Message from Commissioner Jeremiah Blocker
We reached out to Mr. Blocker to request an explanation of the role of the County commissioners serving St. John's County. He responded with a link to the official role authored by the state and followed it up with his summary that we would like to share.
As far as role of the County Commissioners, they are the legislative and governing body of the county and their duties and powers are provided in Florida Statues 125.01 (see below link). The duties and powers are complex so the role is not easily defined or described but I will do so as briefly as possible. The Commissioners are the policy makers of the county, enacting legislation such as ordinances and resolutions. They are responsible for items such as setting the goals, objectives, and strategies of the county, long-range planning, setting an annual budget and authorizing expenditures, levying county-wide taxes, representing the county on a local, regional, state and federal levels, and, of course, reviewing and ensuring the effectiveness of county services and programs, along with responding to residents’ concerns. The top priority is always ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and visitors. Simply stated, the County Commissioners’ role is to serve for the betterment and benefit of St. Johns County and its residents.