Vermillion County hearing leaves 2025 assessment for 17668 S. Rainish Line unchanged after taxpayers do not appear

Vermillion County hearing officer Pat Ritchie left the 2025 property assessment for 17668 South Rainish Line Road unchanged after the property owners did not appear for an administrative hearing Oct. 22 at the Vermillion County Courthouse.

The decision, conducted pursuant to Indiana Code 6-1.1-1-1 and filed under petition 83-001-25-0-1-00002, came after county staff told the hearing they had made multiple attempts to contact the taxpayers, Catherine and Timothy Ortman, who did not attend. Ritchie stated on the record that "the taxpayer has not appeared for this meeting," and the hearing record will note a no-show.

At issue in the appeal was the 2025 assessment for parcel 83-13-30-300-002-001, listed in county records with a land assessment of $29,400 and an improvement value recorded in the hearing record as "02/24564." County representative Paige Gilmore told the hearing she did not have a clear statement of what the Ortmans were appealing from the paperwork she had received and that she had sent certified mail and other notices. Gilmore said she had "made several attempts to reach out." She also relayed a message from Timothy Ortman saying the family had been sick and dealing with personal matters.

Gilmore and other staff said county records indicate construction was completed in 2023. A message attributed to the taxpayers on the record contained conflicting language: it mentioned adding two bedrooms and a bathroom but also stated no changes had been made since construction finished in 2023. The hearing panel said no additional evidence had been presented to justify changing the assessment.

Ritchie moved that the assessment remain as recorded, saying, "I make a motion. We leave it the same." An unidentified participant seconded the motion. The panel approved the motion by voice vote — "Aye" — and Ritchie announced "No change." The hearing record will show the case as a no-show by the taxpayers.

The hearing was described by staff as an administrative proceeding limited in scope to reviewing the record and any evidence presented; no further evidentiary hearing occurred because the taxpayers did not attend. The transcript does not specify whether the Ortmans intend to request a continuance or pursue additional appeal remedies.

The county's petition number for the case is 83-001-25-0-1-00002, and the proceeding was identified as an administrative hearing under Indiana Code 6-1.1-1-1.

For records: parcel number 83-13-30-300-002-001; property address 17668 South Rainish Line Road; assessment year under appeal 2025; land assessment $29,400; improvement value listed in the hearing paperwork as "02/24564."