06-03-1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

REGULAR MEETING OF CASS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS JUNE 3, 1986 Chairman Alon Wieland called the meeting to order and upon roll call, all members were present. Mr. Eckert moved and Mrs. Stanton seconded that the minutes of the previous meeting be approved as written. Motion carried. The Board convened as the County Board of Tax Equalization at 9:15 A.M. Clarence Miller, County Director of Tax Equalization, stated that the total taxable property has increased 4.34% over last year. He informed the Board of the following appeals for a tax reduction. Mr. Gary Annear of Fargo, who was present, requested that the assessment on Lots 19 -24, Block 12, Original Townsite, City of Davenport, be reduced from $183,060 to $105,000, which is the purchase price of the property. The City of Davenport has been notified that the County Board of Equalization would be acting upon the appeal today. Upon the recommendation of Clarence Miller, Mrs. Stanton moved and Mr. Sondrall seconded to reduce the Gary Annear property in the City of Davenport to $105,000. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. Clarence Miller stated that the next appeal is on the sunflower plant at Riverside owned by Cargill, Inc. The State Tax Department was requested to make the appraisal due to the size and nature of this property, and their appraisal was $12,000.00. Cargill, Inc. has protested that valuation and asked that it be reduced to $6, 000.00. Upon the recommendation of Clarence Miller, Mrs. Stanton moved and Mr. Eckert seconded to deny the request and advise Cargill, Inc. to appeal to the State Board of Equalization on the basis that the State made the appraisal. Mr. Miller stated that he informed Cargill, Inc. of what his recommendation would be to the County Board of Equalization, and they did not wish to appear this morning. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. Attorney Joseph Turman and Hans Halvorson were present to request a reduction in the valuation of property known as the Scandia Hotel in north Fargo, owned by Fourth Street Investments. Mr. Turman stated that an appraisal was made by T.W. Sapa at $2,000,000, which was based largely on income. However, the owners feel that the hotel income will take approximately three years to reach the potential that the appraisals imply. Mr. Turman requested the Board to phase in the taxes over a three year period in order to give the hotel an opportunity to generate enough income to pay the taxes, and he also requested that the County not make a decision until another appraisal is conducted. He estimated this would take 30 days. Clarence Miller stated that the County's Tax Abstract is due to the State Tax Department on June 30, 1986, so the County Board of Equalization must make a decision by then. He stated that an alternative would be to follow the abatement procedure.