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Glynn County assessors review preliminary state sales-ratio study, report heavy appeals workload and office expansion plans
Summary
Glynn County’s chief appraiser briefed the Board of Assessors on a preliminary 2023 state sales-ratio review that shows median ratios near 38% across property classes, outlined an appeals caseload of 1,120, and announced an imminent office move and staffing additions; a proposed True Roll contract remains under review.
Glynn County chief appraiser Ron Blissett told the Board of Assessors that the county received a preliminary 2023 Department of Audits and Accounts sales-ratio analysis that compares the 2023 tax digest with calendar-2023 sales and is subject to appeals and finalization.
“This is hot off the press, received this today,” Blissett said, before summarizing the study’s samples and medians: residential — 853 samples with a median ratio of 38.23%; agricultural — 879 samples with a median of 38.19%; commercial — 25 samples (some appraisals) at 37.8%; and industrial — 26 samples (some appraisals) at 37.6%. Blissett said the report is preliminary and that counties have appeal rights before a final Department of Audits and Accounts publication.
The chief appraiser told the board the county expects a Department of Revenue audit next for the 2025 tax digest. Board members asked why agricultural sample sizes exceeded residential ones; Blissett said the county has many rural land parcel sales and that the preliminary report’s sample counts reflect that activity rather than a local procedural error.
Blissett also reported the county’s appeals workload for this digest: 1,120 total appeals to date, with 619 listed as no-change decisions and nine recorded changes. He said appeals scheduling is expected to begin next month through coordination with the clerk’s scheduling office and that the goal is to finish appeals near the end of the year.
On operations, Blissett outlined near-term office changes: new furniture has been ordered and should arrive within about two to three weeks, the new space is painted and prepared, computers will be relocated, and signage will be updated so the public can find homestead and exemption services. He said three employees will move into the new area (two front desks and a partitioned station) and the office anticipates adding a real property supervisor in the next budget cycle, a position expected to start in November.
Blissett credited staff members James Lane and Yolanda Ward for work on the audit materials and thanked facilities and IT for help preparing the space. He also described an open True Roll software contract (described in the meeting as a $70,000 contract) that has not yet been returned; the chair said the contract will be reviewed by county counsel, then go to the finance committee and Board of Commissioners for approval because it is outside the budget.
The briefing closed with a logistics note: the county will schedule staff safety training and a security review in September led by the sheriff’s office, with Deputy Beckham expected to present on Sept. 24.
