Feb 23, 2007 - 03:56:34 CST
Burleigh County will help Hay Creek Township in the reassessment of its properties, with the data made part of the computer-assisted mass appraisal system the county is implementing.County commissioners agreed to provide $22,000 from the general fund reserve to help Hay Creek pay the $138,000 contract with Vanguard Appraisals Inc. for the township reassessment. The county will provide an additional $16,000 out of its assessment budget, which would have been spent to build data for Hay Creek in the CAMA system.
The Hay Creek reassessment will coincide and complement the county's purchase of CAMA from Vanguard Appraisals, according to auditor-treasurer Kevin Glatt.
In a memo to the commission, Glatt said that an inspection of existing property cards shows the records are severely deficient and do not merit input and conversion into the new system.
Because of this, the township board wants to reassess all property, and it negotiated a contract with Vanguard to reassess all properties for $138,000.
Hay Creek supervisor Gardell Jochim noted the township will pay $100,000 spread over three years, but, since they were coming up short of the contract price, they were requesting county cost share.
Burleigh's unorganized townships and the city of Lincoln are already committed to participating in county computerized assessments.
Commissioner Doug Schonert supported Hay Creek's request, pointing out that the township's population is greater than 28 North Dakota counties and has a taxable valuation larger than 13 counties.
"Hay Creek is one of the bigger stakeholders," Schonert said. "Tax equalization is trying to have everybody pay their fair amount of taxes. I commend Hay Creek; it's a big cost to them to improve taxation upon themselves."
Commissioner Marlan Haakenson indicated he had received some calls on disparity of property valuations in Hay Creek. Commissioner Jim Peluso, a resident of Hay Creek, said valuation of his property was likely less than it should be.
Schonert said Hay Creek levies the maximum number of mills allowed by law and, because of this, he said it was appropriate that the county help in this situation.
"I know some townships don't levy the maximum mills, and, if that were the case, I'd be hesitant to have the county cost share," Schonert said. "In this case, I feel we should want to help them and be a part of the new project."
The process of implementing CAMA and getting Hay Creek and other county properties reassessed will probably take a few years, according to Schonert, and it will be two to three years before the county sees benefits from the system.
Schonert made the motion to cost share with Hay Creek, and it was passed unanimously.
(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bis-marcktribune.com.)
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