Verona Board of Review approves 2025 assessment roll and elects Mayor Diaz as chair

The Verona Board of Review convened on May 29, 2025, at 6:01 PM to address several key agenda items, including the approval of previous meeting minutes, the selection of a chairperson, and the review of the 2025 assessment roll.

The meeting commenced with a roll call, confirming the presence of all board members, including Mayor Diaz. The first item on the agenda was the approval of minutes from the August 8, 2024, Board of Review meeting. A motion to approve was made by Alderman Alderson and seconded by Alderman Helmke, with the minutes subsequently approved unanimously.

Next, the board confirmed the open book and Board of Review notices, which had been properly posted and published as required by statute. Following this, the board moved to select a chairperson. Alderman Helmke nominated Mayor Diaz, and the motion was seconded by Alder Hoag. The board voted in favor, officially appointing Mayor Diaz as chairperson.

The meeting continued with a verification of board member training, confirming that both the clerk and Alderman Weiss had completed the required training for the year. The board then verified that the city has an ordinance ensuring the confidentiality of income and expense information provided to the assessor, as mandated by state law.

Clerk Licht reported the receipt of the assessment roll and the assessor's affidavit, stating that the 2025 assessment roll had been completed. The assessor provided an update, indicating that this year was a maintenance assessment year, meaning assessments would remain at the levels set during the previous year's reassessment. Notably, approximately $210 million in new construction would be added to the assessment roll, with expectations that the state would equalize this amount to around $224 million.

The board then moved to verify open book changes and review the assessment roll. Following this, the board allowed taxpayers to examine the assessment roll, noting that only one objector was present for the hearing.

The meeting culminated in the objection hearings, starting with NS Retail Holdings LLC's objection to the 2025 real estate tax assessment for their property at 660 Hometown Circle. The clerk introduced the case, and the objector's representative, JC Yeaton, was sworn in to present their evidence. The board was reminded that the burden of proof lies with the objector to demonstrate that the assessor's valuation is incorrect.

Overall, the meeting was structured and procedural, with significant attention given to the assessment process and the upcoming hearings, marking an important step in the city's property tax assessment cycle. The board's next steps will involve deliberations on the presented objections, with decisions to be made based on the evidence provided.