Jefferson County officials said Aug. 5 they will place recommendations on appeals of 2025 property tax exemptions for qualifying seniors and qualifying disabled veterans on the board's Aug. 26 business meeting agenda if commissioners consent.

County Attorney Kim Sorrels turned the item to Amber Monk of the county attorney's office, who said she was "here today to seek your consent to place an item on the agenda of your August 26 business meeting relating to the 2025 appeals of property tax exemptions for qualified seniors and qualified disabled veterans." Monk said state law provides the exemptions and that where an assessor denies an exemption, the property owner is entitled to a hearing.

Monk told commissioners the Board of Equalization (BOE) has appointed independent referees to hear those appeals and that the referees will submit recommendations in advance to the county attorney's office; the office will present the recommendations in a package for the Aug. 26 meeting. "Given the window, we don't have the recommendations yet," Monk said. She described a process change that brings referee recommendations before the board with a chart explaining whether the recommendation is to affirm or deny so commissioners have the justification in front of them when they decide.

Commissioners asked no follow-up questions, and the board signaled unanimous support. Monk said the referee schedule and recommendation package will be presented on Aug. 26 if the board consents.

The item is a scheduling and procedural placement only; no individual exemption decisions were made on Aug. 5. The board will consider referee recommendations and any required hearing record at the Aug. 26 business meeting.

Commissioners and staff flagged the item as a time-sensitive statutory requirement because the BOE hearing window is fixed by state statute and the county must staff hearings to meet the statutory deadlines.