Administrative Services

Appraisal Services

· This department is typically the public's first contact with the office of Property Appraiser.

· Public Requests: Handles requests for printed copies of parcel information and map reproduction and sales, sale of tax roll CD's, special projects such as mailing lists and labels for homeowners associations and small businesses and detailed and complex queries of our property data base.

· The Department receives and reviews for approval all applications for homestead, senior citizen, widow and veterans exemptions and historical, tax increment and other special district provisions that affect valuation.

CAMA System

· Maintaining the office's computer assisted mass appraisal software and supporting both internal and external users is the responsibility of this department. Development and maintenance of all Appraisal software system programs also resides here.

· Our CAMA system utilizes an IBM DB2relational database to house the appraisal database. It is updated daily with name and address changes, sales data and other real and personal property updates.

· Internet server support of the current year's appraisal database (copy) and the GIS base map (copy) resides here. Our internet server is updated weekly to reflect new additions and changes to the office databases.

Exemptions and Support

· The Department annually processes approximately 12,000 homestead exemption applications available under Florida Statutes 196.031

· Mails approximately 75,000 items from the office annually including homestead applications, exemption notices and Welcome Neighbor Postcards.

· Tax Roll Recaps: Prepares tax roll summaries and other tax roll documents for the office.

Finance and Personnel

· Budgeting: Prepares and administers an annual budget of $3,975,000.

· Payroll and Accounting: Prepares 24 semi monthly office payrolls and maintains all budgetary, purchasing, accounts payable, benefits and human resources records.

· Coordinates and administers performance and evaluation processes, maintains the deputy handbook and handles grievance and labor relations issues.

· Responsible for professional education and training, orientation of new staff, tracking DOR certification of staff and related training and education tasks.

· Public Information: A variety of information pieces and web content items are developed here for presentation to the public and placement on the web to assure that accurate and informative data is available about the office and county's tax roll.

Technology And Support Services

IT Department

· The daily operation of the office's networked computer system of PC's, servers and IBM AS/400 main frame, along with appropriate application software is the responsibility of this department.

·The IT staff is responsible for maintaining all computer network, telecommunication and internet hardware and systems, including PC's to make sure that they are performing efficiently , researching and fixing all computer problems and running all computer jobs for the office.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

· This department updates the GIS database daily with parcel changes including splits, subdivisions, condominiums, ordinances, map corrections and combines of parcels.

· The department provides services and assistance to both internal and external users.

· Digital map data base management and map boundary clean-ups.

GIS Applications

· Our GIS Computer System utilizes GIS computer software to maintain the county base map database.

· Software enhancements, programming tasks and support for the Countywide GIS User Group resides in this section.

Valuation

Data Input

· Enters and verifies data from appraisal cards and property information summaries

Modeling and Analysis

· Analyzing and calibrating CAMA system data to ensure that appraisal assumptions are accurate is the responsibility of this section of the Valuation Division. We are bound by law to maintain statistical compliance with Florida Statutes and Department of Revenue guidelines and the models developed here assist in that goal.

Residential and Agricultural Appraisal

· Appraises all residential and agricultural real property for tax purposes, including land, buildings and improvements.

· Appraises agriculturally classified properties upon annual application and determines those properties that qualify for agricultural classification, establishing their value.

· Date of Assessment: January 1 of each year. All property is assessed according to its just or market value

· By law the Property Appraiser must physically inspect each piece of property every three years.

· In deriving just valuation the factors that are considered are contained in Florida Statutes 193.011

Tangible and Commercial Appraisal

· Appraises all tangible personal property which includes anything other than real estate that has value by itself, including furniture, fixtures, tools, machinery, signs, equipment, supplies and other items used in business to earn income.

· Appraises all commercial property for tax purposes, including land, buildings and improvements.

· Date of Assessment: January 1 of each year. All property is assessed according to its just or market value.

· By law the Property Appraiser must physically inspect each piece of property every three years.

· In deriving just valuation the factors that are considered are contained in Florida Statutes 193.011