05-28-15 Community Relations - Laserfiche WebLink

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COMMUNITY RELATIONS MAY 28TH. 2015 5:30 P.M. Committee Members Present: Karen White, Valerie Schey (ab), Gavin Ferlic (ab), Derek Dieter (ab) Citizen Members Present: Gavin Seabe (ab), Alfreda Gillispie (ab) Other Council Present: Tim Scott (ab), Henry Davis, Dr. Fred Ferlic (ab), Oliver Davis (ab), Dr. David Varner (ab) Others Present: Mike Kruk, Frank Agostino, Rosemary Mandrici, Kathy Cekanski - Farrand Agenda: Tax Assessment follow -up with County Officials Though only two Councilmembers, Karen White and Henry Davis, showed for the scheduled Community Relations Committee meeting, the Chair, Karen White opened the discussion. Karen welcomed County Assessor Rosemary Mandrici and County Treasurer Mike Kruk as well as Frank Agostino the attorney for the Property Tax Board of Appeals (PTBOA). Karen explained that the meeting was called at the behest of Henry Davis who sponsored bill 15 -13, currently continued indefinitely. The resolution intended to induce conversation with County officials engaged in the assessment process. Henry maintained he was not being critical or confrontational; but only wanted to discuss the assessment process. More specifically, Henry said it appeared that downtown properties carried assessed values significantly in excess of market values for the properties, therefore stifling development. Henry felt these disparities warranted an explanation. He also asked if we were getting a smaller and smaller percentage of tax payments from what is billed. Rosemary Mandrici, County Assessor, began a brief description of the overall assessment process. She explained that with approximately 120,000 parcels in St. Joseph County along with personal property, the assessments were derived through a mass appraisal approach. The process is prescribed and monitored by the State department of Local Government Finance which sets deadlines and the methodology for the assessment process. Rosemary went on to refer to three approaches to value: 1. Cost —This is the basis for the assessments using cost tables provided by the State. 2. Income —Used for commercial properties. 3. Sales — A data base used for trending values meant to factor market values into the cost basis. She went on to say a variety of methods are used to identify and collect data on parcels. Included are aerials, pictometry, information from the Recorder, the Auditor and actual field work discovery. A general cyclical assessment covering approximately 25% of the properties is undertaker every year as well.