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Counci lmember Grabek asked Monk if we went to our own assessor or <br />contracted with someone could we acquire the computer information that <br />3s been generated by the County staff? <br />Monk stated that all of that data is available to the City in hard <br />copy form. All of the available data would be transfered. <br />Former Mayor Lou Oberhauser stated that when he became Mayor <br />there was a change in the law that said you had to have qualifies: <br />assessors. Before that that the assessing was done by good Joe and <br />whether he had any qualifications as an assessor was really <br />immaterial. Wnen that came up we had to choose whether or not we should <br />go with the County who had qual i f iPd assessors on staff or go our own way <br />with our own qualified assessor. The question is never between the <br />qualifications of the assessor because the assessors that work for <br />Hennepin County are very well qualified. The assessor that we hired <br />for the Assessing District had good qualifications. It really boiled <br />down to the principal of government and the principal of Orono existing <br />at all is that principal of local control. The best government is the <br />government that is closest to the people and when we sat down and went <br />through the process we felt that the existance of our village was based <br />upon the principal that we keep the functions that the village can carry <br />out, which are getting less and less, as close to home as possible. It <br />aas basically based upon that principal that we decided to go with the <br />West Hennepin Assessing District, which I think was a good decision <br />both on a principal basis and also based upon the results that we <br />received. One of the things that happened when the County took over <br />was the fact that Don Monk mentioned, there was 16% differencial, now we <br />are down to 8%. I think that it really boils down to not so much the <br />monetary consideration, as really principal of government. That is <br />the best government although it may be more expensive individually to <br />the citizens, is that government that is closest to the people and that <br />is to have your own local assessor. <br />Gentleman from audience asked, is there any comment either from <br />the audience or the Council about the level of service, r-sponse to <br />complaints, response to citizens questions at thL County? Are <br />citizens and Council satisfied with the services they are getting from <br />the County? <br />Mayor But stated that she had not personally received any <br />riticisms of the ("ounty or their staff. <br />Kenton Carlson stated the bottom line is, within the community <br />are properties being assessed fairly and is Orono as a community being <br />assessed fairly compared to other communities. <br />Counci lmember Grabek asked Monk would the City of Orono lose if we <br />make a decision to hire our own assessor this year and evaluate the <br />program this year and watch it, monitor it and make the choice as the <br />next year come 7 up whether we continue the contract with this assessor <br />or another assessor or decide to go with the County. What do we as a <br />City have to lose it) your opinion? <br />page 4 <br />