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Board of Assessors seeks $75,000 to address staffing and data gaps; commissioners approve amendment
Summary
Jones County—s newly constituted Board of Assessors requested up to $75,000 to hire short-term help, fund training, and begin work needed ahead of a countywide revaluation; commissioners approved using contingency or fund balance if available.
The county—s Board of Assessors told Jones County commissioners on March 18 it needs up to $75,000 to address a backlog of data entry, complete performance-review recommendations, and fund short-term staffing and training ahead of a planned countywide revaluation.
Ashley Stammler (presenting for the assessors—board) said the office is short-staffed and that assessors are performing both fieldwork and data entry. "We are in need of more hands in the office," Stammler told the commission, adding that appraiser trainees and a retiree contractor can help short-term but the office needs at least one appraiser and one appraiser-assistant (data-entry) position to catch up.
Stammler said updated aerial imagery was last taken in 2021; assessors recommended change analysis based on new imagery to detect unrecorded development or timber harvests. Because leaves will soon obscure ground features, assessors are checking whether aerial mapping can be obtained quickly; if not, the work will be rolled into the 2026 revaluation process.
Commissioner Kitchens moved to approve the assessors—request for up to $75,000. The motion was seconded and commissioners agreed that funds would come from contingency if available, otherwise from fund balance. Commissioners also authorized the assessors to present higher-cost proposals (for example, for appraiser III/IV hires or aerial photography) for later consideration.
The approved $75,000 was described by assessors as intended to pay overtime, training, a retiree contractor, and two short-term staff additions to improve tracking of building permits and to input recent field data into the county—s appraisal system (WinGAP). Assessors emphasized the need for better permit tracking and the creation of a personal-property specialist to handle equipment and inventories separate from land-and-building appraisals.
Votes at a glance: motion to approve up to $75,000 for the Board of Assessors passed; funding source to come from contingency or fund balance if contingency is unavailable.
Commissioners asked staff to be prepared to call a special meeting if an aerial-photography proposal could be secured quickly; assessors and staff said they would pursue proposals and return to the commission with firm cost estimates if needed.
