Residential valuation notices are in the mail

Preliminary property valuation notices have been mailed to Beatrice residents following a year-long reappraisal of the 5,500 parcels of residential property in the city, according to Gage County Assessor Patti Milligan.

Milligan told the Gage County Board of Supervisors at its Friday morning meeting that the preliminary notices were mailed this week. Final valuation notices are scheduled to be mailed at the end of May to allow a protest period in June.

The County Board met Friday because they were to attend meetings out of town during next Wednesday’s regular meeting time.

Darrel Stanard, owner of Stanard Appraisal Services of Central, and his staff, started the Beatrice reappraisal process in 2006. They are expected to be in the appraiser’s office next week to answer questions and address concerns.

“That would be a good time for anyone with questions to bring them up before we start the protest period,” she said.

The appraisals of the residential properties in Beatrice represented the final stage of a five-year plan to reappraise all of the properties in Gage County. Properties that were already appraised were commercial properties, properties in the small towns in the county and properties in the rural areas.

In a related matter, Milligan said preliminary indications are that the main change in agricultural land prices in Gage County would be in the southern half of the county.

“It looks like the south part of the county is going to get hit the hardest,” she said.

Supervisor David Anderson said that even though housing prices are going down, agricultural-land prices continue to experience an increasing property tax load.

In other business:

Southeast Community College annual report: Heard the 2007 SCC annual report. The report indicated the vast majority of SCC graduates remain in southeast Nebraska, while 80 percent of SCC graduates are employed in careers relating to training they received in college. In addition, SCC continues to have the lowest tuition and fees of any Nebraska college.

Emergency Management annual report: Heard the 2007 annual report from Gage County Emergency Management Director Mark Meints. Meints said Gage County suffered two disasters which were designated for federal assistance in 2007, the May floods and December ice storm.

In addition, he said among the 2008 priorities for the office would be to complete the county’s Local Emergency Operations Plan, work with area natural resources districts to develop hazardous mitigation plans and projects, complete Homeland Security grants and install a warning siren in Clatonia.

Courthouse architectural agreement: Tabled a proposed agreement between the county and Jerry Berggren, Lincoln architectural consultant, for planned courthouse renovations. Voters will decide on a $2.85 million bond issue for courthouse renovations during the May 13 primary election.

One- and Six-Year Highway Improvement Plan: Approved the county’s one- and six-year highway improvement plan.

Juvenile Justice County Aid Grant: Approved the annual Juvenile Justice County Aid Grant. The amount was the same as last year, but no county funds are involved because funding comes from court fees.