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Atchison Co Citizens Get Property Valuation Explanations

By David Meyer

04/09/2013

(KAIR) -- It was a full room of concerned citizens Monday afternoon in the Atchison County Commissioner room as an official from the State Department of Revenue came to answer questions about their sudden rise in property valuation.

The discussion centered on classification of the property of the citizens, located in the eastern half of the county in more timber-laden areas.

Those areas were put in the “other” category, which ended up for many being elevated from wasteland, causing a bump from 10 dollars an acre to 11 hundred dollars an acre.

Roger Hamm, Deputy Director of the Property Valuation Division of the Kansas Department of Revenue was on hand to answer questions from attendees.

Hamm explained the seven classifications currently on the books.

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The Commissioners, who have no jurisdiction on overturning the state statutes, also weighed in on the discussion.

Commissioner Mike Bodenhausen says the sudden raise in timber land could cause conservation issues, and that the state should further divide the “other” classification.

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Citizens then began asking their individualized questions about their property, including Ron Ernzen.

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Hamm and County Appraiser Jim Lampe responded to an inquiry from other citizens on situations where their land classification could change.

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Commissioners have spoken to appraisers in neighboring counties that have similar property and they have said they haven’t examined the classifications as closely as Lampe has.

Lampe credits the new GIS technology for examining every parcel of land in the county in 2012.

Hamm says, moving forward, a meeting will be called with various county appraisers and the PVD Director on which direction they will move with classification.

County Appraisers statewide have until the range of May 15th through 20th to finalize land valuation appeals.

Citizens have until end of the day Monday to file an appeal on the land valuation.