Nassau County Commissioners reduce 19-year-old code enforcement lien fines

The Nassau County Board of County Commissioners convened on February 10, 2025, to address several key agenda items, primarily focusing on code enforcement lien cases and community updates.

The meeting commenced with discussions on two lien cases, identified as tabs F and G, both stemming from code enforcement issues related to trash and debris. Mr. Campania, a representative from the code enforcement staff, explained that in the fall of 2023, a review of outstanding liens revealed errors in communication with property owners. Specifically, two property owners were mistakenly informed that they only needed to pay administrative fees, neglecting the actual fines associated with their cases.

The first case, tab F, involved a lien from a property on Wedgwood Way, which had accrued a fine of $850 due to a miscalculation. The fine had been accumulating since November 14, 2006, but the property was brought into compliance within 17 days. Commissioner Gray motioned to approve the staff's recommendation to reduce the lien to administrative costs only, a sentiment echoed by Commissioner Farmer, who emphasized the staff error. The motion passed unanimously with five votes in favor.

Following this, the board addressed tab G, concerning a lien case from Puno Creek Road. This case had a higher fine of $1,450, accrued over 29 days, but similarly stemmed from a long-standing issue dating back to June 2005. Commissioner Gray again moved to approve the staff's recommendation, which was seconded and also passed unanimously.

The meeting then transitioned to informational updates, including the release of the BOCC newsletter for December 2024, available for the public.

Public comments were invited, with Patricia Sahm addressing the board regarding JEA billing issues. The meeting concluded with an acknowledgment of the community's concerns and a commitment to address them in future discussions.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the board's efforts to rectify past errors in code enforcement processes and maintain open communication with the community.