Agenda - Council Work Session - 09/11/2007

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Topic Report: Board of Review By: Jo Thieling, City Clerk 43 Background: As Council is aware, one of the "hats" they wear is that of the local Board of Review. As a refresher - the Board of Review is the. venue for residents to meet with Anoka County Assessing Staff and City Council (Board of Review) to dispute and/or discuss their property valuation. Beginning in year 2004, it became mandatory for at least one member of the local Board of Review to attend a training session to become Board Certified. Following the 2007 Board of Review meeting, the County contacted staff to report that none of the Boardmembers present possessed a current certification of the mandatory training. Therefore, Ramsey's Local Board of Review meeting was reclassified as an. "Open Book" meeting. An "Open Book Meeting" is where the Anoka County Assessors schedule and advertise a time to meet with the residents and business owners to discuss their property valuations. !tis similar to the Board of Review but without the Board present. The City of Ramsey will be "penalized" for 2008 by not being allowed to hold a "regular" Board of Review meeting. An Open Book meeting will be scheduled and held with Anoka County Assessing staff and will be held at the Ramsey Municipal Center. Council will, of course, be welcome to attend; but not in the capacity of the Board of Review; they will be allowed to observe only. The residents who attend the Open Book meeting will still have the opportunity to appeal to the County Board if they feel the need. The discussion staff would like to have with Council is whether your desire is to have the local Board of Review authority back. Council may choose to just leave the process in the hands of the County Assessor's Office. The City's residents will get the same privileges as they would if there was a Local Board of Review -and - Council would not be placed in the predicament of being asked to lower a property value for a friend or family member. One drawback is that residents may see this as losing their ability to appeal to a "local" board that is separate from the County; however, an article could be published in the Ramsey Resident explaining the process and that all privileges remain the same. If Council does wish to take back the local Board of Review duties, the City would have to petition the County for it by December 2008. The process is to have the City Council adopt a resolution requesting to be reinstated and to send the notice requesting same to the County along with that resolution. This would allow the Board to be reinstated for the year 2009. Action Statement: Based upon Council discussion. Reviewed by: City Clerk Interim City Administrator CCWS: 09/11/07