Winter 2021 Newsletter

Florida Chapter of IAAO

Winter 2020

Staying Appraised

A NEW YEAR

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2020 has sure been a long year, but here we are with just a few days left in December with a new year right around the corner. Conferences, as we used to know them, are being planned with the hope that life will return to pre-COVID normalcy soon. The 2021 FCIAAO Annual Conference will be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, with a date to be announced. In addi- tion, the IAAO Annual Conference will be held August 29 th through September 1 st in Chicago. In the meantime here are some of the things we look forward to: conversations with fellow members, hearing about a ven- dors new product while collecting swag in oversized bags, rais- ing an actual hand (rather than a virtual one) to ask a question during a continuing education class, Will Shepherds engaging presentations that always seems to end with a man in a Leder- hosen, and the Tony Hodge Award ceremony celebrating those who have recently earned their IAAO designations. There is much to look forward to! Let us go into 2021 with an appreciation for all the experiences we used to enjoy each year. Until we meet (in person) again, the Florida Chapter wishes you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.

President’s Message…………….2-3

In Memoriam.…....……………..…..4

Education Calendar…...................4

FCIAAO Education Week………...5

County Spotlight……………………6

Employment Opportunities……....7

2021 FCIAAO Conference….…….8

Professional Des. Spotlight………..9

Professional Des. News…………..10

IAAO News………………………...11

Member Spotlight.……………......12

Membership News………………..13

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

2020-2021 FCIAAO

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

EXECUTIVE BOARD

As we close out 2020 and head into 2021, I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. I know personally and professional- ly that 2020 has been the most challeng- ing year I’ve ever encountered. COVID- 19 has impacted every aspect of our eve- ryday lives in some way. Some more pro- foundly than others; the inability to gath- er en masse, to visit loved ones as often as we like, the loss of employment, im- pacted health or the loss of life. We all have food banks, soup kitchens, homeless

PRESIDENT

Justin Edwards, AAS, PPS, CFE Office Operations Supervisor Putnam County

VICE PRESIDENT

2 ND VICE PRESIDENT

Kenny Pennington, CFE, CBC Chief Deputy Osceola County

Justin Edwards AAS, PPS, CFE

TREASURER

Christopher D. Mitts, PPS, CFE Senior TPP Appraiser St. Lucie County

shelters, domestic violence shelters and various other local charities in our communities to help those in need. In this season of giving please join me in thinking of the less fortunate and helping if you are able. We just finished up the Chapter’s first ever Virtual Education Week. Considering the challenges we all have faced, we had a great turnout. Appraisers from North Carolina, Maine, Oklahoma and Oregon at- tended our IAAO Course 402 – Tax Policy. We also had appraisers from Texas and New Mexico attend our IAAO Workshop 551 – Valu- ation of Machinery & Equipment. I want to thank the TPP Steering Committee and Treasurer Chris Mitts for all their hard work in putting together the TPP Seminar. This event was also virtual. Special thanks go to Steve Weissman, RES, Abee Moses, Hon. Dorothy Jacks, CFA, AAS, the IT Depart- ment and TPP Department of Palm Beach County for their assis- tance in making this event such a success. I know many hours went into the preparation, setup, rehearsal and execution of the Seminar. I think all who attended will agree that it went very well. Additional information about the Seminar can be found on page 5 of this News- letter. The Executive Board is planning and preparing for the upcoming FCIAAO Annual Conference as an IN-PERSON event. It’s scheduled to be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, date TBD. We will be keeping a close eye on how things progress with COVID infection rates and the vaccine. We are also working on alternatives (postpone, virtual, hybrid) in case an in-person event isn’t feasible. Finally, I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of FCIAAO Past President Nick Nikkinen from COVID in November. I worked for years with Nick at the Putnam County Property Appraiser’s Of- fice and on the Florida Chapter Executive Board. Nick could always

SECRETARY

Dee Dee Harnish, AAS, RES, CFE Director, Valuation Services Monroe County

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

Wynta Loughrey, RES, CFE Assistant Commercial Valuation Manager Sarasota County

DIRECTOR

Kevin D. Hayes, MAI, CAE, RES, CFE Deputy of Appraisals Pinellas County

DIRECTOR

A. Renee Large, AAS, EA, CFE Director Administrative Services Clay County

DIRECTOR

Manuel Padron, MSM, CFE Chief Deputy of Administration and Technology Hernando County IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Pat Alesandrini, MAI, SRA, CAE, RES, CFE Chief Deputy Hillsborough County

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE (CONTINUED)

be found at Chapter events with a big smile on his face and a camera in his hand. Nick was a big man in both stature and personality. His contributions to the Chapter are numerous. He spent many years as the Chapter’s Treasurer and during that time the Chapter prospered. Account bal- ances increased to the point that the Chapter was able to establish “rainy day” reserve savings. Nick was proud of his family and his Christianity. He loved Roz and his children very much and spoke highly of them often. If you were Facebook friends with Nick you were privy to lots of pic- tures of his beautiful loving family. I keep them in my thoughts and prayers as they grieve his loss. I’ve spoken to many colleagues since his death and it amazes me how many people he im- pacted. After a long day of meetings or presentations at Chapter events, he occasionally enjoyed a drink, good cigar and discussing appraisal and office politics with friends. I will always cherish my many memories of time spent with Nick.

Please stay safe.

Respectfully,

Justin Edwards, AAS, PPS, CFE FCIAAO President 2020-2021

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

IN MEMORIAM

Past President Neil ‘Nick’ Nikkinen, MAI, CAE, AAS, CFE, passed away in November after a battle with COVID. Nick moved to Florida in 1985 where his nearly 30 years of real estate appraisal experi- ence began. He left his footprint in Hernando, Putnam, Orange and, most recently, Marion County. Nick was a well liked and respected appraiser. Prior to being the FCIAAO Past President, Nick served many years on the Executive Board. His contributions to the Chapter would start in 2001 when Nick was elected to serve as a Director. He would spend 11 years on the Board culminating with his Presidency in 2014. It was his love of photography, that you would find him at Chapter events with a camera in his hand and a smile on his face. Not only was Nick active in his professional career, but also in his personal life. The impact of his kindness and guidance was also felt by his work as a Board Member for Interfaith Emergency Ser- vices, Chairman of the Camp Kiwanis Foundation Trustees, and as a member of Church of Hope First Impressions team.

EDUCATIONAL CALENDAR

IAAO 101— Fundamentals of Real Property Appraisal

Live Online | February 8-11

IAAO 201—Appraisal of Land

Live Online | March 8-11

IAAO 600—Principals and Techniques of Cadastral Mapping

Live Online | March 28-April 1

The Florida Department of Revenue sponsors the offerings listed above. For more details and to register online visit Floridarevenue.com

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

FCIAAO EDUCATION WEEK

On December 10 th & 11 th the FCIAAO held the annual TPP Seminar. The Seminar was held virtu- ally due to COVID. We had 50 TPP Professionals attend this year’s Seminar from the comfort of their desks at work or from their homes. Prior to the TPP Seminar the Chapter hosted IAAO Course 402 – Tax Policy and IAAO Work- shop 551 – Valuation of Machinery & Equipment. Chapter Board member Kevin Hayes, MAI, CAE, RES taught Course 402 and Lisa Hobart, CAE, PPS, ASA, FIAAO taught Workshop 551. This was the first time the Chapter has offered virtual educational courses and the turnout ex- ceeded our expectations. Due to the offerings being Virtual, we were able to accommodate ap- praisers from different jurisdictions outside of Florida. We had appraisers from North Carolina, Maine, Oklahoma and Oregon attend our IAAO Course 402. We also had appraisers from Texas and New Mexico attend the IAAO Workshop 551. The TPP Steering Committee put together a very educational and informative agenda for the TPP Seminar. Seminar topics included Recognizing Obsolescence in TPP presented by Lisa Hobart, CAE, PPS, ASA, FIAAO, the History of Property Taxation in Florida and the Legal & Legislative Update presented by Hillsborough County’s legal counsel Will Shepard, Esq., an IAAO update from IAAO President Amy Rasmussen, RES, AAS, FIAAO, lots of great presentations from coun- ty staff, numerous industry update presentations and TPP Jeopardy hosted by Steve Weissman, RES from Palm Beach County. Neoto McCullough successfully defended her Jeopardy title for the third year! Special thanks go to Steve Weissman, RES, Abee Moses, Hon. Dorothy Jacks, CFA, AAS, the IT Department and TPP Department of Palm Beach County for all their assistance in making the Virtual TPP Seminar a success. Many hours went into the preparation, setup, rehearsal and exe- cution of the Seminar. If you were unable to attend the Virtual Seminar or would like to revisit a presentation, record- ings and presentation documents are now available on the 2020 TPP Seminar DEC – Virtual Presenter Materials page on the Chapter’s website. You must be logged in as a FCIAAO member to gain access.

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LEE COUNTY

Lee County is located on the beautiful Gulf Coast of Southwest Flori- da, and was founded on May 13, 1887, gaining independence from Monroe County by act of legislature. Lee County, and Fort Myers as the county seat, has a rich and storied history. Dating back to the early 1500s, it is believed that the county’s barrier islands were among the many stops made by Ponce de Leon as he explored Florida’s Gulf Coast. In the early 1700s, the Lee Island coastline first appeared with some accuracy on British maps.

In 1821, Florida became a U.S. Territory, and by 1885, Fort Myers was the second largest

Hon. Kenneth Wilkinson, CFA

Property Appraiser

town on Florida’s Gulf Coast. That same year, Thomas Edi- son visited the village while cruising Florida’s west coast. Captivated with what he saw, Edison built his home and la- boratory, Seminole Lodge, on the banks of the Caloosa- hatchee River. He subsequently became Fort Myers’ most famous resident, and a strong force in its growth and devel- opment. In 1914, Henry Ford’s family first visited the Edi- son’s at their winter home. In 1916, they became neighbors when Ford purchased the property next door, The Mangoes. Today, hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe visit Fort Myers to see the Edison and Ford Winter Estates.

Lee County's 811 square miles comprises 590 miles of coast- line, over 100 pristine barrier and coastal islands, 50 miles of white sandy beaches, and in Cape Coral, over 400 miles of canals; more than any other city in the world. Lee County’s natural beauty and unique attributes makes tourism a lead- ing industry, paving the way for five (5) million visitors annu- ally.

Lee County is not only a popular destination for tourists, but continues to be a much-desired destination for relocation. Ranking eighth (8th) in Florida, in terms of population, over 730,000 people call it home. Accord-

ing to 2019 U.S. Census numbers, the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area alone has one of the nation’s highest rates of population growth, seeing a rise of 22% between the years of 2010 to 2018. That puts the area in seventh (7th) place when it comes to the nation’s fastest grow- ing metropolitan areas.

Real Property Parcels

553,491

Tangible Accounts

90,393

Total Just Value

$121,864,700,387

Total Taxable Value

$89,314,624,576

Employees

76

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Position Available

County

Field Appraiser I

Hernando County

Field Inspector

Hillsborough County

Business Analyst

Leon County

Programmer Analyst

Leon County

Commercial Real Estate Field Appraiser I

Orange County

Residential Appraiser I

Palm Beach County

Commercial Appraiser

Polk County

Land Appraiser

Polk County

Residential Manager

Putnam County

Commercial Appraiser

Saint Lucie County

Database Application Administrator

Sarasota County

GIS Technician

Sarasota County

Finance/HR Manager

Walton County

IT/GIS Mapping Supervisor

Walton County

Click HERE to view more information on the FCIAAO Employment Opportunities page.

To post a job opportunity on the FCIAAO website, please email your job posting to, Manny Padron Webmaster. It is the policy of the Chapter to only post job opportunities for member jurisdictions and subscribing member entities.

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

CONGRATULATIONS & THANK YOU

Congratulations to all Property Appraisers who were elected by their jurisdictions to serve this year. To all the Property Appraisers leaving office, we would also like to take this opportunity to say ‘Thank you’ for your years of support of the Florida Chapter. The FCIAAO welcomes all of the newly elected Property Appraisers, and we encourage you to uti- lize the Florida Chapter as an educational and networking resource for you and your staff.

2021 FCIAAO ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The 2021 FCIAAO Annual Conference is scheduled to be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlan- do, with a date to be determined in the near future. While it is our intention to hold an in-person conference, we are working on alternatives (postpone, virtual, hybrid) should this not be feasible. The FCIAAO Executive Board is also accepting nominations for the 2021 Member of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards. A reminder that all nominations must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the FCIAAO Annual Conference. For more information or to nominate a candidate, click here .

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION SPOTLIGHT

Curt Chisholm, AAS, CFE Residential Analyst Leon County

Briefly describe your appraisal/assessment experience. I started working for the Leon County Property Appraiser in 2004 as an OPS data entry employee. I came on full time in 2007 after graduating from FSU and have been a Residential Field Appraiser for 8 years and in my current position as an Residential Analyst for 5 years.

Curt Chisholm, AAS, CFE

Why did you pursue the AAS designation? To expand my knowledge into the property tax administration, to

get an overall learning experience of how the office works together as whole.

What was one of the biggest challenges you faced while pursuing your AAS desig- nation? Juggling family, work and studying was the biggest challenge. Thanks to my wife it was manage- able and not as challenging as it could have been. What advice/suggestions would you give to someone considering an IAAO desig- nation? Start studying early and often. The designation covers a wide array of information. Has the AAS designation been beneficial to your job? If yes, how? The AAS designation has been very beneficial for my job, it has given me an overview of how the office works as a whole and how the different appraisal departments interact together to imple- ment ideal tax policy to the citizens of Leon County. What material/workshops did you study to prepare for the AAS Case Study Ex- amination? I study all of the course material recommended and took the AAS case study workshop.

What is your favorite vacation and/or hobbies you enjoy? I enjoy hunting, fishing and beaching, especially with family.

APPRAISAL TERMINOLOGY 101

Linear Regression– A kind of statistical analysis used to investigate whether a dependent varia- ble and a set of one or more independent variables share a linear correlation and, if they do, to predict the value of the dependent variable on the basis of the values of the other variables. Re- gression analysis of one dependent variable and only one independent variable is called simple linear regression, but it is the word simple (not linear) that distinguishes it from multiple regres- sion analysis with its multiple independent variables.

Source: Glossary for Property Appraisal and Assessment.

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION NEWS

What a year! I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ll miss the chaos and uncertainty of 2020! In spite of that, the FCIAAO continued it’s un- precedented success - and that shouldn’t be overlooked. I’m optimistic that 2021 will provide more opportunities for us to congregate and re- gain normalcy. Within the next month (or so) I will begin notifying chapter members who are eligible to receive the Tony Hodge Educational Award at the 2021 FCIAAO Annual Conference. The FCIAAO Procedural Rules (as amended) specify eligibility of the award, as follows:

The Tony Hodge Educational Award may be granted to FCIAAO regular members who earn their IAAO designations. The Executive Board shall recognize newly designated members at the successive FCI- AAO Annual Conference and may present them with a $500 check. To be eligible, new designees must be a FCIAAO member in good standing for at least 12 consecutive months prior to being awarded their designation and receiving the award. New designees must provide a copy of IAAO’s letter conferring the designation, or a copy of the designation certificate, to the PDC Chairman, or a member of the PDC. Tony Hodge recipients must be registered for the respective annual conference to be eligible to participate in the awards presentation. Tracy Drake, CAE, ASA, RES, AAS, CFE

New designees should email a copy of IAAO’s letter conferring the designation (or certificate) to tdrake@ccpao.com . Don’t miss out!

DID YOU KNOW?

Would you like to be recognized for your experience and dedication to the assessing profession, but not quite ready for a professional designation? The IAAO Professional Member Program acknowledges the efforts of members who meet the following criteria:

•IAAO member in good standing with a minimum of three years experience in the assessing profes- sion and holding no IAAO professional designation

•Successful completion of 150 hours of IAAO courses, workshops, and seminars, including Work- shop 171 (no substitutions or course waivers will be accepted)

•Completion of a 15-hour workshop on USPAP (IAAO Workshop 151 or equivalent) in addition to the course hours listed above.

To apply for IAAO Professional Member Status, or for more details, visit www.iaao.org .

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

IAAO ELECTION NEWS

The 2021 IAAO election results are in! Congratulations to long-time FCIAAO members Pat Alesandrini and Terry Taylor. FCIAAO Immediate Past President Pat Alesandrini, MAI, SRA, CAE, RES, CFE was elected to serve as the IAAO Vice President. FCIAAO Real Property Steering Committee Chair, Terry Taylor, CAE, RES, AAS was elected to serve as Director for Region 3.

A complete list of the 2021 IAAO Election Results can be found here .

2021 IAAO ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The 2021 IAAO Annual Conference is scheduled for August 29 to September 1 in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Those interested in early registration can do so here . Speakers interested in presenting at the conference may submit proposals by January 21 to IAAO for consideration. The submission page is on the IAAO Research Exchange and more information is available under Call For Presentations .

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: MICHAEL S COOPER, SR.

Name: Michael S Cooper, Sr. County: Martin County

What do you do for the PA? I am the Commercial/Agricultural De- partment Manager.

How long have you been employed by the PA? I have been with the office for 8 years.

What do you like most about your job? The feeling of family throughout the office supporting each other.

Where were you born? Hindsdale, Illinois

Where was your best vacation ever? My wife, son, and daughter surprised me one year with a ski trip to Breckenridge, Colorado. They made all the plans and told me over breakfast at Cracker Barrel. The

Michael S Cooper, Sr. CFE

kids didn’t mind missing the traditional Christmas and New Year that year because we flew out and back on those days. Aside from the beautiful scenery and fantastic skiing, we all picked up a phrase we still use today, “No Worries” from the locals. Love their attitude.

What are your hobbies? Everything on or in the water and the fascinating outdoors: surfing, fishing, diving, hiking, biking and camping.

What do you plan to do when you retire? My wife and I have discussed visiting as many of our National Parks as possible before settling near our children’s homes to spend quality time with family.

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

Don't miss out on being a part of the 23-time IAAO Chapter of the Year winner! With your renew- al of membership you will continue to receive e-newsletters, special offers to webinars and a spe- cial membership rate for conference, seminar and workshop registrations. To renew online, log-in to your account at www.fciaao.org and click “Renew until 01 Jan 2022”. Make any updates to your profile and you will be prompted to pay online.

Issues logging onto your account or have membership questions? Reach out to us here !

MEMBERSHIP AT A GLANCE

Did you know that:

The Chapter has about 1100 members.

•

• 25% of our membership is made up of just 3 counties: Palm Beach County (116 members), Pinellas County (87 members) and Orange County (61 members). • The Chapter provides a complimentary one-year membership for all new CFE/CCFs. This year, the Florida DOR approved 95 new CFE/CCF designations.

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO

Mission Statement

“FCIAAO is a statewide community of mass appraisal experts, who offer education and

professional development opportunities in ad valorem appraisal, administration, and tax

policy.”

A publication by the Florida Chapter of International Association of Assessing Officers

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Winter 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO