Duval County Value Adjustment Board reviews clerk realignment; approves minutes and magistrate recommendations

The Duval County Value Adjustment Board on Feb. 13 approved its Jan. 16 meeting minutes and moved to approve special magistrate recommended decisions, and discussed (but took no board action on) a proposed ordinance to realign the Value Adjustment Board clerk within the City Council director's office.

Board Chair Will Lane, a City Council member representing District 3, opened the meeting and called for a motion to approve the Jan. 16, 2025, VAB meeting minutes. The board voted in the affirmative; the chair confirmed the minutes were approved.

The chair then asked for and recorded a motion and a second to approve the special magistrate recommended decisions. No further discussion was recorded in the transcript and the meeting proceeded to other business.

Mary Anne Lemure, chief legislative services and interim Value Adjustment Board clerk, described the proposed realignment to board members. Lemure said the change moves the VAB team into its own division and "aligns the VAB operations for Duval County with the other counties," and that the shift is intended to increase efficiency. She said the team already operates with its own budget and personnel but that county code currently requires the team be housed within the legislative services division.

Lemure told board members the change affects the city council side and the school board's split of funding but is cost neutral. She also said staff asked the council president to introduce the legislation; no board vote on the ordinance was taken at the VAB meeting.

VAB counsel Erin Thalewitzer said the reorganization "provides clear succession, which is really the legal issue at play." The board chair noted the reorganization mirrors practices seen in other counties.

Chair Lane reminded members there will be no March meeting and that the next VAB meeting is scheduled for April 10 at 11:30 a.m.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of Jan. 16, 2025 VAB meeting minutes: motion made and approved (vote recorded as "aye"; detailed tally not provided in transcript). - Approval of special magistrate recommended decisions: motion and second recorded; vote outcome not detailed in the transcript but the board proceeded to other business.

The board adjourned following the routine business and scheduling announcements.