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r <br />I'O:Mayor Peterson and Council MciiiIkts <br />FROM: <br />DA'IK: <br />Ron Moorse, Cit>’Administrator flju/i <br />Jaiuiju^’ 27, 2004 f <br />SUBJECT : AstJcssiiig Sci v ices <br />Tlie City s current four-year conti'act witli lletiiiepiii C'oiiiily lor assessing servir'es is due for <br />renewal in mid-Fel>riiar>'. ’I’lie coninict will Ik> renewed for an additional four-year term, unless <br />we iM»tify die County Uiat we w;mt to terininate the contract. <br />Backin-oiind <br />Assessing semces involve die re-valuation of all properties in die City each year, to reflect <br />current miu^ket viilues. 'Hiis involves ins|K‘ction of 20'if) of die pro|)crties each ye;u-, and a <br />"iiKLSS appHiisal” prin-ess for itssigning \':ilues to all properties, 'llie nutss appr.ii.sid prtMcss <br />involves tracking a .set ol viJiie-related ciiteria for all pro|K ‘rties, luid comhining diis <br />infonnation with updated market infonnation. 'I’liis requires die m:magement of a .suh.sUuitial <br />system ol property recorils, its well as tracking proiK'ily sales infonnation. <br />A.ssessing serxiccs also involve .suhstanthil coniniiinication vvidi pro|M.‘rty owners, piiimuily to <br />explain die values assigned to pro|H'rties. <br />Orono is a iini(|iie City in terms ol pro|KTty valuation lK*caiise of the iliversity :uid uniqueness <br />ol its housing, piulit iilarly die lakeshore properties. <br />'Hie ty|)es ol abilities and skills necess;u^' to proxide (|u:dity assessing senrees in Orono ;ue <br />exiiertisj; regarding die City ’s diverse luid iini(|iie pro|K “rties, ability to manage a siihsUuitiid <br />system of pro|K ‘rty records, ability to iiuuuige a mass apprais;d process duit Uikes into account <br />die diversity ;uid uniquene.ss td (iroiio ’s projK-rties, and excellent interiM'rsonal <br />communication skills. <br />I’or a nunilK'r ol years prior to the County proxiding assessing serxices, die City ’s assessing <br />seivices xvere proxided by :ui independent contractor. /Vldiuugli die inde|X'iident contractor <br />liatl dexeloixd exixrli.se regarding tlu* kikeshore pro|xrties in ()rono, he had not inainUuned <br />the projxrty records suniciently to enable accurate results from die nia.ss appnusid pnness <br />across ,ill proixrties. When the County lK‘g.ui to proxide €xssessing services, diey made a <br />major elfort to iqxlate the pro|K*rty records. <br />.Mtenialives <br />1 he idternalives available to die City are to continue with the County, or to liirc an assessor as <br />eilher a ( ity einplox ee, or as an independent conUactor. Fhe atlvanUiges of the Count) ;ue <br />duit diex' luivc a property records system iuid ;ui automated mass appiaisal system in place, ;ind <br />have shown that they ;ue capable of maintiiining updated property records, niey ;ilso liaxe <br />stall xvidi e.xpcrtisc regarding die unique tx {xs of pro|xrties in Orono. 'Iliey also have stiifl <br />widi goixl inter|xr.soiiid communications skills. <br />k A.Mai.