By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
County tax officials want to delay the upcoming revaluation of county property until 2012 or later.
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners may decide Monday evening whether to go forward with the 2011 revaluation or wait.
Several months ago, the majority of the board appeared set on going forward, even if it brings a reduction in overall value.
In a memo to commissioners, Barbara Ames McGuire, a tax official, wrote that due to the economic problems, there are not enough valid sales available to “support, defend or adust values properly.”
“We believe that Rowan County’s 2011 revaluation is scheduled at a time when arms-length transactions that reflect ‘true value’ are too few in number than in past revaluations and so it begs the question ó do we have enough valid data to create a schedule of values,” McGuire wrote.
Tax officials have said they can’t consider foreclosures or otherwise distressed values in setting property values.
McGuire has provided commissioners with a nearly 100-page booklet to make the case for delaying the revaluation.
Because the process takes nearly 18 months from start to finish, commissioners will have a short period to make a decision, if they want to go forward with the 2011 schedule.
In other matters, the board will:
– Select a chairman for the Rowan-Kannapolis ABC Board.
General Statutes require commissioners to appoint the chairman. Marny Hendrick, whose term ends July 31, 2010, has served as chairman for several years.
Linda Lowman, newly appointed member and former general manager of the ABC system, has asked to be appointed chairman.
The third member of the board is Ken Argo of Kannapolis. His term ends July 31, 2012.
– Consider approval of a conditional use permit to allow a residential storage facility on Kepley Road.
– Consider approval of 13 items on the consent agenda ó items typically not discussed ó that includes putting a one-quarter cent local option sales tax on the November ballot. If approved, the proceeds would go to pay yearly debt payments on a new jail and emergency communications system including radios and towers.
Other items on the consent agenda include approval of a contract with architects to design a new jail; purchase of a land records system for the Register of Deeds, purchase of a landfill compactor; and purchase of two new ambulances for the Emergency Services.
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners meets at 4 p.m. Monday in the Cohen Administrative Offices Building, 130 W. Innes St.