Duval County Tax Collector: Doyle Carter, Mia Jones, Jim Overton, Lake Ray
JIM OVERTON BIO
Currently a Real Estate Broker and Government Affairs Consultant
Broker-Associate - 2015 to present - with ERA Davis & Linn Real Estate, Jacksonville, FL.
Consultant - 2016 to present - for Scenic Jacksonville seeking legislation to establish a plan for the JEA (Jacksonville Electric Authority) to underground utilities in older sections of the City.
Formerly as an elected official, led a MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT UNIT, producing a county tax roll for a large jurisdiction, managing a large staff in a complex area of public finance and tax law.
• Key results: implemented a staff reorganization that greatly improved morale; acquired and launched a new mass appraisal system that increased productivity; significantly increased and improved taxpayer outreach; won the National Community Relations award in 2006 for large jurisdictions.
Duval County Property Appraiser – 2003 to 2015, elected a state constitutional officer serving the Consolidated City of Jacksonville. Responsible for all management and operations to produce an accurate and equitable tax roll, including field surveys, mapping, exemption approval, mass appraisal, defending valuations, and roll approval and oversight by the Florida Department of Revenue. Extensive lobbying on Property Tax Issues at the Florida Legislature. Professional designation: Certified Florida Property Appraiser. Member International Association of Assessing Officers. Past-President and other board positions of the Florida Association of Property Appraisers.
Created and implemented marketing, developed key clients, and managed the production of programming for NEW MEDIA AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION COMPANIES
• Key result: created, sold and produced cutting-edge programs for high-profile clients that effectively communicated an intended message to a targeted audience
President/Owner – Jim Overton Productions 2000 to 2003, television producer exclusively affiliated with PRC Digital Media. Responsible for developing new business and maintaining key account relationships as an agent for PRC and producing independent programs. Left when elected Property Appraiser.
President/Co-owner – Mad Dog Television, Inc. 1998 – 2000, purchased 50% of a small business, provided capital for investments in new equipment to create a full-service television production company. Established new post-production facilities in an historic downtown location, generated new accounts, was responsible for financial management, marketing and sales. Left when partnership dissolved.
President/Owner, Laurel Media, Inc., 1994 to 1996, a start-up television production company creating corporate communications, advertising for broadcast, and special interest videos. Liquidated company to buy into a new business.
Vice – president, Account Manager - White Hawk Pictures, Inc., 1991 to 1994, a full-service television and film production company. Responsibilities included key account management and new business development. Other responsibilities included script-writing, producer and/or project management to produce corporate videos and commercials for broadcast. Left to start new business.
Managed marketing, sales, general management and technical service operations for TELEVISION PRODUCTION, BROADCASTING AND PRESENTATION EQUIPMENT SYSTEM INTEGRATORS AND DISTRIBUTORS in a multipart, high-tech, highly competitive environment.
• Key result: as chief executive officer grew a profitable business from $800,000 to $4,500,000 in sales, managing 25 employees
Account Manager - The Whitlock Group, Inc. 1996 - 1997, a Richmond, Virginia-based sales and engineering company selling in high-end presentation systems and television production systems. Responsible for new business development in the presentation systems market. Left to devote one year full time to job of City Council President.
Zone/Branch Manager - Midwest Communications Corporation, 1989 to 1991, a national distributor and manufacturer ($200 MM Sales) of television production systems, satellite systems, and television and radio transmitters, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Responsibilities included: management of two sales and service operations in North Florida; developing annual budget of $3.5MM; local marketing, trade show staffing, sales forecasting; supervising a staff of five, key account management.
President/Co-owner - Southeast Electronics, Inc., 1975 to 1989, Jacksonville-based sales and engineering company distributing broadcasting, professional video, and audio production equipment, MATV and CCTV systems, and electronic parts. Responsibilities included strategic and marketing planning, financial planning and decision-making, implementation of marketing programs, sales management, and sales engineering. Planned and implemented conversion of internal operations to a computer-based accounting and database management system. Supervised staff of 25. Established two branch sales and service operations.
OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE
Research Analyst - Republican National Committee, 1976, Washington, D.C. Responsibilities included opposition research, directing the Carter/Mondale Chase Team, current events research and analysis, developing position papers for the President Ford Re-election Committee and other periodic special reports to the White House.
EDUCATIONAL
Master of Public Administration, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida. Won award for capstone research paper, “Light Rail as a Transit Choice for Jacksonville, Florida.” Elected to Pi Alpha Alpha honorary society. Named “Outstanding Graduate”, 2002.
Bachelor of Science in Commerce, with Special Attainments in Business Administration, Cum Laude, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia.
PAST PUBLIC SERVICE
Council Member, District 14 and Council President - Jacksonville City Council, elected in 1992, re-elected in 1995 and 1999, (President 1997-98), Chairman - Historic Preservation Task Force, Vice-Chairman - Rules Committee, Special Committee on Cecil Field Redevelopment. Member - Jacksonville Landscape Commission, Chairman - Duval County Tourist Development Council, President Pro-Tempore - Jacksonville City Council 1996-97, Chairman - City Council Finance Committee 1990-2000, Chairman - City Council Public Utilities Committee 1995-96, Chairman - City Council Rules Committee 1994-95, Vice-Chair, Special Committee on Reapportionment, Previous committee assignments include every standing committee of the Jacksonville City Council. Member - Special City Council Committee on Public Housing, Member - Special City Council Sub-committee on Flooding, Member - Cecil Field Redevelopment Commission, Ex-officio member - Jacksonville Children’s Commission, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors, Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, Member - Jacksonville Enterprise Zone Commission, Member – Florida Tangible Personal Property Task Force (see http://www.floridataxwatch.org/resources/pdf/20111128TPPTaskForce.pdf),
Candidate - Florida Legislature 1990.
CURRENT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Facilities, Camp Immokalee, and Impact Committees – YMCA, Committee Member - Troop 2/Ship 2 Boy Scouts of America, Dinner Host Committee – North Florida Council BSA, President/Board Member – North Florida Soaring Society, 2nd Lt. - Civil Air Patrol Fernandina Beach Squadron, Member - Navy League, Member - Rotary Club of West Jacksonville with 34 years perfect attendance.
PAST CIVIC SERVICE
Board of Directors – Jacksonville Metro Area YMCA, Past President - Timucuan Trails Parks Foundation, Board Chair – University of North Florida MPA Advisory Committee, Past President - First Coast Tiger Bay Club, Advocacy Chair - JCCI Study on the Health of the St. Johns River, Chairman - Troop 2 Committee Boy Scouts, Chairman - Muskogee District Boy Scouts of America, Board Member - Mayor’s Preservation Project Commission, Board Member, Jacksonville Housing Partnership. Executive Board Member - JaxPride Coalition for Visual Enhancement (now City Beautiful), Executive Board Member - ArtStop, Chairman - Jacksonville Environmental Lands Trust, Commissioner - Lower St. Johns River Water Quality Commission, Board Member-Treasurer - Daniel Memorial Institute, Commissioner - Cecil Field Redevelopment Commission, Trustee - Riverside Presbyterian Day School, Board Member, Treasurer - Theatre Jacksonville, Member - JCCI Study on the Financial Health of the City of Jacksonville, Stakeholder - Jacksonville Insight Study Commission, Executive Committee - Republican Party of Duval County, Board Member - Volunteer Jacksonville, President - W&L University Alumni Association Jacksonville Chapter, Past President, Board Member, Treasurer, Sergeant-at-Arms – Rotary Club of West Jacksonville, Fundraiser - American Cancer Society, YMCA Changing Lives Campaigns, RPDS Annual Fund, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, headed effort to erect memorial statue of U.S. Representative Charles E. Bennett in Hemming Plaza, Session Member, Riverside Presbyterian Church.
HONORS AND AWARDS
•Volunteer of the Year - YMCA Jacksonville
•Silver Beaver Award - Boy Scouts of America for service to Scouting
•President’s and Legislative Awards - Florida Association of Property Appraisers
•International Association of Assessing Officers - National Community Relations Award
•Leadership Florida - Class XXVIII
•Elected Official of the Year - Northeast Florida Board of Realtors
•Natural Resources Award - Florida Communities Trust for establishing Dutton Island park
•Conservation Award, Nature Conservancy for assistance in Cedar Bay Co-Gen Negotiation
•Appreciation Award - Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce for pro-business Council Presidency
•Preservation Award - Jacksonville Historical Society - for Laura Street Trio “rescue” from demolition
•Canopy Award – Greenscape for service to the organization that plants trees in Jacksonville
•Bob Shircliff Public Service Award - Rotary Club of West Jacksonville
PRESENTATIONS
“Management Philosophy”, North Florida Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, 8/5/2003
“Greenbelt Classifications”, Duval Agriculture Council, 9/23/2003
“Faint Praise for the Property Tax”, West Jacksonville Rotary, 2/1/2006 (several iterations to various other groups)
“Appraisal of Historic Properties”, Riverside-Avondale Preservation, 2/21/2006
“Legislative Report on the 2006 Session”, Florida Association of Property Appraisers, 6/12/2006
“Annoying People with PowerPoint”, International Association of Assessment Officers, 10/6/2006
“Current Property Tax Issues”, Arlington Lions Club, 5/24/2007
“Overview of The Florida Property Tax System”, Maine Department of Revenue School, 7/28/2007
“Hail to the Property Tax”, Rotary Club of Jacksonville, 8/27/2007
“Portability Primer”, Beaches Realtors, 5/21/2008
“2008 Property Tax Relief”, North Florida Association of Realtors, 7/8/2008
“Legislative Report on the 2009 Session”, Florida Chapter of the International Association of Assessment Officers, 4/23/2009
“Property Tax Calculations”, Jax Chapter Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers, 5/18/2009
“Report by the Property Appraiser”, Beaches Rotary, 8/31/2009
“The Property Tax”, Florida Coastal School of Law, 10/28/2009
”Property Taxes: What Homebuyers Need to Know”, NEFAR Expo, 10/27/2009
“The Price is Right”, Rotary Club of South Jacksonville, 10/30/2010, (various other groups)
“Things you Wanted to Know about the Property Tax, (but were afraid to ask)”, UNF Local Government Seminar, 6/6/2011, and various other groups
“Property Tax Issues”, Jacksonville Kiwanis, 6/11/2012
“Property Value Trends in Duval County”, Mortgage Brokers Association, 12/01/2012 (and various other groups)
“Property Values and Your Tax Roll”, South Jax Rotary, 8/6/2014 (and various other groups)
PERSONAL
I’m a fifth-generation Floridian and Jacksonville native. I was encouraged to become involved in public service by my grandfather who was a Levy County commissioner and a member of the Florida House of Representatives. I’ve been married for 41 years and have two grown children. My married daughter works for a large consulting firm in Melbourne, Australia, and my son is a veterinary student at the University of Tennessee. I am an instrument-rated Private Pilot and fly Gliders regularly.
OVERTON QUESTIONNAIRE
Major accomplishment in public life?
As City Council President, I worked closely with Bonnie Grissett, then Executive Director of Riverside-Avondale Preservation, Inc., Dr. Wayne Wood, and the RAP leadership to draft and pass though City Council the RAP Preservation Ordinance. This measure was very controversial at the time, and it was by the slimmest of margins we were able to get it passed. Over time, the establishment of the historic district has fulfilled its promise in preserving the character and charm of the district, and equally as important, it has been a driver of economic redevelopment for that now charming and vibrant section of Jacksonville. Incidentally, the late Bonnie Grissett was the widow of Ted Grissett, the first City Council President after Consolidation.
Have you ever been sued, arrested or filed for bankruptcy?
I have never been arrested nor filed for bankruptcy. I have never been personally sued but was sued many times in my official capacity as Duval County Property Appraiser.
How I would handle a serious management or administrative problem:
The primary function of the Office of the Property Appraiser is to produce a timely, accurate tax roll. Early in my term and in conjunction with my transition team, I determined the computer-based mass appraisal system in use for a decade was outdated and not user-friendly. We were paying an out-of-town, part-time programmer to keep the system going on near life support. The system could have crashed at any time, production of the tax roll would have ceased, causing not only a major disruption, but likely a failed tax roll earning a non-compliance letter from the Florida Department of Revenue, the agency with oversight of all tax Florida property tax rolls.
Greatly complicating the matter, the previous Property Appraiser had unsuccessfully attempted to purchase newer software. He made the argument his office could lawfully negotiate and sign a contract with a vendor without involving City purchasing. The Mayor and General Counsel vehemently disagreed and a confrontation involving authority of the City Charter had been going on for months. The vendor had sued the City for breech of the contract, with potential damages in the millions claimed.
The vendor and I met multiple times and we were able to reassess the situation. They agreed to re-bid their offer and to wait to see the results before pursuing their lawsuit. My staff reviewed the software of several competitors and worked with the City purchasing division to write a new RFP. We took the responses from the RFP through the proper selection committee within the City. We were fortunate the committee selected the same vendor. Working with the General Counsel, I was then able to simultaneously negotiate a new contract and the dismissal of the vendor’s lawsuit.
The software, now updated several times, is still in use by the Property Appraiser’s Office. By quick and effective action, we saved the taxpayers a great deal of money, and the City avoided a Charter crisis that may well have gone to court.
