Committee Minutes

MINUTES/BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
Monday, May 5, 1997 - 5:00 p.m.

The city council sitting as the Board of Equalization met on Monday, May 5, 1997 following the Growth Fund Authority meeting at the Chester Fritz Auditorium at the University of North Dakota with Mayor Owens presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Beach, Polovitz, Ellingson, Hamerlik, Hanson, Carpenter, Sande, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Hagness - 13; absent: Council Member Glassheim - 1.

APPROVE MINUTES

Copies of the minutes of the April 8, 1997 meeting had been mailed to the council members. It was moved by Council Member Hagness and seconded by Council Member Klave to approve the minutes. Carried 13 votes affirmative.

Mel Carsen, city assessor, reported that any damage assessment would be aside of the Board of Equalization, that the Board would establish a value as of February 1, 1997, and suggested that they extend the Board of Equalization to June 2, 1997. It was moved by Council Member Babinchak and seconded by Council Member Klave to extend the meeting of the Board of Equalization to June 2, 1997 at 5:00 p.m. to receive any protests.

Council Member Carpenter asked if there was a deadline for completion of this process. Mr. Carsen reported that he had been in contact with the State Tax Department and County officials, the County Board of Equalization is supposed to meet the first week of June and the City should be finished prior to that time, but the State Tax Department said that perhaps we could go into some time in late July.

Upon call for the question and upon voice vote, the motion carried 13 votes affirmative.

Mayor Owens called for presentation of protests. There were no protests presented.

Mr. Carsen reported that concerning the flood damage assessment by State law the City cannot initiate that, the property owner would have to go through an abatement process on individual basis, and would take enormous amount of time to process approx. 10,000 applications. He reported he contacted the Tax Department who in turn contacted the Governor's Office and he is considering an administrative decision, which would give us the authority to change the assessment administratively from the office, that they would have to do some sort of damage assessment on each property affected and make an adjustment on a pro-rated basis, that adjustment would be pro-rated from April 19 until the end of the year (full assessment up until April 18 and partial assessment thereafter). He stated he has not heard whether the Governor has given that authority but would expect that to happen. He also
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reported that he is not sure how long it will take to do the damage assessment; that there are several options, they could hire some part-time people to help do field inspections, that other assessor's offices have volunteered their services with personnel, and need to decide in the near future, but first need to get their own office up and running and get property records dried and get 1997 assessments completed except for damage assessments. He stated that in the notice to property owners, they intend to make some reference to damage assessment.
RECESS UNTIL JUNE 2, 1997

It was moved by Council Member Beyer and seconded by Council Member Hamerlik that the Board of Equalization recess to and reconvene June 2, 1997 at 5:00 p.m. Carried 13 votes affirmative.

Respectfully submitted,



John M. Schmisek
City Auditor