. The closing of the books for Collier County is a five (5) or six (6) month process culminating in the issuance of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). The ACFR consolidates the financial activities of the Board of County Commissioners, the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, the Sheriff, the Tax Collector, Property Appraiser and Supervisor of Elections. For further information please visit our website for the complete FY 2023 Annual Comprehensive Annual Financial Report or our recently published FY 2023 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR). The PAFR offers a more condensed version of the Annual Comprehensive Annual Report, designed to be more readable.
Lastly, I want to remind our citizens that petitions for the 2024 Value Adjustment Board cycle are due by 5:00 PM in the office or midnight for online filers on Friday, September 13, 2024. In the last VAB session, we had 1300 petitions involving 1484 parcels. Through our proactive engagement with the community, 916 of the 1484 parcels, or roughly 60% of the parcels in the last session, ended up with a withdrawn or settled status. Settlement of VAB petitions without the need for hearings streamlines the process and costs less.
Have a great September, football and foliage (even in Florida) are great this time of year and hopefully it will be a little cooler. Sit back with a cider and enjoy reading the rest of our Newsletter.
Read and download the full September 2024 Newsletter here.
