Swain County commissioners table $543,000 revaluation contract with Vincent Valuations

Swain County commissioners on April 15 discussed a proposed countywide property revaluation contract with Vincent Valuations that the tax office estimates would cost about $543,000 and involve a full “list-and-measure” field review of properties.

Lottie, a county finance/tax office staff member, told commissioners the company would perform a full list-and-measure rather than an aerial-only review, that it would likely bring an eight- to 10-person team to work in the county, and that the firm’s timeline would begin this summer with the work taking about a year and a half so results would be ready for the county’s 2028 revaluation cycle. Lottie said the cost estimate is a per-parcel rate of $43 based on the county’s current parcel count and that other firms declined to bid because of Swain’s size.

Commissioners raised concerns about the cost. One commissioner said, “It’s a whole lot of money.” Other speakers noted that an aerial-only revaluation would be cheaper but risks missing unpermitted residences and structures that a field review would catch; Lottie said that field work yields photos and records that the county can use for safety checks and property records. Commissioners also discussed that the revaluation is required by the state and that the last full field revaluation was less expensive because it was performed by aerial methods.

After debate, a commissioner moved to postpone consideration to allow staff to pursue lower-cost options and to confirm the state’s minimum requirements; the motion was seconded. The transcript records the motion to table/postpone but does not include a clear roll-call vote in the public audio. The board directed staff to return with follow-up information on whether a less expensive method would satisfy the state requirement and on options for reducing the county’s cost.

Background: Lottie said the county must complete the next revaluation cycle on the state timetable and that doing it in-house would require substantial county manpower and credentialing the county does not currently have. She said Vincent’s estimate reflects a full, on-the-ground measurement rather than remote methods and that some neighboring vendors were unwilling to come to Swain due to workload or staffing constraints.

Commissioners asked staff to confirm the exact statutory or administrative revaluation requirements with the state and to return alternatives and cost comparisons at a future meeting.