07-07-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes—July 7, 2014 4319 MOTION, passed Mr. Vanyo moved and Mr. Peterson seconded to approve the sale of a 2014 Ford 350 Cargo Van to Luther Family Ford for the purchase price of $22,000.00 and authorize the chairman to sign a purchase order with Luther Family Ford for a net amount of $7,951.00 for a 2015 Ford 350 Transit Van. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. Mr. Peterson said since the state specifications did not meet the needs of the county, he asked Captain Harmon to express the county's concern to the state about the bidding process and vehicle specifications that are used. 9. PROPERTY TAX INCENTIVE FOR CITY VIEW FUEL LLC, Application denied City View Fuel, LLC is a business that provides bulk fuel storage for farm deliveries along with a convenience store that retails groceries, tobacco, off sale alcohol, sundries, oil parts and hot and cold prepared food. The tax incentive is for the construction of a 4,000 square foot Morton building to be used as a convenience store with 3 fuel islands and bulk storage, which was completed in June of 2013. This item was tabled from the last meeting to allow for additional legal information to be collected regarding PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) projects. State's Attorney Birch Burdick said he and his staff researched Attorney General Opinions regarding property tax incentives, and an owner may apply for a PILOT if construction has begun or has been completed on a project. He said some changes were made to state law regarding property tax exemptions but it is unclear whether the changes also apply to PILOT projects. He discussed the issue with the Attorney General's Office and was directed to legal counsel at the North Dakota State Tax Department. Mr. Burdick is still waiting to hear back from the tax department. Mr. Peterson said if the commission approves the application today, he believes it will set a precedent as it would be difficult for the board to deny future requests. He said while City View Fuel is a good business venture, it is not a unique, specialized business to the area. Mrs. Scherling said this is not a primary sector business, and she also believes approving the application will set a precedent. MOTION, passed Mrs. Scherling moved and Mr. Peterson seconded to deny the property tax incentive application for City View Fuel, LLC. Discussion: Mr. Peterson said the decision is not personal and is based on setting a precedent for similar types of requests. On roll call vote, the motion carried with Mrs. Scherling, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Vanyo and Mr. Pawluk voting "Yes" and Mr. Bennett voting "No". 10. TAX EQUALIZATION BOARD, Reconvened for 2014 and adjourned Chairman Ken Pawluk reconvened the 2014 Board of Tax Equalization. Frank Klein, County Tax Director, said for consideration is an appeal from Lynn Harrie for her property located at 3326 11th Street South in Fargo. The assessment was raised from $272,900 to $323,000 by the City of Fargo. An appraisal completed for mortgages purposes dated November 18, 2013, valued the property at $302,000. The owner feels her assessment is not equitable with similar properties that have sold or compared to neighboring properties. Also, Ms. Harrie believes the sales used by the city assessor have amenities that her property lacks. Mr. Klein visited the property, which is in average condition. He said there is