Cole County approves online application tools, removes signature requirement for senior tax‑freeze applications

Cole County officials agreed to remove a required applicant signature from the county's senior property tax‑freeze application, approved online signing and storage tools, and authorized software and implementation services to manage the program's expected volume.

The commission voted to amend the application language to eliminate section 3, subsection c (the line requiring an authorized signature attesting to the truth of the application). Commissioners also approved purchasing a DocuSign package for online, fillable applications and added licenses and capture tools for the county's document management system (referred to in discussion as "Therefore" or the county's document repository).

Why it matters: the changes are intended to reduce barriers for older homeowners and to make the program scalable. County staff described a combination of an online submission option, a staffed in‑person assistance schedule and a process to import and securely store submitted packets so reviewers can process and track applications without excessive manual entry.

What the commission approved and next steps - Amendment to application: The commission agreed to remove a signature requirement in the application (described in discussion as "section 3, subsection c") so applicants will not be required to sign that specific attestation line. The application will retain space for a second signature line that can be relabeled as a witness or as a line for an authorized representative ("by power of attorney," "by personal representative," "by attorney in fact") and staff will add optional text instructing applicants to attach supporting documentation for any representative authority. Staff said they will provide suggested wording and a list of acceptable supporting documents. - DocuSign online packets: The commission approved buying a DocuSign envelope package at the 1,000‑envelope tier (price and contract to be finalized). Staff described DocuSign as the county's preferred secure electronic signature and packet tool; county staff said DocuSign can produce an audit trail and deliver daily submission packets to the county server. - Document‑management (Therefore/DevNet) licenses and capture client: The commission authorized adding concurrent user licenses, a capture client and configuration/implementation services for the county's document repository. Staff presented a vendor estimate totaling $21,667.04 to configure the capture client, add concurrent users and cover implementation and maintenance so submitted packets can be prepopulated, indexed and securely stored.

Launch timing and deadlines Staff said the program's tax credit would apply to taxes paid in 2025 and that the first credit would be available in 2026. For an initial application deadline the group discussed June 30, 2026, for first‑year claims (the discussion noted the county does not generate final tax bills until October, so processing deadlines and assessor data timing factored into the choice). Staff said they expect to open acceptance "as soon as the systems are configured," with staff estimating an April start for accepting applications if web and vendor work is completed in time.

Application handling and public assistance plans County staff and commissioners discussed multiple intake channels: an online DocuSign form, in‑person assistance sessions, scanned paper submissions and secured drop boxes. To handle walk‑ins and assisted applicants, the county plans to stage laptops and scanners in a designated room (commission chambers or a training room were suggested) for fixed days each week (the working proposal discussed three consecutive days to avoid frequent setup/teardown). Staff volunteered to rotate responsibilities; the group discussed signage, sample tax‑bill images for guidance and a save‑and‑resume feature for online applicants.

Eligibility, renewals and estimates Discussion clarified renewals will be annual: once the credit is granted for a base year (discussed as the year of application), renewals and subsequent credits will be part of the ongoing tax calculation. Staff shared preliminary estimates of how many older homeowners might be eligible based on voter‑registration and census counts; participants cautioned that those figures include non‑owners (renters, retirement homes) and that actual application rates are uncertain.

Operational details and staff workload Staff outlined steps to reduce manual entry: using parcel‑number lookups to prepopulate fields; forcing required document checklists during intake; and routing daily packets to the county server. The Avon/DevNet hooks described in the meeting would let intake screens pull assessor/collector fields to reduce keystrokes. To address busy tax windows during the tax season, the group discussed setting specific days and times for in‑person assistance and forwarding complex / outlier cases back to the recorder or collector for verification.

Votes at a glance - Amend application to remove section 3, subsection c (signature attestation): motion made and seconded; commissioners voted in favor. (Vote tally not specified in the transcript; discussion recorded a tie‑breaker being used.) - Approve DocuSign solution (1,000 envelopes): motion made and seconded; commissioners voted in favor. - Approve Therefore/document management licenses, capture client, implementation and maintenance at a cost of $21,667.04: motion made and seconded; commissioners voted in favor.

What remains to be decided Staff will finalize DocuSign contract language for the 1,000‑envelope tier and return the contract for signature, finalize the exact wording for representative signatures and attachments, set the public assistance schedule and publish the program page and FAQs on the county website. Staff also said they will run intake tests, practice filling out applications and train designated reviewers on the document workflow.

Source and evidence The article summarizes the senior tax‑freeze agenda discussion, vendor quotes and staff implementation planning recorded in the meeting transcript.

Ending note: county staff asked for volunteers to help staff intake days and scheduled follow‑up work to finalize vendor contracts, web copy and an in‑person assistance calendar before accepting the first applications.