Mathews County board directs staff to pursue earlier property reassessment, request bids

The Mathews County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to ask commissioners Ramona Paul and staff member Les Hall to begin pursuing bids and cost estimates to accelerate the county's next property reassessment and to evaluate full-audit costs.

The board approved the direction after a discussion that flagged disparities in land values in the county's property records and uncertainty about the reassessment schedule. County staff said the next reassessment is currently scheduled for 2027 under a four-year cycle unless the board adopts an ordinance or resolution to change the interval.

Why this matters: reassessments determine taxable assessments used to calculate local property taxes. Board members said apparent clerical errors and low land valuations in some parcels have widened disparities and may be reducing the county's taxable base.

During the work session, staff described three example parcels where land values appeared much lower than neighboring properties and noted that some errors were corrected only after a documented change (for example, when a lot was merged or a dwelling was added). Staff estimated that contracting a full reassessment could cost roughly $175,000 to $200,000. They also said finding qualified private firms and scheduling a project can take many months; an RFP issued now could realistically result in work beginning in 2027 depending on vendor capacity.

Board direction and next steps: the motion—moved by Commissioner Bowman—asked Paul and Hall to consult with staff, develop an RFP, and determine how soon an outside firm could complete a reassessment. The board amended the motion to direct staff also to gather costs for a full audit and for a phased/desk reassessment approach; the amendment was accepted. The board then approved the motion by roll call.

What was not decided: the board did not set a new reassessment cycle (three, four or six years) at this meeting. Commissioners asked staff to return with cost comparisons (outside contractor vs. in-house assessor), timelines, and options such as a desk reassessment in intervening years versus a full in-person reassessment.

Looking ahead: staff said they would start developing the RFP and seek vendor responses; vendors will determine how quickly they can begin work after an award. The board asked staff to include estimated start dates and costs for both full audits and less-expensive desk-based reassessment cycles in the information brought back for a later decision.