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TO: <br />FROM: <br />DAFK: <br />Mayor Pelcrsoii aiul Couiit il Members <br />Ron M<M)rse, Cily Adiniiiistralor <br />Jaiiiiaiy 27, 2(M) t <br />h <br />SUBJECT: Assessing Services <br />Tlic City’s current four-year contrac t with Hennepin County for stssessing ser\iees is chie for <br />renewal in ir •'1-Fcbriiiuy. 'Hie conU^act will be renewed Ibr an additional four-ycai tenn, unless <br />we notily lire County dial we w:uit to lerniinate the contract. <br />Background <br />A.ssessing sen'ices involve the re-valuation of ;ill proiierties in die Cily each ye;u , lo relied <br />cun enl market v:ilues. I'liis involves inspection of 2()'«f> of the pro|K*rties each year, and a <br />“mass appniis:!!” prex ess for assigning values to all pro|x:rties. I'lie mass appraisal prexess <br />involves tracking a set of value-related criteria for all proixTties, and combining this <br />infonnation with u|xlated ininket info:iiiation. 'Hiis recpiires die iiKUuigement of a substantial <br />system of properly records, as well as tracking proix*riy sales infonnation. <br />Assessing services also involve substantial communication with projxTty owners, prinuuily to <br />explain the v;Uues assigned to projx*rties. <br />Orono is a unic|ue City in tenns ol pro|x ‘rty valuation Ixcausc ol die diversitj' and umqucncss <br />of its housing, particularly die hikeshore proixrties. <br />'Hie 1) pcs of abilities ;uid skills iiecessan’ lo imnide cpialily assessing semces in Orono arc <br />cx|x'rlise reginding the City’s dixerse ;uul unique properties, ability to manage a substantial <br />system of proix*rty records, ability lo m.'uiiige a mass appraisal pnxess dial lakes into account <br />die diversity and uniqueness of Orono ’s properties, and c.vccllcnl inlerix-rsonal <br />communication skills. <br />For a numlier of years prior to die County prosiding assessing services, the C'ily’s assessing <br />services were provided by an indciwndent contractor. Aldiougli the inde|H*ndeiit contractor <br />had developed ex|x ‘rlise reg:irding die hikeshore pro|x'ities in Orono, he liarl not niiiintaincd <br />the pro|x*rty records sullicicndy to enable accuraie results from the mass appraisal process <br />across all projx*rties. W’hen die County lx ‘g;ui to provide iissessing scniccs, they made a <br />nuijor cllorl to uixlatc die pro|x rty records. <br />Altcniativcs <br />Tlic altenialives asiiilable lo die City are to continue with die County, or lo liire an assessor as <br />either a City employee, or as an independent contractor, 'llic advantages of die County arc <br />dial they have a pro|X ‘H\' records sysli‘in and an automated mass appraisal s\ stem m place, and <br />have shown dial diey are capable of maiiitauiing updated pro|xrrty reconls. 'lliey also have <br />slalf with cx|KTtisc ‘ regaidiiig die uiiKpie lyjics of projx'ilies in Orono. 'I'liey jUso have stall <br />widi gixxl interpersonal conununications skills.