County Sees Adjustments to Valuations, Growth Due to Construction

Adjustments to the state’s tax tables, coupled with updates to county valuations resulted in a wide swing of property values reviewed by the Cheyenne County Commissioners, sitting as the County Board of Equalization Monday.

During the Board of Equalization meeting, the Commissioners heard a report from Cheyenne County Assessor Melody Keller, who told the Board that due to the updates county valuations have dropped $729,378 since they were sent to the state in March.

The change was due in part to receiving updated information on properties across the county, adjustments to the state land tables, and correcting errors that weren’t flagged by a new program that puts all of the information together. While the overall valuations dropped, Keller said the corrections also took the value of some properties up.

Even with the drop in valuations, Keller reported the county shows $1.6 million in growth, resulting from construction. That construction ranges from home improvements to new grain bins. The county’s overall valuation is just shy of $1.18 billion.

During the Commissioner’s meeting, board members heard a request for additional funds from Stacy Bach, who is contracted as the county’s Conflict Attorney. She serves as a backup when a court case results in a conflict for defendants, many times because there are more than one defendant in a court case.

With the contract ending in June, Bach told the Commissioners that her case load is much higher than anticipated when the Conflict Attorney contract was brought forth, and is projected to grow even more.

“When I started, we had 85 cases,” Bach said. “Now we’re projected to have over 150 next year.”

She said in addition to the increased number of cases, there are a higher number of juvenile cases that weren’t anticipated to spill over to her office. She said in the past year, cases of theft, shoplifting and drug cases have increased exponentially,

As a result, Bach proposed a $60,000 contract with the county, double the current contract amount, saying that was a firm number as she saw it.

In discussion, board members said such an increase would likely negate any savings the county had hoped for through the position. The board tabled the matter for later action.

In receiving the Wildlife Specialist report, the commissioners learned that in the past year, wildlife damages to livestock and property totaled $1 million. Most of that damage, reported Matt Anderson, was by prairie digs and coyotes. Among the losses were a couple of chickens, but also four cows.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved a $3,000 grant to the Potter Historical Society from Keno funds.

• Received a report on economic development activities from Economic Development Director Melissa Norgard.

• Approved to have Blue Cross and Blue Shield continue as they carrier for employee health insurance.

• Received an update on road work from Highway Superintendent Doug Hart.