[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6167299,"mediaKeyId","5411762-c431eff343a3cd76d7a429f60a0bf28e","parentId",5411762,"title","Board notes two townships failed to return minutes; county acting as local board for unorganized areas","audioSeconds",60,"startMs",3600000,"endMs",3660000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5411762-c431eff343a3cd76d7a429f60a0bf28e&start=3600&end=3660","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5411762-c431eff343a3cd76d7a429f60a0bf28e/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6167299/Williams-County/North-Dakota/Board-notes-two-townships-failed-to-return-minutes-county-acting-as-local-board-for-unorganized-areas","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6167299-a05a6f629df3d7f7d5105d07c715d934/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440127&Signature=DTZ5PNqUG8tlSUUyVlhylR1Cjnc7IkrhNTBpGkKbZ-2zRMfhvTdAdpYaC2TvQnuPTCTo0axwc-c4bCW75~hRIw1wVr3jszYQxEGif9E16x3HZEFOrNd2Ybz5r~TvvHaBbcQqEaTPzqtRIG5vdMDfbJGoJvVtVansac7ijviyb5W7RSJbu30JJZe~br8uUI5NolWm~t80ukqgmg7zQdhDej8YGNICnxdQkXALO8xv2I5n43JoWHfVsguAUezeJ5GVcWqwagwgCWzxRkKTaFmglAbYFEZEIYi~eijbNZhgpQWoEHQPI4nIhLh7waM7zX36oEl9CS~kQBB6JuAquAfQcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Williams County","date","2025-06-03T00:00:00Z","article","Leah told the Williams County Board of Equalization on June 3 that two unorganized areas'Ellisville Township and Scoria Township'had not returned local-board minutes or assessment worksheets despite repeated requests from the assessor's office. \"We had a hard time even getting Scoria to plan their meeting, and they have still not returned book or worksheet or anything,\" Leah said.

Because some townships are unorganized, the county board sits as the local board of equalization for those areas. Leah told the board the county had the assessment books available for review and asked whether the board wished to make changes; there were no substantive changes recommended at the meeting.

A board member noted the practical effect on residents: without local-board participation, taxpayers in those townships lack direct local representation during the equalization process. Leah said the assessor's office contacts multiple township officials to obtain minutes and worksheets, and that unresolved townships' assessment rolls are included in county records for review.

Ending: The minutes remain outstanding; the assessor's office will continue outreach to the township officers and include those records in county filings. If residents of the affected townships have questions, Leah encouraged them to contact the assessor's office for assistance.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Williams County Board of Equalization - Jun 03 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During its June 3 meeting the Williams County Board of Equalization said Ellisville and Scoria townships did not return local-board minutes or assessment books; the county board reviewed those townships' rolls and noted residents in those areas currently lack local-board representation for equalization.","taxTitle","Williams County, North Dakota","taxId",58404,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6167304,"Board approves 2025 corrections, privilege and farm exemptions; votes to equalize county assessments",544,3900000,4444000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5411762-c431eff343a3cd76d7a429f60a0bf28e&start=3900&end=4444","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5411762-c431eff343a3cd76d7a429f60a0bf28e/thumbnail_3900000.jpg","/articles/6167304/Williams-County/North-Dakota/Board-approves-2025-corrections-privilege-and-farm-exemptions-votes-to-equalize-county-assessments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6167304-b3fcf3deeb254e5a89a99bf4dcac1e56/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440127&Signature=gunhlfCd9boWs-8PXJHJfIQIaC9poF0y7I2p8RB4zz61A9ch1ZzJKwAbbRO1At~ZQxZe2uxlcYo9AGa4DDyRR7SOPTh7Caxbvy1GleDsDbIOJ4PmilL800hcf7gGYSjOy12syQeLGQomDig2zlnKlNt5wCyVptmG229mnreONeAsTwEi-E4xtu46gFhBjMpjN0so46ojLuiLa94vYJ3ESn4Ll6tRqyCx~30VsGHQJRRwpWuH93ublGKnuxw3nW9HqWfDdw5mIQYJSGhEZdvKSIEnd1ZqBBY1KQQ2GNqOoPa~eZHhLEaxyu8~miIfjE29UGvfmMvVfJ0ECZBpgttUnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Williams County Board of Equalization voted June 3 to approve a set of corrections and adjustments the assessor's office recommended and to declare countywide assessments equalized for 2025.

The board approved correction items numbered 1 through 23 as presented after staff described land, detached-structure and analysis errors that required adjustment. The motion to adjust those 23 items passed on a roll-call vote with the board recording affirmative votes from Steve, Corey, Beau, Chris and Barry. \"We do pride ourselves on being accurate and fair,\" Leah said after the motion carried.

The board also approved a set of 10 correction items related to farm-residence exemptions (items numbered 1 through 10) and subsequently approved 323 farm-residence exemption applications the assessor's office had verified. Leah told the board the 10 properties had not returned required statements of gross farm income and therefore could not be approved without the application; the office will accept late paperwork and pursue abatements where appropriate.

Motions and votes recorded in the meeting minutes included formal findings that residential, commercial and agricultural assessments met state guidelines and that supplementary abstracts and local-board minutes had been reviewed. The board then moved to declare Williams County assessments for 2025 equalized as assessed or corrected; that motion passed unanimously on roll call. \"When you have an across-the-board increase, you often see a mill-levy decrease which absorbs a good chunk of that,\" one assessor said during public comment, explaining how valuations and taxes interact.

The board also approved findings on homestead credits (106 real-property applicants with $534,000 in value; 242 city of Williston applicants totaling about $1,530,000 in value) and disabled-veteran credits (54 applicants totaling $290,000 in value). Privileged exemptions totaling about $35,348,000 in exempted value were reviewed and found proper as presented.

Ending: The board set the 2026 equalization meeting for June 2, 2026, at 9 a.m. in the Commission Room. Assessors said property owners who believe an assessment is incorrect can file a formal protest or bring documentation to the assessor's office for on-site review.","The Williams County Board of Equalization voted unanimously June 3 to approve correction items, privilege exemptions, farm-residence exemptions and other adjustments and formally declared 2025 county assessments equalized as presented or corrected.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":80,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6167309,"Williams County releases 2025 assessment report; officials cite 10% baseline increase",1686,2758000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5411762-c431eff343a3cd76d7a429f60a0bf28e&start=2758&end=4444","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5411762-c431eff343a3cd76d7a429f60a0bf28e/thumbnail_2758000.jpg","/articles/6167309/Williams-County/North-Dakota/Williams-County-releases-2025-assessment-report-officials-cite-10-baseline-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6167309-8903065f4a14f161a8b81ad9ac702917/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440127&Signature=WogVS19aYf~mvrHCt~d0TUM~BEOuypXeaC1URO-tLMbKZHguyxHLWgWOirDKJz-SXH7~W5gpxaz15eF2r484AGBnDd4IPgknJSHcDqx2mRNjyFMaHeaethpU1l6hdNhdrukkUzc-J3KztyYdiNB~2nop3rCxahYJBY-BWe8KEo3m4mQqMZHlB2CKiyG52aOJNSo8U6Hw1pdNDJUFlJx-5mHV2Yh8GxG7s0BspAcNEWbL1e1EbyfYWcys32cxrsTKv10CuEAgQGSZOHwXwCeTVciGnbKFYfmSCWBmXHXazIEjXCUWQC4tMGDzvm48TNgjXSiSXQNLYMiTSn2oUI9EMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leah, Williams County tax equalization director, told the Board of Equalization on June 3 that the county'wide 2025 property assessments were set using a February 1 valuation date and market information from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024. \"The specific requirements for property assessment are established in the North Dakota Century Code,\" she said, and the office followed that law in producing the report.

The assessment staff applied a 10 percent \"across-the-board\" base increase to many property classes after observing higher replacement costs and sales data, but Leah emphasized the 10% was a starting point: \"Just because we did a 10% across the board does not mean that everybody received a 10% increase.\" She said individual classifications were adjusted up or down where sales indicated a different change.

Why it matters: the state requires local assessors to keep sales-ratio studies between 90 and 100 percent; Williams County's residential sales ratio averaged about 93.34%, and assessors sent 1,033 notices of value increases to owners whose assessed value rose at least 10% and $3,000. Leah noted residential true-and-full value increased $60,873,588 for 2025, with over $22,000,000 attributed to new construction.

Assessors explained methods and results. Leah described the assessor's role as historical and data-driven: \"Assessors do not create value or predict what the market will do. Rather, the assessor's job is to follow that pattern set by the real estate market.\" The office reported an overall commercial sales ratio near 95% and said commercial true-and-full value increased $4,675,865 in 2024, including about $14,000,000 in new construction.

Staff detailed classification-specific practices: manufactured homes that are not on owner-owned land are assessed via a permit system and are taxed on a calendar-year basis rather than the December statement for real property. Agricultural land is valued using soil-productivity models and an \"Eggland\" capitalization formula based on cap rates, production averages and a production-cost index.

Residents asked questions during the public comment and hearing periods. Resident Rory Barbault said he could not reconcile his assessment with recent nearby sales: \"They just sold another house for $410. ... This is a comparable house. I would say square footage everything. You guys have assessed it at $525.\" Leah and staff explained mass appraisal and sales-study methods, including use of median ratios to limit outlier effects.

Resident Kelly Harrelson told the board her property rose 14% this year and warned that continued increases would price some homeowners out: \"If this increases at the current rate it is, we're all gonna lose our homes.\" Leah and board members responded that mill-levy adjustments and broader budget decisions can offset some valuation-driven tax pressure and that state rules bound assessors to stay within the 90'to'100 percent window.

Leah and staff offered property owners an appeal path and local review: \"If somebody does question the value, you'll offer to go in and review the property,\" said Christy Gutierrez, an assessor who handles specific classifications, and she invited residents to contact the assessor's office for inspections or record reviews.

Ending: The presentation and public discussion preceded a series of board motions formalizing corrections and exemptions (see separate article). The tax equalization office said it will continue to accept inquiries and is prepared to make site visits and, when warranted, adjust assessments through the formal protest and abatement processes.","The Williams County Tax Equalization Office presented the county'wide 2025 assessment report June 3, explaining a 10% baseline increase applied to many property classes and outlining sales-ratio results that keep the county within the state'required 90'to'100 percent range; residents raised concerns about rising valuations and tax impacts.","actionData","errors"]

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Board notes two townships failed to return minutes; county acting as local board for unorganized areas

Board approves 2025 corrections, privilege and farm exemptions; votes to equalize county assessments

Williams County releases 2025 assessment report; officials cite 10% baseline increase