Gage County Board delays approval of two referee-service contracts for attorney review
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Summary
The Gage County Board of Equalization agreed to delay action on two contracts for 2025 referee services — including one with Cardinal Assessment Group LLC — pending review by county counsel and return to the board at a later meeting.
The Gage County Board of Equalization on May 28 agreed to hold two proposed contracts for referee services — one with Cardinal Assessment Group LLC and one described as "multi-county informational programming services" for 2025 — so county counsel can review them before the board considers approval.
The board took no formal vote to approve either agreement at the meeting. Instead, Board member Dorn asked that "Roger" (staff) be given time to review the documents and the board agreed to place both items on a future order after counsel provides a recommendation.
Why it matters: County referee contracts set who may hear property valuation appeals and can affect timelines for hearings and administrative workflows in the assessor’s office. The board’s decision to wait means the county attorney’s office will review terms before the agreements are finalized.
Board discussion and next steps: Board members said the contracts appeared similar to prior years’ arrangements but that the documents had just been distributed at the meeting and had not been reviewed in advance. One board member said, "I'd feel better with that since it's brand new," and another recommended bringing the items back in two weeks after review. The group identified one contract as relating to a person named Josh who "goes by Cardinal." The board asked staff to provide copies and requested counsel's recommendation before taking formal action.
No motions, votes or amendments on either contract were recorded at the meeting. The board indicated staff would return the contracts for formal consideration at a subsequent order once counsel has reviewed them.
Background details: Meeting participants mentioned that the contracts had not been provided to counselors prior to the meeting; the board requested copies and a brief period for legal review to ensure the county attorney's office could provide guidance.
The board concluded this item without a formal approval and moved on to other business.