09-10-1984 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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gave you are for the current year 1984, they are the most current available anywhere. Ed Callahan asked what control the City had over a local assessor as opposed to the County doing the assessing work. Mayor Butler stated that we do not have control over the personality, when the County does the work we may not nave the consistency of the same individual looking at all of the parcels. Although, Monk stated that we have had the same person throughout the 4 year contract. Daniel Regan asked if creative financing, which over inflates the market value, is taken into consideration in the sales ratio studies. Don Monk stated that the sales are carefully analyzed. Property purchased on Contract for Deed, even though they may not be recorded, must show the Contract for Deed when applying for homestead so we get the information anyway. Councilmember Frahm stated that whether Hennepin County assesses the property or our own assessor assesses the property Hennepin County looks at its number the way it generates them and if we don't match their numbers they have the ability to come in and adjust our assessments whether they did the assessment or we did the assessment. They have the final say. Former Mayor Bob Searles stated a single assessor working by himself does have more of a probl, m in a growing community like Orono. The contractor who has proposed a bid already has experience i.) other communities and is already providing services to others. When we first went to the West Hennepin Assessment District it was to try to go the middle of the road. Counci'_member Grabek stated that he did not want the citizens of Orono t( qet the misconception of the word control of our own assessor. It shouldn't :Wean that if you feel that you've been wronged with the assessment for that speci f is year that you have any more control over that assessor individually than you would have now. But the advantages that Mr. Searles and Mr. Van Nest talk about is that, philosophically, a better understanding of the community would be easier to communicate to the assessor if he were our own. Please keep in mind that we have one individual that has offered us an alternative to the County but if we don't happen to choose that course and we get our own it will cost you and the citizens of Orono approximately $100, 000 instead of $39,000 or $40,000. We would have to hire our own assessor give him an office, i staff and pay his taxes and benefits. Mayor Butler stated that the $100,000 would be the first year cost. The cost of moving someone in and establishing off ice space and setting up the record keeping. The second year would bE that individual'y salary, staff salary plus benefits and administrative costs. Page 3