Clay County adopts $780.6 million final budget and millage; board approves range of permits, rezonings and contracts

The Clay County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 23 adopted final millage rates and a $780,630,570 fiscal year 2025–26 budget and approved a slate of items including renewal of a private EMS certificate, several rezonings, the dissolution of a recently created community development district and an insurance renewal.

The board approved the millage and budget in separate roll-call votes after holding the statutorily required public hearing. County staff said the adopted aggregate operating millage is 8.5854 mills, 7.88% above the rollback rate; the budget totals $780,630,570, inclusive of the Lake Asbury Municipal Service Benefit District amount reported on the budget roll. The board voted to adopt the resolutions and the budget during the second public hearing on the budget and millage.

Board members also approved a public convenience-and-necessity renewal for AmeriPro EMS of Florida LLC, a purchase-and-sale for a small parcel needed for the bonded transportation program, and several land-use and zoning requests. The board approved a motion to accept a property-and-casualty insurance renewal recommended by the county’s broker but directed staff to review the county’s relationship with the broker after commissioners pressed staff that a competing quote from a public trust appeared lower.

"For this fiscal year we are adopting the millage and the budget as advertised," the county manager told the board before votes. The clerk of court provided an update earlier in the meeting on Value Adjustment Board petitions and filing statistics.

The board also adopted ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Recovery Month and National Fire Prevention Week and proclaimed Sept. 24 Orange Park Mall Day; those proclamations passed without recorded opposition.

Votes at a glance

- Final millage rates and budget — adopted. Motion(s): separate roll-call votes adopted the final millage (aggregate 8.5854 mills) and the FY 2025–26 budget, $780,630,570 (inclusive of Lake Asbury MSBD). Outcome: approved (roll-call…