Weekly comments from Dale Martin

Dale Martin
City Manager
Fernandina Beach
December 22, 2017 12:01 a.m.

In one of my previous communities, the city staff and I developed a Citizens Academy. The intent behind this program was to introduce interested residents (and, if space were available, non-residents) to local government. As I have often mentioned, I believe that local government is the most exciting level of government in which to work because of the familiarity and accessibility of everyone involved: you know me and several other City staff not only as City employees, but also as neighbors who live, shop, and play with you; state and federal officials are typically somewhat more detached and distant.

Despite its immediate and personal impact on residents, many people are unfamiliar with the organization and operations of local government. A primary reason for this lack of knowledge is that local government is rarely taught in schools or universities. Local government is not taught because it varies so much between communities. With the development of statewide testing, it is near impossible to develop a course of instruction of local government that can be subsequently tested.

The Citizens Academy provided information related to the organizational structure and then, in the weeks following, an overview of city departments. The Treasurer discussed the budget and taxes, the Clerk spoke of official records and voting, the Police and Fire Chiefs displayed public safety equipment, and the Public Works Director commented on water, sewer, parks, and streets. Each of the six sessions, conducted every other week, lasted about two hours. The format was more dialogue-driven rather than lecture, with the Golden Rule being that city politics were not part of the discussion: the program’s emphasis was on government, not gripes.

At the conclusion of the series, the “graduates” were recognized at a City Council meeting and they were bestowed with the honorary title of “Citizen.” The intent of that title was to differentiate Citizens and their knowledge, understanding, and acceptance of their role and responsibilities related to local government from that of Residents, who may not be as well informed or as involved. I think we ran about five series, each with about fifteen or so participants. Some of the graduates of the course eventually ran for the City Council and made use of their participation in the Citizens Academy as an issue in their campaign.

Before developing and introducing such a program here, it might be possible to provide some initial information through these articles. Let’s start with a few simple “homework” assignments.

First, do you know what local governing body has authority over where you live? Simply because you have a Fernandina Beach mailing address does not mean that you are a Fernandina Beach resident. The city limits do not extend off of Amelia Island. On the Island, if you live south of the portion of Fletcher Avenue from the Harris-Teeter to the Atlantic Ocean, you are guaranteed to not live in Fernandina Beach. North of that line, however, it gets confusing.

Your first assignment is the visit the Nassau County Property Appraiser’s web site, specifically this link: http://maps2.roktech.net/NassauTaxMap/. Using the search function that automatically opens to “Search By: Owner Name,” find your property. You will find a wealth of information related to your property. All of the information is public (much to the dismay of some people), including the value of your property and what you paid for your property. By clicking on the Parcel ID link, even more information is provided, most notably related to property details- the type, size, and construction of related structures.

Also available on this page are a variety of Map Layers (top menu bar). You can use these layers to illustrate boundaries, land records, zoning classifications, flood plains, wetlands, and much more.

Click on the Nassau Tax Collector link and your tax bills are available to review, not only for the current year, but also for previous years. Again, all of this information is public. With time, a computer, and a few simple clicks, I (and anyone else) can access the property records and tax information of pretty much anyone that owns property in Nassau County. Want to know what I paid for my house? Look it up. Want to know what the City Commissioners pay in property taxes? Look it up. Want to know the value of other homes in your neighborhood? Look it up.

If you haven’t opened the link for your tax bill, take a look at that now. In addition to looking at the Property Appraiser’s map to illustrate whether you live in the City or unincorporated Nassau County, the last lines of your tax bill will read: City of Fernandina Beach. If those lines do not appear on your tax bill, you are not a resident of Fernandina Beach. It is the residents with “Fernandina Beach” on their tax bills to whom the City Commission are (and, in turn, I am) responsible.

The Nassau County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector web sites provide much information. I often have those sites open (at least bookmarked) on my computer throughout the day. Thank you to the County departments and officials that maintain those sites.

Thanks for doing your homework. If you have any questions, let me know: [email protected].