2015.03.17 Work Session Packet (1st)
Posted: March 13, 2015
CRYSTAL CITY COUNCIL
FIRST WORK SESSION AGENDA
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
6:30 p.m.
Conference Room A
Pursuant to due call and notice given in the manner prescribed by Section 3.01 of the City
Charter, the first work session of the Crystal City Council was held at ______ p.m. on Tuesday,
March 17, 2015 in Conference Room A located at 4141 Douglas Drive, Crystal, Minnesota.
I. Attendance
Council members Staff
____ Parsons ____ Norris
____ Peak ____ Therres
____ Adams ____ Revering
____ Dahl ____ Gilchrist
____ Deshler ____ Serres
____ Kolb
____ Libby
II. Agenda
The purpose of the work session is to discuss the following agenda item:
1. Preview of Local Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting with County Assessors*
*Additional work session packet materials are available at City Hall.
III. Adjournment
The work session adjourned at ______ p.m.
Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling the City Clerk at (763)
531-1145 at least 96 hours in advance. TTY users may call Minnesota Relay at 711 or 1-800-627-3529.
4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696
Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov
4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696
Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov
LOCAL BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION
SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Most of the responsibilities listed under the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization are
statutory, primarily found in Minnesota Statutes 274.01.
• The first responsibility is attendance. The Local Board of Appeal and Equalization is
an official public meeting similar to a City Council meeting and cannot convene
without a quorum. In addition to the local assessor, the county assessor, or one of
his/her assistants is required to attend.
• At least one member must be present at each meeting of the Local Board of Appeal
and Equalization (beginning in 2006) that has attended an appeals and equalization
course as developed and approved by the Commissioner of Revenue. The
compliance date is December 1 of the year prior to the current year’s meeting.
• The valuation notices shall be in writing and be sent by ordinary mail at least ten
calendar days before the meeting of the board. The valuation notice will include the
dates, places and times set for the meetings of the Local Board of Appeal and
Equalization as well as the Hennepin County Board of Appeal and Equalization.
• The meetings must be held between April 1 and May 31 each year, including
reconvene meetings. The County Assessor shall fix a day and time when the Local
Board of Appeal and Equalization shall meet. The board must complete its work and
adjourn within 20 days from the time of convening stated in the notice of the clerk,
i.e. calendar days – original night is day one.
• The clerk shall give published and posted notice of the meeting at least ten days
before the date of the meeting.
• Local Boards of Appeal and Equalization must see that all taxable property is
properly valued and classified for the current assessment year only. The board may
consider both real and personal property, and both estimated and taxable value.
Personal property is limited to mobile homes and their storage sheds, decks and other
improvements located in a manufactured home park, structures on leased public lands
and RR operating ROW, and leased buildings located on land owned by the occupant
and used as their homestead.
• If any property has been omitted, the board must correct the assessment by adding it
to the list of assessments along with its market value.
• The board may not increase or decrease by percentage all assessments in a district of
a given class of property. Changes in the aggregate to assessments are by class and
are made by the County Board of Equalization.
• The board may not make an individual market value adjustment or classification
change that would benefit the property in cases where the owner or other person
having control over the property will not permit the assessor to inspect the property
and the interior of any buildings or structures.
• Although the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization has the authority to increase or
decrease individual assessments, the total of such adjustment must not reduce the
aggregate assessment by more than one percent. If the total reductions would lower
the aggregate assessment by more than one percent, none of the adjustments may be
made. The assessor shall correct any clerical errors or double assessments discovered
by the board without regard to the one percent limitation.
• The local board does not have the authority to reopen former assessments on which
taxes are due and payable.
• If an assessment was made after the local board meeting or if a taxpayer can establish
not having received the notice of market value at least five days before the meeting,
they can appeal to the County Board of Appeal and Equalization.
• The board may find instances of undervalued properties. The board must notify the
owner of the property that the value is going to be raised. The property owner must
have the opportunity to appear before the board if they so wish.
• The local boards do not have the authority to address exemption issues. Only the
county assessor (and the tax court) has the authority to exempt property. They also
have no jurisdiction over special programs for which an application process is
required (Veterans Market Value Homestead Exclusion, Green Acres, etc.).
• A taxpayer may appear in person, by council, or written communication to present his
or her objection to the board. The focus of the appeal must center on the factors
influencing the estimated market value or classification placed on the property.
• All changes will be entered into the assessment record by the county assessor’s office.
• Before adjourning, the local board should prepare an official list of the changes. The
law requires that the changes be listed on a separate form. All assessments that have
been increased or decreased should be shown as prescribed on the form along with
their market values. The record must be signed and dated by the members of the
Local Board of Appeal and Equalization.
• The Hennepin County Board of Appeal and Equalization begins meeting on:
June 15, 2015
• All appointments must be scheduled no later than Wednesday, May 20, 2015, by
calling the Hennepin County Taxpayer Services Office at:
(612) 348-7050