Equal Eyes Summer 2022

Equal Eyes OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION OF ASSESSING OFFICERS

MNMAAO.ORG

SUMMER 2022 VOLUME 44 NUMBER 168

A Guide to CPI A prefabricated future The Top 10 Most Affordable States for Homebuyers

MAAO LEADERSHIP

Vision Government Solutions has maintained a reputation as an innovative provider of CAMA software and services for Assessing Departments since 1975. Vision North Star CAMA is specifically designed for Minnesota and integrates with any Tax System, providing you with the flexibility to choose a combination of best in class solutions for your community.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Lori Thingvold, SAMA Wright County Managing Editor

Jason Jorgensen, SAMA Mille Lacs County Associate Editor Committee Chair

Nancy Gunderson SAMA Jake Pidde, SAMA Stearns County Clay County

Jamie Freeman, SAMA Hubbard County

Amber Swenson- Hill, SAMA Polk County

INDEX President’s Perspective

7

Commissioner’s Comments

8

MAAP Update

10

Classifieds

12

Top 10

21

What You Get For

33

Out of the Past

34

Transitions

35

SBA Minutes

37

On the Cover: A patriotic barn in southwestern Minnesota. Photo courtesy of Flickr.com

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* The statements made or opinions expressed by authors in Equal Eyes do not necessarily represent a policy position of the Minnesota Association of Assessing Officers.

Executive Officers President

Patrick Chapman, SAMA

1st Vice President

Tim Bulger, SAMA

2nd Vice President

Mark Peterson, SAMA

Financial Officer Past President

Chase Peloquin, SAMA Patrick Chapman, SAMA

Regional Directors Region 1

Ryan DeCook, SAMA

Region 2

Jennifer Flicek, SAMA

Region 3

Tina Diedrich-VonEschen, SAMA

Region 4

Amber Peratalo, SAMA

Region 5

David Parsons, SAMA

Region 6

Doug Bruns, SAMA

Region 7

Kevin Scheidecker, SAMA

Region 8

Jill Murray, SAMA

Region 9

Joshua Hoogland, SAMA

Committee Chairs Agricultural

Sue Schulz, SAMA

GIS

Randy Lahr, SAMA

Conference Content Editorial Information Systems Legislative

Jean Popp, SAMA

Lena Schaefer AMA John Conway, SAMA Mark Peterson, SAMA Ashley Gunderson, SAMA Michele Gelo, SAMA

Secretary Strategic Planning Tax Court / Valuations Treasurer

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Mark Peterson, SAMA

Scholarship Site Selection

A Guide to CPI

Jason Jorgensen, SAMA

Residential Sales Ratio

Michael Neimeyer, CMA

Nominating/Research/Planning Rules and Resolutions

A Prefabricated future

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Penny Vikre, SAMA Lisa Thompson-Clarke, AMA Patrick Chapman, SAMA Brett Hall/Ann Miller, SAMA Reed Heidelberger, SAMA

U40/10

Troy Halter, CMA

Educational Workgroups

Designation Committee

Patrick Chapman, SAMA

Conference Content

Jean Popp, SAMA

Curriculum & Assessor Standards

Ben Bedard, AMA

Steering Committee

Mike Wacker, SAMA

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Upcoming Assessor Education

July 2022

August 2022

September 2022

October 2022

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Monday, July 11 - Thursday, July 14 | Holiday Inn & Suites, St. Cloud Basic Appraisal Principles, co-sponsored by the North Star Chapter of the Appraisal Institute

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Wednesday, July 27 | Sherburne County Maple Room A and B, Elk River New Instructor Workshop

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Monday, August 1 - Thursday, August 4 | Holiday Inn & Suites, Lake Elmo Minnesota Assessment Administration

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Monday, August 15 - Friday, August 19 | Holiday Inn & Suites, Lake Elmo MAAO Basic Income Approach

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Monday, August 22 - Thursday, August 25 | The Park Event Center, Waite Park Basic Appraisal Procedures, co-sponsored by the North Star Chapter of the Appraisal Institute

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Monday, September 19 - Friday, September 23 | The Park Event Center, Waite Park Mass Appraisal Basics

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Sunday, September 25 – Wednesday, September 28 | Radisson Harborview, Duluth MAAO Fall Conference

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Monday, October 10 - Thursday, October 13 & Monday, October 17 - Thursday, October 20 | Online via Zoom – taught virtually with live instruction Assessment Laws and Procedures (ALP)

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Wednesday, October 12 - Thursday, October 13 | Holiday Inn & Suites, Lake Elmo Minnesota Income Property Case Study Workshop & Optional Exam

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Monday, October 17 – Thursday, October 20 | The Park Event Center, Waite Park Leadership Education for Assessor Development (LEAD)

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Monday, October 24 – Thursday, October 27 | Holiday Inn & Suites, Lake Elmo IAAO 102 – Income Approach to Valuation

Have you ever thought about being an instructor? Have an interest in assisting with a course?

We’ve got the workshop for you!

Learn more from current MAAO instructors and education committee members at the New Instructor Workshop July 27th in Sherburne County.

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Congratulations New Designees!

Birman, Steve Bowlin, James Fena, John Moen, Cody A Nana-Atoo, Patience D Pierce, Kayla J Richter, Joseph M Wilson, Scott D Wyffels, Bradin D

St Louis County Kittson County Anoka County Lincoln County City of Minneapolis Fillmore County Carver County Beltrami County Lyon County

CMA CMA CMA CMA CMA CMA CMA CMA CMA

Ayer, Daniel R Barton, Matthew W Berzat, Leslie C Jr. Bessler, Kaleb G Espe, Rachel A Gusa, Jessica Haeg, Joe P Harmening, Tracey A Haus, Debra M Lewis, Lori A McDonnell, Amy B Pedersen, Matthew L Pietila, James J Promersberger, Stephanie L Reid, Brent C Sanbeck, Thomas C Squyres, Daniel E Stumne, Karen L Wagner, Jana M Zierden, Jeremy M

City of Minneapolis Olmsted County Ramsey County Beltrami County Cook County Wabasha County Ramsey County Koochiching County Stearns County City of Moorhead City of Moorhead Ramsey County Itasca County Koochiching County City of Coon Rapids Aitkin County Washington County Pine County City of Moorhead Freeborn County

AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA

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Beavers, Andrew Cooper, Thomas C Felten, Dylan M Hillery, Andrew M Lillibridge, Michael J Martin, Casey J

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Cook County Carver County Houston County Fillmore County Ramsey County Sherburne County

CMA CMA CMA IQ CMA CMA IQ CMA

Anton, Craig A Busick, Michael J Carter, Debra R Carver, Franklin C Cote, Larry A Crego, Andy A Curran, John A Farar, Jeremy A Hanfler, Scott J Hemmesch, Scott D Jacobson, Jesse M Jeffords, Christopher J Kay, Maria J Koehn, Mark R Kohorst, Brian J Koons, Richard T Large, Cynthia R Leichentritt, Lee A Link, Lance E Marolt, Timothy J Meyer, Jean C Michaelson, Joy L Montes, Leonel S Nelsen, Benjamin J Nelson, Brian L Puthoff, Benjamin J Robinson, Dean R Rose, Kelly J Sill, Amanda K Sokoloski, Beth A Stanley, Scott G Vigdal, David H Wetzel, Michel G Winter, Laura B Zimmer, Bradley D

Carver County St. Louis County Carlton County St. Louis County Otter Tail County Mille Lacs County Waseca County Dodge County Morrison County Stearns County Redwood County Kandiyohi County Benton County Stearns County City of Bloomington Chisago County Mahnomen County Southwest Assessing Scott County St. Louis County Wabasha County Stevens County City of Minneapolis City of Minneapolis City of Minneapolis Nobles County Ramsey County Sibley County Watonwan County St. Louis County City of Minneapolis Mille Lacs County Morrison County Todd County Redwood County

AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA AMA

Packer, Jonathan L Packer, Jacob E

Ramsey County City of Brooklyn Park

SAMA SAMA

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president’s perspective

Patrick Chapman, SAMA Ramsey County MAAO President

“We can all be successful and make money, but when we die, that ends.

But when you are significant is when you help other people be successful.

That lasts many a lifetime.” – Lou Holtz Greetings to all of you MAAO members. Summer is here and the weather is great. I hope you all can get out and enjoy all of the many treasures that our state has to offer. I know I am trying to enjoy it as much as I can.

The message for this piece is about education and the importance of using the classes as intended. If you are new to appraising and assessing, it is a good idea to take the classes in order in the beginning. I know sometimes it is hard but try and start with assessment laws and procedures. Follow up with appraisal principals then appraisal procedures finally mass appraisal basics. Also take some time if you are new. You have 3 years from your start date to get the CMA (Certified Minnesota Assessor). Take that time to expand your knowledge base and grow as an appraiser. It is a good idea to be in the job for at least one year before taking mass appraisal basics. It will ease your stress and enhance you learning experience. My challenge to you as leaders if you are reading this is to give the new employees the opportunity of time. Have them go through the classes at a reasonable pace so they get the full opportunity to lean and grow. That being said I understand that not all new employees are at the same level and if you have someone with appraisal experience that you may fast track their path. This is ok for the experienced person but give someone new to the industry the opportunity to flow through a little slower and get more out of it.

I have been honored to be the president for a second time and feel grateful for the opportunity to lead this organization. My call to all of you is get involved! MAAO is much stronger with you in it!

Have a great summer and can’t wait to see you at Fall Conference in Duluth.

Sincerely, Patrick Chapman, SAMA President MAAO

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Commissioner’s Comments

By Robert Doty MN Revenue Commissioner

Keeping our balance on the path to normal Robert Doty Minnesota Revenue Commissioner

Robert Doty, Commissioner of Revenue After 2½ years, COVID-19 remains a public health concern but even as the pandemic continues to ebb and flow, we are moving toward a new “normal” – whatever that ultimately looks like.

Like most state agencies, the Department of Revenue returned to our regular building hours and inperson services earlier this year after two years of limited options. We’re also meeting in-person with MAAO and other partners again at conferences and other events.

I know our Property Tax Division enjoyed meeting, teaching, and talking with many of you face-to-face at the MAAO Summer Seminars in May. These gatherings are important opportunities to learn about your concerns and share law changes or other updates. It’s good to be back!

Balanced approach

Even before the pandemic, we served many customers, including assessors, by phone, email, and various online options. But sometimes there is no substitute for meeting in person – and this personal touch is an important aspect of our work as a public agency.

At the same time, the pandemic has helped show how productive remote work can be if we have the right technology and tools. Like many organizations, a significant number of our Revenue team members continue to work from home or split their time between home and office.

In recent months, we’ve welcomed more of our team back to the office in some form. We’re also planning for a future where many of our employees will work hybrid schedules.

As part of that future, we’re examining ways that we can use what we’ve learned through virtual work to provide more remote service options for our customers.

For example, this year we’re offering a mix of live and online courses for PACE (Professional Assessment Certification and Education). We plan to continue this in the future so you can find the topics and course formats that work best for you.

These changes will help the department meet today’s challenges – and any new ones that arise.

Whatever comes our way, Revenue and MAAO will continue working together to ensure the fair and consistent administration of property taxes across Minnesota.

Reaching out

This year’s legislative session ended without a major tax bill being enacted, though a wide range of property tax and other potential law changes were discussed.

As of June 30, a special session seems unlikely, though we’ll keep an eye on things at the Capitol. If needed, we’ll provide updates through our website and email bulletins.

Meanwhile, if you have questions or need to discuss a specific issue, please let us know:

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commissioner’s comments, continued •

Assessment and administration: Reach out to the property tax compliance officer for your county or email us at proptax.questions@state.mn.us.

•

PACE Course: Email us at proptax.outreach@state.mn.us.

•

Other questions: Use the contact form on our website at www.revenue.state.mn.us or email proptax.division@state.mn.us.

Working with MAAO and its members – on everything from day-to-day property tax matters to complex issues and legislative updates –is an important piece of our customer service strategy at Revenue. But it’s also much more.

These relationships help us meet each other’s needs and are crucial to the Revenue mission: Working together to fund the future for all of Minnesota.

Your work as assessors ultimately helps fund important local services for Minnesotans such as public safety, schools, parks, and libraries. These services help make your communities – and our state – better places to live, work, and enjoy.

Thank you for your partnership. Stay well and I hope you have a great Minnesota summer!

Robert Doty is commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

Announcing...Scholarship Winners Congratulations to Brigid Bonde and Erica Rausch for being recipients of this year’s MAAO Family Member Scholarships!

Brigid Bonde is the daughter of Sandra Brueland, Crow Wing County Assessor’s Office. Brigid will be attending the University of Minnesota Duluth for Education.

Erica Rausch is the daughter of Amy Rausch, Meeker County Assessor’s Office. Erica will be attending St. Cloud Technical College for Generals.

Congrats again to both Brigid and Erica and thank you to everyone who entered. There were 13 entrants for the random drawing that was held May 25th at Summer Seminars in St. Cloud.

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MAAP UPDATE

By Jenna Takemoto 2022 MAAP President

Hello MAAO Members!

“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” ~ Henry Ford

How about this weather we seem to be receiving this Spring already??? It wouldn’t be Minnesota if we didn’t have the dramatic changes in weather, right?

First off, I would like to thank MAAO Members who attended the 2021 Winter/ 2022 Spring Conference! Another AMAZING training from the DOR – Eben & Alexis! They did such a wonderful job with Agricultural Homesteads!

How crazy is the sales market right now? I’m sure every office is receiving tons of fun calls with the Value Increase across the entire state! Do you ever think to yourself – what things would look like at this time if there was not a pandemic in the mix?? Would the sales market still be this crazy??

For another crazy increase year, I hope that you are taking time out for yourself to do some self-care. Being mindful and focusing on YOU towards positive vibes!

The 2022 MAAP Summer Workshop will be at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel & Event Center in Mankato, MN on August 18th & 19th this August. The DOR will be there and possibly an Assessor from a County that may teach us Legal Descriptions! Our “Rough Draft” Agenda is looking incredible & exciting learning sessions!

With the increase in prices throughout the state, an increase in for the MAAP Membership and Conference will be announced in the MAAP Communicator. Unfortunately, the Pandemic has taken its toll on the Hotel, Food, & Retail industries. Bargaining prices has been a challenge when there is little wiggle room like previous years. The MAAP Board has first look at the price increase for over the last 2 years.

As with each year, there will be OPEN Board positions to be elected come August. I strongly encourage you or your staff to consider one. Be sure to ask your Supervisor/Boss now!

If you would like to attend, please contact a MAAP Board Member for more information or watch for our MAAP Communicator to see more details. We hope to see you there!

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MAAP UPDATE , continued MAAP Board Members Jenna Takemoto President 2020-2022

Michelle Eason

Washington County 651-430-6091 Jenna.takemoto@co.washington.mn.us

Vice President 2021-2022 City of Maple Grove 763-494-6250 meason@maplegrovemn.gov

Angie Mann

Debbie Maresch

Lacy Standke

Tammy Novak

Sue Feldewerd

Marti Sip

Katie Koenings

Joanne Corrow

Secretary/Treasurer 2021-2023 Dakota County 651-438-4202 Angela.mann@co.dakota.mn.us

Education Board Member at Large 2018-2023 Steele County 507-444-7438 Lacy.standke@co.steele.mn.us

Communicator Editor 2021-2023 Stearns County 320-656-3682 Susan.feldewerd@co.stearns.mn.us

Directory 2021-2023 Kanabec County 320-679-6420 Katie.koenings@co.kanabec.mn.us

Executive Board Member at Large 2020-2022 Carver County 952-361-1963 dmaresch@co.carver.mn.us

Education Board Member at Large 2021-2023 Benton County 320-968-5019 tnovak@co.benton.mn.us

Conference Coordinator 2021-2023 Norman County 218-784-5487 Marti.sip@co.norman.mn.us

Historian Le Sueur County 507-357-8213 jcorrow@co.le-sueur.mn.us

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Classifieds Amber Swenson-Hill, SAMA Polk County Editorial Committee Member

27858 Greens Point Road Red Wing, MN 55066 Goodhue County $1,500,000 Four hundred twenty-five feet of Lake Pepin lakeshore located on Mississippi River. This home is one of a kind built in 1929 to mimic Asian-style pagoda architecture. Originally the property was listed for $2,000,000 in August 2021.

2 Bathrooms 3 Bedrooms

4 Stall Garage

Approx 1.08 Acre EMV: $477,800

2022 Taxes: $4,726

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Calling All Contract Assessors With hopes of sharing knowledge, successes, areas of opportunities, contracts and more we are starting up a networking group for independent contract / local assessors in Minnesota.

Our first informal meeting was held online with ten in attendance on June 29th, 2022. Introductions were made and discussions included possible future topics and ideas on how to move forward with the group.

We are planning to continue the discussions at a second meeting on August 24th, 2022. If you are interested in joining this networking group, contact: Mary Wells at mnassessormary@gmail.com or Jane Grossinger at jhg857@gmail.com

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Written By Mitch Douglas Wright County

A Prefabricated Future

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The past few years we have seen exponential building of homes and apartments. Even as lumber prices skyrocketed, building was still going on.

So what will we see 5, 10, or 30 years from now?

A

s with any sector there will be up and down years, but what keeps moving forward is innovation and solutions. America grows at an average rate of .9% per year, roughly 2 million people, all of whom will eventually be in the market to buy their first home. What will be the solution?

We are at an interesting point in the history of housing, how many times have we heard contractor’s expressions of concern over the lack of skilled labor, or just competent labor. Battling with “easier” jobs that don’t require manual labor in the extreme heat or cold, and that pay similarly.

Builders may need to adjust how they go about getting homes built.

One solution could be adopting a new practice of how they get their materials to construct.

There are many factors that affect the building process and the time delays cost money. The traditional way of constructing

a home is having the materials delivered straight to the jobsite.

The framers then begin to put things together, one board at a

a controlled environment, with all the right tools and materials needed, with employees working shifts to allow uninterrupted

time. Pretty simple, until a mistake happens and needs to be redone, it starts raining, or the assessor stops by to measure the foundation and begins asking if the basement will be finished. All of these frustrations could be mitigated by implementing prefabricated materials into the mix, a process where entire sections of a house are manufactured in a building, in

construction, day and night.

There are numerous ways prefabrication can be implemented into the construction process; the most commonly seen are roof trusses going down the road, on their way to the jobsite. Every aspect of a house can be assembled this way; walls with the substrate

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attached, flooring with sheeting already on, even windows can be preinstalled and shipped. When the pre-assembled sections arrive to the jobsite all the builder has to do is attach them together following the labels on the section and the corresponding label on the plans.

Although the upfront cost may be higher due to the extra equipment needed (a crane is needed to lift and place the sections), the overall cost is comparable and sometimes less than a traditional built home.

However, the time it takes to build prefab house can range from 25-50% faster than the traditional way, depending on the complexities of the build. This may be why prefabrication has been seen implemented in the commercial sector as well.

Speaking to a framer that focuses on apartments, he stated, “we don’t really frame anymore, everything comes preassembled on a truck and we attach everything together”.

If you are looking to trim both costs and build time, a modular home may be of interest to you. You may have seen the “Oversized Load” banner on a semi-truck carrying half of a house.

The prefabrication process for modular homes is typically 80% to completion, with interior and exterior finishes all done at the manufacturing building and then shipped. All that needs to be done at the jobsite is attach it to the foundation, seal

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it up, maybe vacuum a little, and move in. Manufactured homes are similar except they are built on their own steel chassis which won’t be removed.

Prefabrication could become the main way homes and apartments are built in the future as the traditional way is gradually phased out as builders retire and take their knowledge with them.

As technology becomes more versatile, we may see automation become part of home building.

Factories may begin to resemble car manufacturer’s assembly line where robotic arms fasten everything together in a fraction of the time it would take a person to do.

Already a prefabricated section

can be of better quality due to the controlled environment they are constructed in; sections can be more airtight, and overall efficiency of the process allows for a more consistent outcome compared to building the same section on a jobsite.

Prefabrication in all its forms is here to stay. There are already specialized builders that allow a range of customizations. Just like buying a new car and picking the desired addons, people are now able to do that with their home and have it ready in 4 to 6 months.

T w e n t y years from now as those 2 million people begin shopping for their home, they may be custom building it on a website and watch it get put together section by section.

It will be interesting to see how this process of construction morphs overtime. The prefabricated future looks intriguing and promising.

2022 IAAO Annual Conference The 2022 IAAO Annual Conference will take place August 28 - 31 in Boston, Massachusetts at the Sheraton Boston Hotel and the Hynes Convention Center. The full conference schedule will be announced in the spring. Be sure to check back for more details as they are announced.

Hotel The headquarter hotel for the annual conference will be the Sheraton Boston Hotel and room rates will be $199 for single/double occupancy; $229 triple; and $259 quad. To reserve a room please visit the Conference Hotel page.

Call for Presentations The Call for Presentations for the 2022 Annual Conference opened in December and more information is available at www.iaao.org/Boston. You can also view the Call for Presentations insert from the November/December Fair+Equitable magazine for more details.

Registration Registration for the annual conference will open in the spring and registration fees are below. The Early Bird registration deadline is Friday, July 15. After that rates increase to the Regular rate through Friday, Aug. 12.

After Aug. 12 fees are the Onsite rate.

Registration Type

Early Bird

Regular

Onsite

IAAO Member Full Registration

$730

$900

$1,125

Nonmember Full Registration

$925

$1,150

$1,350

IAAO Member Single Day Registration

$350

$450

$525

Nonmember Single Day Registration

$525

$600

$690

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Summer Seminars 2022

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Assessor Word Find

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THE TOP 10

Jamie Freeman, SAMA Hubbard County Editorial Committee Member

The 10 Most Affordable States for Homebuyers Homebuyers have endured a pretty rough couple of years with high prices, bidding wars and the current hikes in mortgage interest rates. But the American dream of home ownership is still within reach, especially if you have the ability to work from home. Look no further than these ten states which claim the lowest median list prices in the nation.

1. West Virginia - Median List Price: $199,000 West Virginia offers homebuyers the most affordable median list price in the country. Plus, the natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, numerous lakes, rivers and hiking trails is great for outdoor enthusiasts.

2. Ohio - Median List Price: $215,000 Ohio, once known as an industrial powerhouse that provided steady employment, now struggles with closed and downsized manufacturing plants. Home prices have declined as residents leave in search of better jobs.

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Top 10, continued - The Ten Most Affordable States for Homebuyers

3. Arkansas - Median List Price: $245,000 The headquarters of Wal-Mart is located here, and you can still find a reasonably priced home in Arkansas.

4. Kansas - Median List Price: $248,500 Kansas has always been considered an affordable place to live. Realtors are now reporting a slight shift in the market with less showings and not as many multiple offers.

5. Oklahoma - Median List Price: $250,000 Apparently, you can live like a king in Oklahoma. The cost of living in this state is considerably less than other areas of the country. Home ownership is definitely an option in Oklahoma.

6. Mississippi - Median List Price: $258,000 Many Mississippi residents find it difficult to pay a lot for homes. A combination of lowpaying jobs and high homeowner’s insurance, due to hurricane-prone areas, keeps the prices down.

7. Michigan - Median List Price: $259,000 Like several of the other Rust Belt states on this list, Michigan simply doesn’t provide the same quality of life to its residents that it once did. There aren’t a lot of people moving to Michigan and the median list price reflects that.

8. Indiana - Median List Price: $260,000 Yet another state in the Rust Belt. The taxes are low, land prices are low, and home prices are low compared to other parts of the country.

9. Kentucky - Median List Price: $260,000

EE

Because of the lower priced homes, many out of state homebuyers are looking at Kentucky in search of larger properties that offer several acres of land.

10. Missouri - Median List Price: $260,000 There are still lots of real estate deals in this Midwestern state. The prices are much lower EE than the East and West coasts since the land is less expensive.

As you can see, the most affordable states are predominantly located in the Midwest. These states are more rural in nature and don’t typically have many larger cities. Cheaper land, cheaper labor, and possibly fewer building rules and regulations all contribute to inexpensive housing.

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The Scholarship Edition The Scholarship Edition Where Are They Now?

Where Are They Now?

Michele Gelo, SAMA City of Alexandria Written by Michele Gelo, SAMA City of Alexandria

Laura Hacker, SAMA Sibley County Assessor Laura Hacker, SAMA Sibley County Assessor

H

.

ave you ever wondered what our scholarship recipients are doing now?

In this second article of Where are they Now: Scholarship Edition, we catch up with the fourth person to ever receive the Dan Franklin Scholarship, Laura Weber. Today we all know her as Laura Hacker, Sibley County Assessor. A special thank you to Laura for taking the time to answer these questions so we can catch up with her.

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Dan FranklinWhere did you attend college and what was your major/minor?

St. Cloud State University (SCSU), Bachelor of Science in real estate with an appraisal emphasis

Do you remember how you found out about the Dan Franklin Scholarship?

I was working part-time in the Sibley County Assessor’s Office and my co-workers encouraged me to apply.

Did you attend the summer seminar banquet? What were your impressions as a young college student?

Yes, I felt honored to attend the banquet and accept the scholarship. I remember being nervous to give my acceptance speech. Quite honestly, the only thing I remember (besides being nervous) was how tall the podium was that I had to stand behind to give my speech. I have now come to the realization that the podium was normal height…. I just am not 😊😊

Did you know (or how did you know) anything about assessing at the time you heard about and applied for the scholarship?

Since I had been working in the Sibley County Assessor’s Office part-time starting in high school and throughout my breaks in college, I had a very basic understanding of what it meant to be an assessor.

Much like Tina mentioned in the first scholarship edition article, I too wonder if the assessing profession is discussed or introduced during the real estate courses at college.

What sort of career did you think you were going to have when you were in college?

I actually started college with the intention of majoring in accounting and becoming a CPA. While I was working in the assessor’s office during the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college, one of the appraisers asked if I would like to go out in the field with them to see what it’s like. I jumped at the opportunity and had so much fun! I love to be outdoors and really enjoyed coming back into the office to sketch the properties after measuring and entering all the data. The experience I had that summer led me to change my major to real estate with the hopes of becoming an assessor after graduation.

Tell me about your assessing career.

How many years have you been in the assessing field? 24 years total (19 full-time and 5 part-time) Where did you get your start? Sibley County Assessor’s Office… and that’s where I still am today.

What jobs or positions have you had since? Part-time clerical, Junior & Senior Appraiser, Deputy Assessor, County Assessor

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Any advice to anyone else who is just getting their start into assessing? The connections and networks you make with fellow assessors will be one of your best resources.

Who has been one (or more) of your most impactful mentors while in assessing and why?

I have to say Judy Hahn was probably the most impactful mentor I had. She was the Deputy Assessor in our office when I started working part-time and undoubtedly one of the reasons I became an assessor.

She was always willing to share her time and talent to teach me what a rewarding profession this can be, despite some of the days we wish we had chosen an easier path. I admired her passion and dedication to the assessing profession and learned more from her (both in terms of assessing and life in general) than any textbook could offer.

Tell me about one (or two) of your favorite assessing related stories, encounters, or situations.

Oh boy, so many to pick from! I will go with one of my favorite animal encounters… and the (s) on the word encounters means multiple in one day. I was out working in one of the cities (not in a township) which makes this story even funnier. First, there was the angry peacock who apparently was trained by its owner to not allow the assessor to measure their house. Moving on to the next block. Then there was the raccoon that clearly had rabies and decided to hang out in the same neighborhood I was that day.

Thank goodness rabies slows them down, because I can’t run as fast as I could in my younger days. We had to call the city police to come ‘take care of it’ so we could continue on with our workday. Two blocks later, an angry dog was doing his job and letting us know we were not wanted there, but he was locked in the house with no doors open, so good to measure right? This dog, much like the peacock, had no intentions of letting me measure so it broke through a window and proceeded to chase me all the way back to the safety of my car. At that point I had only accomplished a small fraction of what I wanted to that day, I was out of breath from the marathon I had just ran and wasn’t sure what kind of animals were coming up in the next block, so I called it a day at 10:00 in the morning and headed back to the office.

Or I could go with the shorter story of when a property owner called the police and said “there is a little girl here with a measuring wheel and I think she wants to sell me Girl Scout Cookies”

Are you or have you been involved with any MAAO committees or positions?

Yes, I am currently on the MAAO Scholarship Committee and have been treasurer of MAAO Region II for many years.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I am married to my husband Chad and have 3 wonderful, amazing kids; Megan (11), Riley (9) and Brittney (7). We love to play a lot of sports and just be outdoors huntin’ and fishin’ (my daughters listen to a lot of Luke Bryan). My favorite music to listen to is 80’s and my favorite season is Fall a.k.a. MN Vikings football season.

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A Guide to CPI

Crop Production Index Gathering Reports and Summaries

By Sue Schulz, SAMA McCleod County Assessor

G

etting information is the most challenging part of Assessing. Whether we are simply trying to gather information on properties or verifying sales information, we spend a good share of our work week researching properties.

With the invention of the internet we now have access to more information than we ever have. We still need to make phone calls but we also are able to gather information from many different websites. We use a couple of those websites when dealing with farm land.

When we switched to Crop Production Index a few years back a concern we had was how we were going to handle appeals from property owners. I have never felt it is productive to take a hard line. But if an appeal happens you cannot adjust the CPI rating on a certain soil type without changing them all and once you do that your data is no longer good. But if that rating looks off, how are we going to deal with them?

Here is where some research came in. The UDSA is a great avenue for agricultural information. It gathers and puts together data for all counties in each state. You can sign up for them to send you reports or you can create your own. One of the documents that are sent out is the average yields in a county.

This is categorized by crop and year. This gave us a way to look at the farmers data and compare to the county averages. You can also create your own reports and summaries. Below are the steps you can go through to create your own.

This link - https://www.nass.usda.gov/Data_and_Statistics/index.php - brings you to the UDSA website that has all the summary information by county. You can get information by crop, by animal, rents, and pricing.

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In the upper right-hand corner, you can narrow down by State. From there you can either create your own report or go into ones they have already created. You can also sign up for pre-canned reports to be set to you.

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If you want to create your own – choose the quick stats link. It starts out with program, sector, and group.

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As you choose a category it brings up more choices to narrow down the report. Below is a sample of choices I can make to see what our five-year county average yield is on corn.

Once I run the report I get the below information.

We use this information to help us with appeals. We require the property owner to provide a 5-year yield history and we compare that to our county’s five-year average. The five-year history helps if there is a year of unusual weather. When switched to the CPI rating our appeals actually went down on our agricultural land. We have only made two adjustments and both properties are right next to water where their rating seems off.

This is one of many tools that the internet has available. There is another called AcreValue https://www.acrevalue.com/.

Here you can narrow down to county.

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As you zoom in you it gives you more defined fields in which you can gather more information. Once you click on the area you are looking at more information is populated.

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There are quite a few others available. Upper Midwest Management (http://www.ummc.co), Minnesota Land Economics (www.landeconomics.umn.edu), LandAndFarm (www.landandfarm.com/search/Minnesota-Farmfor-sale), The Department of Agriculture (https://www.mda.state.mn.us) and Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us) are all good resources. I still like the personal touch and we try reaching out to the property owner. If they are unavailable or not willing to talk to us, we have other avenues for information.

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We’re Hiring!

Earn $200.00 for qualifying Equal Eyes articles Email editor@mnmaao.org for details

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What You Get For Lake Minnetonka

Amber Swenson- Hill, SAMA Polk County Editorial Committee Member

27060 Edgewood Road Shorewood, Hennepin County What do you get for stunning craftsmanship on Lake Minnetonka after just eleven days? Apparently full asking.

This exquisite home with four bedrooms, two full bath, two three-quarter bath, and three half bathrooms hit the market on April 30, 2022 for $5,195,000 and sold just days later, closing May 27, 2022.

2022 EMV: $3,690,000 2022 Payable Taxes: $54,638.80

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out of the past Remembering Yesterday

5 Years Ago—2017 5 Years Ago—2016 During this year’s MN State Fair, Revenue led a campaign called #OurMN, a social media effort to highlight what we get for our tax dollars.

MAAO President Nancy Wojcik wrote on the many challenges assessment offices are facing in recruiting and retaining employees.

10 Years Ago—2011 Lane Thor, Julie Hackman, Ryan Short, and Mark Meili were awarded SAMA designations.

Judy Hahn retired from Sibley County after 23 years of service.

Member clicks just released the new iPhone and iPad app for the MAAO website.

Representative Michele Bachmann announced run for U.S. presidency

15 Years Ago—2006 Jacquelyn Betz, MDOR, was the Associate Editor for Equal Eyes.

Gloria Erickson retired from Pennington County Assessor after 30 years of service.

20 Years Ago—2001 September 11 remembrance.

25 Years Ago – 1996 Tom May was hired as the Hennepin County Assessor.

Lorna Thomas was awarded her SAMA. Mike Sheehy was a candidate for the 2nd Vice President.

Madeleine Albright is appointed as the first female US Secretary of State.

30 Years Ago – 1991 Dorothy McClung was seated as the Commissioner of Revenue Membership for MAAO increased by 14 people raising the overall members to 494.

Roger Storey received his award for 2 years of service from MAAO. Median household income is $30,126.

A record-breaking snowstorm hits Minnesota on November 1 depositing twenty-four inches of snow in twenty-four hours.

Amber Swenson-Hill, SAMA Polk County Editorial Committee Member

20 Years Ago—2002

35 Years Ago – 1987

35 Years Ago – 1986 Paul Knutson was victorious in the Championship Volleyball Playoffs, but received broken ribs in the process.

The State Board of Assessors focused on licensure levels at their meeting.

45 Years Ago – 1976 Jimmy Carter becomes the 39th president of the United States with Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale as his vice-president.

Mondale would later run for president in 1984, losing to Ronald Reagan.

70 Years Ago – 1951 Over 82% of iron ore extracted from United States mines during this year originates in Minnesota.

100 Years Ago – 1921 WLB, the first Minnesota radio station, formed at the University of Minnesota.

The “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray on September 4.

The Omnibus Tax Bill was enacted May 30. The Tax Bill includes a significant proposal from the Governor’s tax bill to provide a property tax credit for agricultural & rural properties to reduce their share of the school bond levies.

Chief Judge George W. Perez of the Minnesota Tax Court received the Tax Judge of the Year Award by the National Conference of State Tax Judges.

The first ever MAAO U40/10 networking meet & greet was held at Summer Seminars.

Kmart becomes the largest retailer to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

MnCCC Tax Court User Group & MN TAXLINK are up, running, & fully functional!

10 Years Ago – 2012 At Summer Seminars, DOR staff Drew Imes & Jim Biggs gave an overview of the eCRV. MAAO President Stephen Baker encouraged all assessors to embrace the eCRV, test the system out, and develop a plan to go live by 2012.

Zebra Mussels are featured in Equal Eyes as homeowners question how the presence of this invasive species will affect their values.

15 Years Ago—2007 Don Holm retires after 31 years at Clearwater County The average yearly income is $50,823.

The average price of a gallon of gasoline is $3.38.

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The world average new home costs $228,700.

25 Years Ago – 1997 The Minnesota Department of Revenue and Administration unveiled plans for the construction of a new Revenue building in the State Capitol complex in St. Paul.

The Dow Jones closes over 7000 for the first time.

Microsoft becomes the most valuable company in the world at $261 billion.

30 Years Ago – 1992

Commissioner of Revenue Tom Triplett reported that 15 percent of the state’s total market value of taxed and untaxed property was exempt from property taxes.

This equated to a total value of $22.6 billion for all exempt property in the state.

The Minnesota House introduced legislation to require all County Assessors to be Senior Accredited by January 1, 1989.

The Metro received 12 inches of rain on July 23rd in less than 24 hours, creating major flooding issues throughout the area.

Maple Gove tornado damaged 222 homes.

45 Years Ago – 1977 A group of nine assessors met at Dan Franklin’s home to plan the first day of the Short Course.

50 Years Ago - 1972

Because of the horrible real estate market, many thought vacation homes would become a thing of the past. As evidence of how rough it was, in Hilton Head, South Carolina, twobedroom condos that sold for $90,000 five years earlier were going for $40,000, which often failed to cover the seller’s mortgage.

Nearly 90 percent of the 2,500 assessors in the State of Minnesota were part time employees and located in jurisdictions with populations under 10,000.

In August the doors to the Mall of America opened-the largest, fully enclosed combination retail and family entertainment complex in the nation. The project will generate over 16.5 million in local real estate taxes.

A publication called “Public Affairs” merged with the “Assessminutes” publication, which was the precursor of Equal Eyes.

Governor Wendell Anderson appointed the first members to the newly created State Board of Assessors.

transitions Best Wishes Upon Retirement

News from Region 1

New from Region 3

Bill Effertz retired May 27th from Steele County.

Bill served as their County Assessor since 2011.

Bill’s assessing career started in 1981i n Le Sueur County as an appraiser. Moving on to City of Bloomington in 1983 and then spending 24 years at Hennepin County. The last position he held was that of Assistant County Assessor.

All the best to Bill in this next journey in life.

Mark Koehn will retire July 29,2022 after 27 years. He started his assessment career in November of 1996 in Morrison County, and in 2000 moved to Stearns County. He will retire as the Senior Agricultural Appraiser. During his career he served on and has chaired the MAAO Agriculture committee. He helped to develop and instruct MAAO agricultural courses and seminars. He states that it has been a wonderful and challenging assessment career. He encourages others to become involved within their county and region, and to continue to improve the assessment profession. He is grateful to all those who mentored him along the way, and to all his current and former coworkers. Mark looks forward to the next chapter of life, especially becoming the best grandpa ever.

News from Region 2

News from Region 4

Rae Goltz, appraiser with Watonwan County retired in March.

Theresa Felix to retire June 2022.

Over the years, Bill has been an active member of MAAO. His last position was that of Finance Officer. He also served as Legislative Committee chair, education, and seminar instructor/presenter, MAAO President in 2010, and secretary/treasurer for four years.

Bill’s article for Equal Eyes – “Light Rail Transit” won him the Peter M. Kool Top Pen award.

Bridget Olson, appraiser with Nicollet County is set to retire. Here are a few words from Bridget: After 43+ years with Nicollet County, I will be retiring on May 31st ,2022. It’s been a great career and I’ve met a lot of good people along the way. I’m very excited for my next adventures to start.

Marc Carlson, appraiser with Nicollet County is set to retire May 2022.

My 35-year career with Cass County started in June of 1987 and spent 13 years as a Deputy Auditor in the Auditor’s Office and later took the position of Sales Ratio Specialist in the Assessor’s office in July of 2000. After 3 years in that position, I moved on the Staff Appraiser in the Assessor’s Office. During those 22 years in the Assessor’s Office, I was able to obtain the CMA, AMA and SAMA licensures, something I’m quite proud of after all the hours of studying and tests!

I have been quite fortunate to have great support in my years in the Assessor’s Office from my peers. I will truly miss my family in the Assessor’s Office.

My husband Todd and I have been together for 36 years and have two adult children Heather (Zach) Osterberg who live in Savage, Minnesota

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35

and Ryan Felix who lives in Walker. We have also been blessed with one grandson, Lincoln.

Plans for retirement are to enjoy hobbies of gardening, of which I work at a greenhouse a couple days a week to keep busy and to feed my addiction with flowers!! Also, plan on spending more time with her grandson Lincoln, a little traveling, family, biking, and numerous other activities.

Nancy Gunderson, SAMA, Clay County Editorial Committee Member

Jim Hicks, appraiser with Aitkin County retired June 30th.

News from Region 8 Wesly Oian, appraiser, Polk County will retire July 1st.

News from Region 9 Jim Swenson, principal appraiser with the city of Minneapolis retired in early spring 2022.

Robert Wilson, City Assessor of Edina retired the end of May after 40 years in assessing.

James Atchison, County Assessor of Hennepin County will retire June 30th.

Dave Vik, Ramsey County to retire July 2022.

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A big thank you and best wishes to these individuals on their past and upcoming retirements from the assessing profession.

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s !

State Board of Assessors Meeting Minutes St. Michael City Center Tuesday, May 10, 2022 Vice-Chairperson Joy Kanne convened the meeting at 8:48 a.m.

Mike Reed moved to open the meeting. Jane Grossinger seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Board members in attendance: Gary Amundson Charlie Blekre Andrea Fish Jane Grossinger

Joy Kanne Mike Reed Lori Schwendemann Averi Turner

Matt Gersemehl attended the meeting virtually.

Introduction of new Board member, Averi Turner.

Agenda for the May 10, 2022, meeting was reviewed. Andrea Fish moved to approve the agenda. Joy Kanne seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Minutes of the March 8, 2022, meeting were reviewed. Andrea Fish moved to approve the minutes.

Mike Reed seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Updates •

Form Report Update: Submitted Reports

Approved Reports

Rejected Reports

Reports being Graded

July 1, 2013 – December 31, 2019 January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020 January 1, 2021 thru March 9, 2021 March 10, 2021 thru May 11, 2021 May 12, 2021 thru July 13, 2021

192 41 13 11 20

192 41 13 11 20

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

July 14, 2021 thru September 21, 2021

19

19

0

0

September 22, 2021 thru November 16, 2021 November 17, 2021 thru December 31, 2021

10 7

9 7

1 0

0 0

Totals for 2021

80

79

1

0

January 1, 2022 – May 10, 2022

27

24 Have not applied for AMA

2

4

Dates

Approved Reports (1/1/2021 – 5/10/2022) 101

Received AMA 72

29 SUMMER 2022 / Equal Eyes

37

Board of Assessors May 10, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 6

Updates (cont.)

•

AMA Update: There are 100 assessors that need to get their AMA by July 1, 2022.

•

Board Policy Changes: The AMA license policy was updated with the decision made at the March meeting and put on the website and in the board members’ manuals.

•

Jurisdiction Verification: Gary Amundson confirmed that the Department of Revenue’s PTCOs will include verifying current licensed assessors lists to their annual audit process with the County Assessors.

•

Outside Activity - Formal Inquiry: The board discussed a formal inquiry from Carlton County seeking an opinion on activities that may or may not appear to create a conflict of interest, where an assessor had a business role as a real estate broker in a county where the assessor was employed. The board’s executive officers responded by sending a letter to Carlton County’s County Assessor on May 9, 2022.

•

Oral Interview Questions: Andrea Fish presented the new leadership questions that were added to the oral interview. Andrea went over the reasons why additional questions were added based on leadership for the SAMA license level. The board reviewed the new oral interview questions.

•

Rule Changes: Andrea Fish & Bobbi Spencer met with Brittany McCormick to go over the proposed rule changes. They will be meeting again in June to get the process started.

•

MAAO Executive Board Meeting Update: There is no update at this time; the next meeting will be held on May 24, 2022.

•

Complaint Summary: Since March 2022, the Department of Revenue has received five complaints regarding homesteads. Each of these have been forwarded to their respective counties for further investigation. At this time, all investigations have been closed, and no new cases have been opened.

•

Assessor Licensure Standards: The board will be discussing the future of the standards at the May meeting.

•

MAAO Curriculum & Assessor Standards Committee: There is no update at this time; the next meeting will be held at summer seminars.

Discussion Items

38

•

MAAO Summer Seminars: Jane Grossinger and Lori Schwendemann will audit the classes they are taking at summer seminars and report back to the board at the July meeting.

•

First Year Exposure Checklist: Jane Grossinger & Andrea Fish presented the revised checklist.

After much discussion, it was decided that Jane will update the current document and send to Andrea for review. They will bring the updated checklist to the July meeting for review.

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Board of Assessors May 10, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 6

Discussion Items (cont.)

•

Assessors Standards: o The board reviewed the current standards, and it was determined that they should be combined. Andrea Fish, Joy Kanne, and Gary Amundson will work on the revisions and bring them back to the board for review at the July meeting. o Jane Grossinger volunteered to present the standards at MAAO’s Summer Seminar on May 25th to demonstrate the why and how to use this valuable tool. o The Standards are on the Assessor Licensing System; they will go live on May 24th for the demonstration. o An email announcement will be sent out to all licensed assessors about the standards after the May board meeting.

•

Suggested New Rule Change: The board discussed requiring cities of the first or second class to have the appointed City Assessor possess a minimum AMA license with SAMA required within 2 years of appointment. It was decided by the board that this is a law change and does not fall under the board’s duties. Matt will reach out to MAAO and DOR to suggest they pursue this law change.

•

Future Law Changes: After reviewing all of the suggested law changes, it was decided that only one technical board law change related to the initial 2022 Accreditation requirement and waiver will be presented to the Department of Revenue’s legal division for the 2023 Legislative session.

•

Fannie Mae Standardized Guidelines: Matt Gersemehl presented the guidelines for Standardized Property Measuring Guidelines. It was decided by the board to bring this up to MAAO’s Executive Board and the Education Committee to explore this issue.

• Board Work Plan: The board reviewed the workplan; nothing new was added.

Approved Continuing Education Hours Requests •

2022 Spring Conference: Jenna Takemoto requested the board review this conference, sponsored by MAAP, that will be held on May 6, 2022, in Becker, MN for continuing education.

The board’s continuing education committee approved this conference for 4 continuing education hours.

•

23rd Annual Trends Seminar: Brett Hall requested the board review this seminar, sponsored by North Star Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, that will be held on June 8, 2022, in Roseville, MN for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this seminar for 7 continuing education hours.

•

Fair Housing, Bias and Discrimination: Jessi Jurek requested the board review this class, sponsored by McKissock, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this class for 3 continuing education hours.

•

IPU Accounting & Ratemaking: Holly Soderbeck requested the board review this online class, sponsored by Michigan State University, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this class for 13 continuing education hours.

•

Market Disturbances-Market Analysis in Atypical Markets & Cycles: Linda Fearing requested the board review this class, sponsored by McKissock, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this class for 3 continuing education hours.

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39

Board of Assessors May 10, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6

Approved Continuing Education Hours Requests (cont.)

•

St Paul/MSP Rent Control Panel Discussion: Ashley Gunderson requested the board review this meeting, sponsored by North Star Chapter of Appraisal Institute, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this meeting for 2 continuing education hours.

•

Summer Seminar Conference: Amanda Dutcher requested the board review this conference, sponsored by MAAO, that will be held on May 25-26, 2022 in St Cloud, MN for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this conference for 2-4 continuing education hours.

•

Valuation of Residential Solar: Linda Fearing requested the board review this class, sponsored

by McKissock, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this class for 3 continuing education hours.

Denied Continuing Education Hours Requests

40

•

Advanced Microsoft Excel: Molly Johnson-Marion requested the board review this class, sponsored by Normandale Community College for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee denied this class for 16 continuing education hours. The consensus of the committee was that the class did not have enough relevant assessment related education to consider it for continuing education.

•

Appraising for the VA: Jessie Jurek requested the board review this class, sponsored by McKissock for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee denied this class for 5 continuing education hours. The consensus of the committee was that the class did not have enough relevant assessment related education to consider it for continuing education.

•

Intermediate Microsoft Excel: Molly Johnson-Marion requested the board review this class, sponsored by Normandale Community College for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee denied this class for 16 continuing education hours. The consensus of the committee was that the class did not have enough relevant assessment related education to consider it for continuing education.

•

Measuring 1-4 Unit Residential Properties w/ANSI Z765 Standard: Rodney LindellPaulson requested the board review this class sponsored by McKissock for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee denied this class for 4 continuing education hours. The consensus of the committee was that this class does not have enough relevant assessment related education to consider it for continuing education.

•

The Appraisers Guide to HUD Handbook 4000.1: Jaci Knutson requested the board review this class sponsored by McKissock for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee denied this class for 7 continuing education hours. The consensus of the committee was that the class did not have enough relevant assessment related education to consider it for continuing education.

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Board of Assessors May 10, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6

Application for Certified Minnesota Assessor •

Steve Birman, St Louis County

•

James Bowlin, Kittson County

•

John Fena, Anoka County

•

Cody Moen, Lincoln County

•

Patience Nana-Atoo, City of Minneapolis

•

Kayla Pierce, Fillmore County

•

Joseph Richter, Carver County

•

Scott Wilson, Beltrami County

•

Bradin Wyffels, Lyon County

Applications for Accredited Minnesota Assessor •

Daniel Ayer, City of Minneapolis

•

Matthew Barton, Olmsted County

•

Leslie Berzat, Ramsey County

•

Kaleb Bessler, Beltrami County

•

Rachel Espe, Cook County

•

Jessica Gusa, Wabasha County

•

Joe Haeg, Ramsey County

•

Tracey Harmening, Koochiching County

•

Debra Haus, Stearns County

•

Lori Lewis, City of Moorhead

•

Amy McDonnell, City of Moorhead

•

Matthew Pedersen, Ramsey County

•

James Pietila, Itasca County

•

Stephanie Promersberger, Koochiching County

•

Brent Reid, City of Coon Rapids

•

Thomas Sanbeck, Aitkin County

•

Daniel Squyres, Washington County

•

Karen Stumne, Pine County

•

Jana Wagner, City of Moorhead

•

Jeremy Zierden, Freeborn County

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41

Board of Assessors May 10, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 6

The co-chairperson set the next meeting date as Tuesday, July 12, 2022, at the St. Michael City Center in St. Michael, MN at 8:30 a.m. The board noted that this location is subject to change and will post any new meeting location in advance of the meeting.

Andrea Fish made a motion to pay the expenses for the meeting. Mike Reed seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Mike Reed made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Gary Amundson seconded the motion. The motion carried.

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6

State Board of Assessors Meeting Minutes St. Michael City Center Tuesday, March 8, 2022 Co-Chairperson Joy Kanne convened the meeting at 8:30am.

Charlie Blekre moved to open the meeting. Andrea Fish seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Board members in attendance: Gary Amundson Charlie Blekre Andrea Fish Jane Grossinger

Joy Kanne Mike Reed Lori Schwendemann

Matt Gersemehl was unable to attend the meeting.

Agenda for the March 8, 2022 meeting was reviewed. Andrea Fish moved to approve the agenda. Lori Schwendemann seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Minutes of the January 13, 2022 meeting were reviewed. Charlie Blekre moved to approve the minutes.

Jane Grossinger seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Jessi Glancey attended the meeting.

Updates •

Form Report Update: Submitted Reports

Approved Reports

Rejected Reports

Reports being Graded

July 1, 2013 – December 31, 2019 January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020 January 1, 2021 thru March 9, 2021 March 10, 2021 thru May 11, 2021 May 12, 2021 thru July 13, 2021

192 41 13 11 20

192 41 13 11 20

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

July 14, 2021 thru September 21, 2021

19

18

1

0

September 22, 2021 thru November 16, 2021 November 17, 2021 thru December 31, 2021

10 6

8 5

2 1

0 0

Totals for 2021 January 1, 2022 – March 8, 2022

79 8

4 0

0 3

Dates

Approved Reports (1/1/2021 – 3/8/2022) 85

Received AMA 57

75 5 Have not applied for AMA 29

SUMMER 2022 / Equal Eyes

43

Board of Assessors March 8, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 6

Updates (cont.)

•

Narrative Reports: Bob Wilson will no longer be grading these reports, as he is retiring this spring.

Patrick Chapman will take over in his place. Patrick will be reviewing the Narrative Resources for future changes.

•

IRS Mileage Rate: Increased from 56 cents per mile to 58.5 cents per mile; expense reports reflect this increase.

•

Locally Assessed Jurisdiction Report: After further research, it was decided not to post this report on the board’s website.

•

Licensure Education Policy: The Management & Leadership course policy was updated with the decision made at the January meeting and put on the website and in the board members manuals.

•

Oral Interview Questions: Questions 22 & 27 were updated as suggested at the January board meeting.

•

AMA Update: There are 125 assessors that need to get their AMA by July 1, 2022.

•

New Board Member Process: The Department of Revenue decided that background checks would be processed for all applicants. Once the background checks are completed and returned, an interview will take place prior to selecting a new board member.

•

New Ethics Course: Andrea Fish, Joy Kanne, and Jessi Glancey provided an update on the future of the new Ethics class. It’s going to be shorter and a virtual training so it will be easier to attend. They suggested that a few of the board members be a part of the presentation. Matt Gersemehl and Mike Reed will be part of the video.

•

MAAO Executive Board Meeting Update: Patrick Chapman reported that at the February 8, 2022 board meeting that the Executive Board created a four-member Ad Hoc committee to research the CMA issue. MAAO would like a couple volunteers from the Board of Assessors to be on the committee. Matt Gersemehl, Jane Grossinger, & Lori Schwendemann volunteered.

•

Complaint Summary: Since January 2022, the Department of Revenue has not received any additional complaints. At this time, all investigations have been closed, and no new cases have been opened.

•

MAAO Curriculum & Assessor Standards Committee: Jessi Glancey presented the following updates: o Jessi is stepping down as co-chair of the committee. Ben Bedard will remain as co-chair and Annalee Jones is going to replace Jessi. o Jessi will remain as a member of the committee for another year to help with transition. o Per the MAAO 5-year plan, the CAS committee will be reviewing/updating the following courses this year: LEAD, Basic Apartments, Assessment Administration (new MAAO version is being worked on), and Mass Appraisal (small/minor updates, continued from last year’s update project) o The CAS committee is also drafting a plagiarism policy for MAAO. A proposed version will be presented at the May executive board meeting.

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SUMMER 2022 / Equal Eyes

Board of Assessors March 8, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 6

Discussion Items Board of Assessors July 13, 2021

Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 6

Approved Licensure Course Request • Practical Applications in Appraising Green Commercial Buildings: Lisa Olmen requested the board review this virtual course, sponsored by Appraisal Institute, to be considered as equivalent to a Property Type Specific course and 15 continuing education hours. The course was offered on June 23-24, 2021, prior to the board’s July 13, 2021 board meeting. The board members reviewed the course materials via email, and communicated that they all approved this course, as equivalent to a Property Type Specific course and 15 continuing education hours.

Request for Continuing Education • An Introduction the Theory & Practice of Regulation Seminars: Holly Soderbeck requested the

board review these online seminars, sponsored by National Regulatory Research Institute, for 8 continuing education hours. Jane Grossinger made a motion to approve the seminars. Matt Gersemehl seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Request for Licensure Course • Basic Income Approach: Amanda Dutcher, MAAO Education Coordinator, requested the board review this course, sponsored by MAAO, to be considered as an income course and 30 continuing education hours. Matt Gersemehl made a motion to approve this course. Mike Reed seconded the motion. The motion carried

Application for Certified Minnesota Assessor Andrea Fish made a motion to award the Certified Minnesota Assessor license to the following individuals.

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McKenna Cech, Freeborn County Dan Cook, Mahnomen County Emily Nelson, Meeker County James Warden, Isanti County

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Andrea Wellnitz, Watonwan County

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Eric Wuotila, Chisago County

Gary Amundson seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Application for Temporary Minnesota Assessor Andrea Fish made a motion to award the Temporary Minnesota Assessor license to the following individual.

• Alex Oldefendt, City of Eden Prairie Lori Schwendemann seconded the motion. The motion carried.

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Assessor Licensure Standards: Gary Amundson, Andrea Fish, Joy Kanne, & Jessi Glancey presented the Assessor Licensure Standards. The board decided the standards will be placed on the assessor licensing system. Matt Gersemehl will present the standards at MAAO’s Summer Seminar in May to demonstrate the why and how to use this valuable tool. Based on the standards, Andrea will create more leadership questions for the SAMA oral interview. An email announcement will be sent out to all licensed assessors about the standards after the May board meeting. The board will create a committee at the May board meeting to review and update the standards.

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• April Newsletter: The board reviewed the newsletter and made a few changes.

• Future Rules and Statute Changes: The board reviewed the outline for future rule changes and agreed they were ready to be sent for the start of the rule change process.

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Suggested New Rule Change: The board discussed the possibility of requiring cities of the first or second class to have the appointed City Assessor possess a minimum AMA license with SAMA required within 2 years of appointment. Moved this topic to the May board meeting for future discussion.

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Upgrading from CMA to AMA: The board reviewed the following suggested policies for those upgrading from a CMA to AMA, after the CMA license expires due to the AMA deadline date. o When upgrading from a CMA to AMA due to the AMA deadline date, within a 4-year cycle: Submit an AMA application and pay the application fee. o When upgrading from a CMA to AMA due to the AMA deadline date, after the start of the 4-year cycle: Complete all the continuing education requirements for the previous 4year cycle including the Ethics seminar, prior to submitting the AMA application, and pay the application fee.

Andrea Fish made a motion to approve both policies. Gary Amundson seconded the motion.

The motion carried. Note: The AMA requirements document will have a link to the board’s policies.

• First Year Checklist: Jane Grossinger presented the changes to the checklist, and a few

additional changes were suggested. Jane and Andrea Fish will work on the revisions and bring to the May board meeting.

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Board Work Plan: The board reviewed the revised workplan.

• Applications: The board discussed the option to modify the online assessors license & renewal applications to encourage more universal response and list all districts that employ the applicant.

It was decided that the Department of Revenue’s PTCO’s will take the current licensed assessor list to their annual audit process to have the County Assessors review for verification.

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Board of Assessors March 8, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6

Appointments with the Board Amanda Dutcher, Education Coordinator & Mike Wacker, Education Steering Committee Chair attended the board meeting to review MAAO’s 2021 course evaluations and the educational offerings for 2022. Amanda reported that over 40 educational offerings were held in 2021 and the feedback was overall positive.

Amanda reviewed the upcoming 2022 course offerings that MAAO will be providing. Amanda reported that it’s been difficult to get instructors to teach the courses and seminars.

An MAAO instructor policy was discussed, and it was decided that Amanda and Joy Kanne will meet in the future to go over the needs that should be in the policies.

The board strongly suggested that MAAO have a pre-requisite for taking the CMA required courses in a specific order to put new assessors on the best path to succeed.

The board also suggested MAAO research the option of bundling their licensure courses so assessors can get a small discount if they register for all CMA courses at once and in a specific order.

The board asked for clarification on how MAAO handles classroom time based on classes they host from outside organizations, and Mike stated that MAAO will follow the outside organizations’ policies and standards for each class. For example, if an outside organization requires a student to take the entire class to get credit, MAAO will follow that organization’s polices and standards. Amanda will look into all of the sponsoring organizations standards and make the instructors aware of this.

Approved Continuing Education Hours Requests

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Appraisal & Valuation Summit: Ashley Gunderson requested the board review this summit, sponsored by MN Real Estate Journal, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this summit for 4 continuing education hours.

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Bias & Fair Housing: Vanessa Thompson requested the board review this virtual/classroom seminar, sponsored by B&B Professional, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this seminar for 4 continuing education hours.

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Bias in Real Estate & Fair Housing: Alex Oldefendt requested the board review this seminar, sponsored by The Columbia Institute, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this seminar for 5 continuing education hours.

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Course 201 Appraisal of Land: The board’s continuing education committee approved this IAAO course for 30 continuing education hours.

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Property Tax Appeals in Minnesota: 2022 Update: Ashley Gunderson requested the board review this seminar, sponsored by MN Continuing Legal Education, for continuing education.

The board’s continuing education committee approved this seminar for 5 continuing education hours.

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State Assessed Property Spring Forum: Damaris Ledesma requested the board review this virtual forum, sponsored by MN Department of Revenue, that will be held on March 14, 2022 for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this forum for 2.5 continuing education hours. This forum also qualifies towards the PACE education requirement.

SUMMER 2022 / Equal Eyes

Board of Assessors March 8, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6

Approved Continuing Education Hours Requests (cont.)

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Where Did That Number Come From? Supporting Value Conclusion for Assessment, Appeals & Tax Court: Brett Hall requested the board review this virtual seminar, sponsored by Hennepin County, for continuing education. The board’s continuing education committee approved this conference for 4 continuing education hours.

Request for Continuing Education •

2022 Vision National User Group Teleconference: Vision Government Solutions Inc. (VGSI) is requesting the board review this Teleconference, sponsored by MAAO for 9 continuing education hours. Note: The board’s CEH committee reviewed this request, but was unable to come to a unanimous decision. Andrea Fish made a motion to deny. Jane Grossinger seconded the motion.

The motion carried. The consensus of the board was that this conference did not have enough relevant assessment-related education to consider it for continuing education.

Application for Certified Minnesota Assessor •

Stephanie Brock, Chippewa County

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Coleman Collins, City of Maple Grove

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Zachary Houle, Crow Wing County

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Tyler Jakobs, Chippewa County

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Alex Oldefendt, City of Eden Prairie

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Amanda Plote, Goodhue County

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Karla Ray, Murray County

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Zachary Rexford, City of Eden Prairie

Applications for Accredited Minnesota Assessor •

Eric Bjorklund, Hennepin County

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Troy Davison, Ramsey County

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Debra Eversman, Martin County

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Shawn Halligan, Anoka County

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Benjamin Hansen, Hennepin County

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Kristin Mikula, Rice County

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Anne Sims, St Louis County

Application for Senior Accredited Minnesota Assessor Mike Reed made a motion to award the Senior Accredited Minnesota Assessor license to the following individual.

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Annalee Jones, Polk County; SAMA Oral Interview

Jane Grossinger seconded the motion. The motion carried.

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Board of Assessors March 8, 2022

Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 6

The co-chairperson set the next meeting date as Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at the St. Michael City Center in St. Michael, MN at 8:30 am.

Andrea Fish made a motion to pay the expenses for the meeting. Lori Schwendemann seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Andrea Fish made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Lori Schwendemann seconded the motion. The motion carried.

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