WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION, APRIL 9, 2018

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION, APRIL 9, 2018

Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 1 pm at the Wilma Town Hall with the Pledge of Allegiance. County Assessor Kelly Schroeder and Wilma Assessor Bob Brewster attended, plus Supervisors Mike McCullen and Gary Vink and Clerk Paul Raymond.

Paul read the record of last year’s Board of Equalization. Gary moved to approve; Mike seconded.

There were no property owners with appeals, and no letters of appeal were received. Gary had a question about the special assessments for the garbage board and county solid waste disposal. It is $36 for garbage pickup and $6 for county solid waste. He also asked about line 10C Special Taxes; his went from $4.80 to $4.61. Kelly said this is for ECRDC (East Central Regional Development Commission); it went down because they have stopped sponsoring the Senior Linkage line that gives help to seniors; the county now handles this.

Kelly said that for proposed taxes for next year the market is increasing an average of 2% for residential. This board is to review 2018 assessments for 2019 taxes, based on October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017 for all property types, residential, seasonal, commercial, campgrounds, etc. Wilma residential sales were at 98% market value, which is good (it must be between 90 and 105%.) There were no other transactions that affected market value; our values in Wilma are stable.

Glen has an issue with an abandoned trailer in his campground where they have not paid their taxes in 10 years. He wants to get rid of the trailer but can’t until the taxes are paid and they can’t foreclose on personal property. Kelly said Glen can go through the courts and get ownership and pay the taxes and then he can do whatever he wants. There are $913 in unpaid taxes.

One change: Parcel 32.8900.038 a camper at the Two Creeks Campground that did not have tabs so was assessed taxes. They did get tabs so Mike moved to remove them from the tax rolls; Gary seconded. Passed. A camper is defined as 8.5′ wide; anything larger is a mobile home.

Kelly said the number to contact the forester to get a managed forest management plan, 2C is Paul Swanson at 320-216-4245.

Assessor Certification: Gary’s certification is good through 2020, but Glen will need to be re-certified. Kelly said he can get the training on-line. The

law requiring township assessors to be trained in commercial assessments has been postponed/extended until 2022 and Bob said he would be willing to continue as our township assessor until then. Kelly said when the time comes, there could be another extension or change in the law.

Gary moved to adjourn; Mike seconded. Meeting adjourned at 1:35 p.m.

_____ _______________________

Paul Raymond, Clerk

_____________________________

Attested to: Glen Williamson, Chair

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION, APRIL 10, 2017

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION, APRIL 10, 2017

Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 1 pm at the Wilma Town Hall with the Pledge of Allegiance. County Assessor Kelly Schroeder and Wilma Assessor Bob Brewster attended, plus Supervisors Mike McCullen and Gary Vink and Clerk Paul Raymond.

Paul read the record of last year’s Board of Equalization. Kelly corrected the record that the assessor must keep our values within the 90% – 105% range of county assessments, not 95% – 105% as the record stated. With this correction, Gary moved to approve; Mike seconded.

There were no property owners with appeals, and no letters of appeal were received. Mike had a question about parcels that are reclassified from agricultural homestead to high ground and have their taxes doubled, including township taxes; does the town get that extra revenue? Kelly said that the town receives the same total amount they levied, but that if someone pays more, everyone else will pay less.

Glen asked a theoretical question about his campground; if he were to sell it or shut down the campground, how would the taxes change? Kelly said that the 68 improved full-service sites with water, septic and electricity would still be assessed, even if they were vacant, but the taxes would go down a little. Mike asked what the RVL classification means. Kelly said it is Rural Vacant, a new classification made in 2009 for any non-farm acreage over 20 acres, for improved properties.

Mike asked if he planted corn could he get an agricultural classification. Bob said a minimum of 10 acres is required.

Assessor Certification: Gary is good through 2020, but this is Glen’s last year to be certified. Kelly said he can get the training on-line or possibly at the township summer short course. There is a law requiring township assessors to be trained in commercial assessments, even if the towns they assess have no commercial properties or so few that the county assessor can easily do them, like with Wilma and the camp and store. When it takes effect in two years, Bob will not be able to do our assessments. Bob said Senator Tony Lourey is fighting this bill, and Kelly said there are now four competing bills to either remove this requirement or extend the current requirements. One is to get rid of the law totally.  One is so it does not go into effect until 2022 (instead of 2019).  Another proposal is that it does not affect anyone who was working prior to 2010 (I started in 2004).  There are many different proposals. Paul said our board just attended the spring short course for the MN Association of Townships and they didn’t even mention this in the legislative update. He will write to them to add this to their legislative lobbying at the statehouse, and to discuss it at the Legal Short Course on April 20, since this affects many townships. Bob said that in about 2/3 of all 87 counties in Minnesota, the county does all of the assessing.  There are no township assessors at all.  The only reason we have township assessors here is because our Pine County Board allows it.  We are in the minority.  Maybe this is why MAT is not very involved. Bob said the increased training would affect 600 local assessors, and they have no way to offer training to that many people by the deadline.

Gary moved to adjourn; Mike seconded. Meeting adjourned at 1:35 p.m.

_____ _______________________

Paul Raymond, Clerk

_____________________________

Attested to: Glen Williamson, Chair