By Frank Phillips
DLC Media News
Brazil – Wanted: Clay County Commissioners and the Clay County Council are looking for an assessor to appoint to the PTABOA Board. That board hears the cases of property owners who wish to appeal their property tax assessments, as County Commissioner Paul Sinders explained to the County Council Monday night.
The job pays a small fee and is now open due to the departure of an assessor and because the State of Indiana decided Level II or Level III assessors must to be on those boards. When counties had difficulty finding assessors who were willing to earn and keep Level II or Level III certification, the State backed down and said county commissioners and county councils could waive that qualification, which the Clay County Commissioners and the Clay County Council did on Monday in separate meetings.
Property assessors who are willing to serve on the PTBOA board should contact Paul Sinders or Larry Moss.
Commissioners voted to raise the Cum. Cap. Development Fund tax rate from point-0316 to point-0333 per $100 of assessed valuation. which is expected to raise $17,800 for the county. The increased tax will be on 2023 property taxes payable in 2024.
The annual contract between the county and Purdue University for Extension services was approved for $83,750.
A financial planning agreement between the county and Baker-Tilly for $45,000 was approved. That includes $30,000 to help keep the county legal on expenses, as was described by Commissioner Marty Heffner after the commissioners meeting and $15,000 to oversee finances for work on the new jail addition when it is completed.
Forest Crowe was appointed to the Lewis Township Fire Protection District board for the remainder of 2023 to take the place of Brad Farrar, who resigned.
Monica Wallace, program manager for Hamilton Center, updated the commissioners on the work of Hamilton Center. Commissioner Paul Sinders said this was the first update the board has had in some years.
The commissioners approved an annual agreement with Microvote for maintaining the county’s election equipment, which “works great,” said Clerk Amy Jordan.
Both the county commissioners and county council approved Sheriff Brison Swearigen’s request to add two items to the county employees’ handbook which were long ago approved by the county commissioners and the county council but were never incorporated in the handbook.
One proposal was to update the handbook with the practice of compensation for working holidays and another proposal was to allow incoming merit deputies the same vacation benefits they had in the law enforcement departments where they previously served.
Putting the latter proposal in the employee handbook benefits six employees.
“This is probably the way it has been for 16 years,” said County Councilman Larry Moss in that meeting.
The next meeting of the County Commissioners is scheduled at 9 a.m., March 6 and the next meeting of the County Council is scheduled at 6 p.m., March 6. Both meetings will be held in the Commissioners Room on the first floor of the courthouse on National Avenue. Both meetings are open to the public.