cityhall-488Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Board of Equalization met Tuesday afternoon at City Hall.

Those present were: Mayor Andersen, City Administrator Fuchs, Council Members Kourajian, Brubakken  and Buchanan.

City Assessor Darrell Wollen gave his report.

He started by noting his office sent out 4,954 letters to property owners indicating an increase of property assessments of over 10%. Letters are required for properties which has an increase of at least 15%.

50 property owners contacted Wollen with questions or concerns, of the increase.

5 requested and inspection of their property, and re-evaluation.

Of those, there were 3 adjustments downward, and 2 stayed the same.

He pointed out that if the property assessment increases, that does not necessarily mean the city property tax will increase, as it is one facet of the total tax bill.

The city’s mill levy also has not been set at this point.

The report…with copies available at City Hall…explains the process, and showed the breakdown of property taxes, the 2014 Mill Levy breakdown, and included figures on 2014 building permits, and tax exemptions and evaluations.

The Average sale price of residential homes. In 2014 that figure was just over $140,000.

Building Permit numbers for between February 1, 2014 and February 1, 2015, for residential permits, 89, amounted to $3,417,900, with commercial permits, 57, totaling $44,481,306.

In 2014 there were 18 tax exemptions for $2,153,598 for charitable organizations, 3 fro new business improvements at $12,290, for day care at $18,518, 1 Renaissance Zone,at $11,940, and single family dwellings with 16 at $105,00, for a total of $1,775,879.   City Council Member Buchanan pointed out that the state statute sets the criteria for property tax exemptions.

The estimated increase in taxable valuation for 2015 over 2014 is 17.91%

Hearing from the audience:

A trailer home, owner, indicated a large increase in his assessment that he didn’t feel was reasonable.

Another property owner indicated that his property assessment went up $1,000, which he did not feel was reasonable.

Another property owner indicated that over the past 20 years his property value increase by $35,000, and over the past two years it increased another $45,000.

The Board of Equalization then approved and accepted the real property assessments for 2015, in the total aggregate of $8,983,593.

The assessments are subject to adjustments, Homestead Credit, and disability reductions. Council Member Buchanan voted no, in protest of the proceedures used.

The Stutsman County Board of Equalization will receive the city’s action, and in turn the county’s certification is sent to the state.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67.