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ZEBULON - The Pike County Board of Assessors met at the EMA Building at 11 a.m. on August 20, 2024. Members present were Christopher Tea, Parrish Swift, Gary Hammock, and Tim Ingram. Also present: Commissioner James Jenkins and Becky Watts from Pike County Times.
1. Call to Order - 11:05 a.m.
2. Approval of the Agenda
Motion to approve the agenda. Approved 4-0.
3. Invocation
4. Pledge of Allegiance
Approval of the July 2 and 16 Minutes.
Discussion: Tea asked that July 2 be looked over again because there were some left out words. Looked into software to transcribe meetings. How long are the audio files kept of the meetings? Hobbs. 6 months but wants to get a portable way to keep the minutes. Tea. Does not want to approve July 2. Swift agreed. Tea. There are a couple of things in there too. Can you forward the audio to me on both?
Motion to postpone until the audio is listened to. Approved 4-0.
6. Public Comment.
Commissioner James Jenkins. Will see if the commissioners can use something to transcribe meetings that could be used.
7. Invited Guest. None.
8. Chief Appraiser Report, Distribution of Updated Budget/Discussion
Has a copy of the Appraisal Procedures Manual, Consent Order, and the budget with the expenditures is a folder for members.
Drafted 2 Request for Proposals (RFP) for real and personal property evaluations. Consent Order says that both should be reevaluated. Spoke with the County Attorney prior the meeting. Asked the Board to approve since he has reviewed them. We can send them out, receive the bids, and then go through the process to get the reevaluation underway.
Fall Conference. Hammock and Smith are going. 4 appraisers are going too. First week of November. Sales Ratio Study has not been released to the counties from the State. We were at 29.63% in 2022. 36% is the required number. 2023 is coming shortly. He continues to check this.
Next meeting is the day after Labor Day. Asked to change from that Tuesday to that Thursday. September 3 to September 5 at 11 a.m.
Appeal Count is 19 from 2023. 5 are schedule for Board of Equalization. September 9 and 10 is when the Board of Equalization will meet at the Courthouse.
Swift. Have you started 2024 appeals? Is it normal to do 2 years at once? Hobbs. Yes.
2024. There are 11 active, 65 have been sent a 30 day notice, 37 have been resolved, and 8 have been waived.
All of the appeals from 2023 and 2024 should be done within the next month.
Digest for 2024 has been submitted to the state.
Brian Garrard is now an Appraiser 1. Tea? Need to address pay? Hobbs. When everything can be addressed on September 5 when Morton can be here.
Swift. Being transparent. Have we pulled the trigger on the plan for the Consent Order? Hobbs. The RFP needs to go out. Time is on the essence. The reevaluation will be done by an outside company. Also have to look at the exempt digest that is being worked on by two appraisers out of the office. Also have to address manufactured homes (about 300 properties). Real, ag, industrial, commercial, residential, and personal property etc. We don't have a personal property appraiser here in Pike County now that Melissa has retired.
The second request is for someone to look at businesses.
Swift. When does the building permit come to you? What is the record keeping on this? Hobbs. Usually receive info every Friday or every other Friday. That comes after the building is built. Swift. Just trying to get educated. Hobbs. If something is not on the digest, it’s usually on there on a percentage. When a certificate of occupancy is given, we start them on January 1 of the next year. Accessory has a certificate of completion. Swift. We want to make sure that we’re not missing anything. Hobbs. The cities control their own. Ingram. What happens if someone moves in on July, what happens? Hobbs. Anything between January 1 and December 31 will go on 100% on for the January 1. Swift. We are a month out from the Consent Order on July 18. Hobbs. I drafted the RFP and forwarded it to the County Attorney. He reviewed it and gave the ok to send it out. He told me to give it to the Board and ask for approval.
Swift. Does the Board of Commissioners approve the script of the RFP before it goes out? Jenkins. No. Legal reviews for us. Tea. It went through legal already.
Motion to amend the agenda to add the discussion of the RFP. Item G. Approved 4-0.
9. Old Business
a. CUVA for board consideration 029-018 AB (Grau)
It meets the qualifications. Able to access the property for this determination. Approved 4-0.
b. CUVA for board consideration 063-053 A (O’Hara)
11.77 acres. 90% ag land 1.77 timber, house on 11.77 brings them under the minimum 10 acres that requires documentation that has been provided along with receipts. Discussion: More of a hobby? $1009.49 is their annual expenditure. Have a provide documentation when less than 10 acres. Hobbs. They have been in there before, but the house is on there with 2 acres with a rule that changed. Is this sufficient documentation? Less than $75 or $80 a month. Have they been on there before? How much do they save in CUVA? It was in back in 2014 for 10 years. Now they have a house and they have to provide documentation. The rules changed in 2016. That only affects them at the renewal. The house and 2 acres can’t be in the covenant. Ingram. Pointed out that kept another one for horticulture. Hobbs. The other was piggybacked with another parcel that is in CUVA. Tea. I would like to read the rules on CUVA. Hobbs. The State of Georgia made the rule about the 2 acres. Motion to postpone. Approved 4-0.
c. CUVA for board consideration 070-030 (Jett)
The only documentation is photos. No plan has been provided. Motion to deny Jett based on the documentation. Denied 4-0.
d. CUVA for board consideration 075-105 (Williams)
11.83 acres. Has a forestry management plan. This meets criteria in the policy manual. Motion to approve. Approved 4-0.
e. 2023 Appeals board consideration
Everyone is adamant that they want more taken off of their value. The Department of Revenue has said in the Performance Review that they don’t like for us to keep trying to fix things. It needs to go to the Board of Equalization. What is the process with or without Lyn Smith being here since his house is one of these? Why hold off? Hobbs. I need the county attorney to be here on this. We can’t keep doing the back and forth. Ingram. Looked at some of these, and in my opinion that 5 acres and a house parcel is double what the 80 acres is. Doesn’t think this is fair. Hobbs. There is an issue with CUVA agreements on one property. Over past couple of weeks, everything that has sold is more than we have on the books.
Motion to send all 14 to the Board of Equalization with any amicable solutions. This was sent by email to the board members. Approved 4-0.
10. New Business
a. Approval/Denial approve to collect breach 043-036-staff recommends approval
Sold property. They have requested to come out of CUVA. $6,034.32 is the breach amount. Motion to approve the collection of this amount. Approved 4-0.
Approval to send breach notice 073-007 a (Huggins), 073-013 (Double P), 073-011 (Double P), and 073-015 (Double P)
They have taken the property and combined several of the pieces. We are required to send a notice of the intent to breach. $161,000 is the amount for Double P. $14,000 for Huggins. They have 30 days to remedy this after this goes out. If they don’t fix the problem, they will be required to pay the penalty. Motion to send a breach notice to each of these 4 parcel owners. Approved 4-0.
c. Cadenhead 066-048
Hobbs. Property at McKinley and Hwy 19. 83 acre tract that didn’t get put into CUVA for 2022. Can’t find that application for 2022, but they have applied for 2023. Don’t we stamp the application and give them a copy of it. There are emails between Hobbs and Stephanie. If she brings her copy of 2022, we’ll accept it. Continue this to next meeting.
d. Staff request board consideration 026-027 B Motion
Hobbs. Difficult property on Gaulding Road. There are houses out there where the neighbors are wanting to have the same amount on the land because of topography issues. When it really rained, he has evidence that the rock is backing the water up in the back yard. I have no problem with that. Motion to approve that request. Approved 4-0.
e. Staff request board consideration 074-037 B
The property on Patton Road where part of the property was taken out. Asking to piggyback this so it can be put together in CUVA later on. Motion to approve. Approved 4-0.
f. Staff request board consideration 065-024 and 065-025
Request to correct the maps. The maps are showing 4 parcels when it actually 2. Send the corrections to Qpublic to correct the GIS. Motion to approve. Approved 4-0.
g. Discussion/Approval of RFP.
Motion to approve. Approved 4-0.
2. Real Property
a. Approval/Denial of 2023 Appeal(s) with Fair Market Value Revision (s) approval(s)-Staff recommends approval(s). None.
b. Approval/Denial of 2024 Appeal(s) 2 with Fair Market Value Revision (s) approval(s)-Staff recommends approval(s) b. Postpone Perry. Motion to approve Top Flight per staff recommendation and postpone Perry. Approved 4-0.
c. Approval/Denial of 2023 Waiver(s) with Fair Market Value Revision(s)-Staff recommends approval(s). None.
d. Approval/Denial of 2024 Waiver(s) 2 with Fair Market Value Revision(s)-Staff recommends approval(s).
2 Waivers. Sandy Mitchell and Cherry Thomas. Motion to approve the waivers as recommended by staff. Approved 4-0.
e. Approval/Denial Cuva(s) 065-024 (Gwyn) & 065-025 (Gwyn)-staff recommends approval.
CUVAs for Gwynn. Staff recommends approval. Hobbs. There were some issues with the railroad running through the property. Spoke to the Department of Revenue. The railroad doesn’t affect this. This is 2 pieces instead of 4. Motion to approve per staff recommendation. Approved 4-0.
Hobbs. There were 2024 appeals that were sent to the Board but weren’t included on the agenda. Motion to amend the agenda to include these appeals for 2024. Approved 4-0.
f. 2024 appeals to go before the Board of Equalization on September 9 and 10.
Motion to send these appeals to the Board of Equalization. Approved 4-0.
2. Personal Property
Car appeals:
a. Meeks- 2011 Ford Fusion SE
2011 Ford Fusion. 275,000 miles. Purchased for $1000. State value. $4,400. NADA $4535. Hobbs. Recommends no change. Tea. What is our policy? Hobbs. It isn’t set. Normally go with whatever is lower. Motion to leave it as it is. Approved 4-0.
b. Wilson-2012 Ford 150
$12,825 is tag value. Average retail is $9,800. Motion to go with $9,800.
c. Krug-2018 Chev Silverado
Paid $12,000. 144,000 miles. $24,000 is state price. Continue this to the next meeting.
d. Hough-2007 Toyota Tacoma
Owner says that this has salt water damage but couldn’t see damage from the picture. Average price $12,000. Fair market value $6,800. Motion to leave this as is. Approved 4-0.
11. Public Comment (with 5-minute time limit).
Becky Watts. I am proud of y'all as I'm watching what you're doing. The interaction, the paperwork, the emails. I like it a lot. Thank you from a citizen who pays taxes.
Board Member Comments.
Motion to move the September meeting from the 3rd to the 5th and leave it at 11 a.m. Approved 4-0.
Tea. Reminder about the audio from the past 2 meetings.
Ingram. The county is saying that they are going pave my road. I went to Whitley. Told before that wants a 40 right of way and then a 60 right of way now. Worried about being knocked out of CUVA. This would take off 1/10th of an acre. Was told that it shouldn’t affect you.
Motion to adjourn. 12:22 p.m.
Here are links to past meetings that Pike County Times has attended.
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - August 5, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor8.5.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - July 16, 2024 - 4 p.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor7.16.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - June 18, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor6.18.24.html
Board of Assessors Leaves Sales Ratio at $91 Per Square Foot
By Editor Becky Watts
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor6.3.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - May 21, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor5.21.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - March 7, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor3.7.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - February 6, 2024 - 4:30 p.m.
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor2.6.24.html
Click here to read: "BREAKING NEWS: Commission Votes to Appeal Fine and Request a State Review of the Board of Assessors" http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BREAKINGNEWSrequestforreview2.2.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - January 18, 2024 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor1.18.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - January 4, 2024 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor1.4.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - December 19, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor12.19.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - December 5, 2023 - 11:30 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor12.5.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - November 9, 2023 - 11:30 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor11.9.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - October 17, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor10.17.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - October 3, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor10.3.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - September 19, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor9.19.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - September 7, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor9.7.23.html