Sussex County staff asked council Feb. 4 to introduce an ordinance that would add a Board of Assessment Review to county code and permit that board to adopt its own rules of procedure.

Jenny (last name not specified), speaking for the county, said members of the Board of Assessment Review have been appointed as required by Title 9 of Delaware Code and that the ordinance is needed so the board can adopt procedural rules governing assessment appeals. Staff said the rules provide an overview of the appeals process and the steps the board will follow during an assessment appeal.

Staff told council that if the ordinance is introduced Feb. 4, a public hearing will be scheduled for Feb. 25, the first meeting after Tyler Technologies releases reassessment data; staff said it will also release a tax calculator at that meeting to allow the public to estimate taxes. The ordinance text referenced Title 9, Delaware Code, and the short title was read into the record.

Council did not debate the ordinance's content during the meeting; staff requested introduction to allow the board to complete its procedural preparations in time for the reassessment appeal period.