In January, Council member Lori Boyer was selected as the NEFAR Elected Official of the Year. The award recognizes an elected official within NEFAR’s delegation area for personal efforts to support the real estate profession or to support legislation beneficial to the real estate profession and the protection of private property rights.

Here is a transcript from the ceremony (source-LoriBoyer.org): “Since elected to the Jacksonville City Council in 2011, this winner has been an advocate for Realtors and NEFAR. In 2013, she demonstrated her support with several pieces of legislation. In November 2012, NEFAR began working with Councilmember Crescimbeni on a bill to extend the temporary directional sign ordinance program. The program was slated to expire June 30, 2013. The goal was to extend the program and get a reduction or removal of the permit fee required under the program. After a February 2013 meeting with Crescimbeni, a bill was filed to extend the program, however the permit fee was not changed as it appeared there would not be support to remove or reduce the fee. In April 2013, NEFAR leadership met with our Council member winner to discuss the bill. In discussing the fee, this Council woman suggested it might be possible to keep the same fee but offer multiple permits for the one fee (thus in effect reducing the fee) and she would be willing to offer that amendment to the extension bill. During the committee process it was discovered that an amendment was not possible and a separate bill needed to be filed. Council member Crescimbeni agreed to file the bill and as Chair of the Land Use and Zoning Committee (LUZ), our winner worked to get the bill through her committee and sent to the council for final approval. Both the extension bill and the permit reduction bill passed the full council. At the April meeting with our winner, in addition to discussing the directional signs, the group also discussed the placement of “For Sale” signs. Several Realtors had recently been fined for not observing the required ten foot setback for signs. Our winner agreed that the setback was difficult to work with and unreasonable. In July 2013, she filed legislation to remove the 10 ft setback requirement for real estate signs in residential zones. She also provided NEFAR with the draft legislation for input prior to filing and the added some important points provided by NEFAR. As the bill began moving through the legislative process, she personally appeared at the Planning Commission meeting to garner support for the bill. She also took photos of “For Sale” signs in her district to demonstrate the normal practice and to show the signs are not intrusive. When some resistance to the bill surfaced during a LUZ meeting she worked to resolve the issue and ultimately the bill was passed unanimously by the council. After discovering that 2013 was the centennial of the Realtor Code of Ethics, our winner enthusiastically volunteered to sponsor a resolution in the Jacksonville City Council recognizing the anniversary, and honoring NAR and NEFAR. At the Nov. 12, 2013 City Council Meeting, President Carol Zingone and the NEFAR leadership team were presented with a framed resolution in honor of the Code. NEFAR engages in a very thorough Candidate Screening Process. The entire process was developed to ensure that NEFAR and RPAC support candidates based on their support for Realtor issues; housing, property rights, smart growth, etc. The task force focuses on individuals who are knowledgeable about real estate issues, open to input from Realtors and supportive of a political and economic environment that recognizes the important contributions made to the economy through the real estate industry. These candidates are not supported because they represent a particular political party or industry; they are Realtor Party Candidates. Our winner has demonstrated clearly that she is a true Realtor Party candidate and is a true Realtor Party Champion serving the Jacksonville Community.”

Congratulations to Lori Boyer for this recognition of excellence.