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Boone County assessor seeks outside legal review after contested RFP; commissioners defer decision
Summary
Assessor Jennifer Laxley requested permission to hire outside counsel to review an RFP and contracting process after commissioners advanced negotiations on a contract she did not present. Commissioners discussed legal constraints and agreed to first try resolving issues with the county attorney and revisit the matter Dec. 15; no vote approving outside counsel was recorded.
Jennifer Laxley, the Boone County assessor, raised concerns Dec. 1 about how a recent assessor services RFP and subsequent board actions were handled and asked the commissioners to approve an engagement letter so a third‑party attorney could review the materials.
Laxley told the board she had prepared and submitted an RFP for assessor services and that the board later moved to enter negotiations with a contract she did not bring forward. “I want to make sure that as much as I fought for what I think is right for the taxpayer … I am being listened to,” Laxley said, explaining she wants an independent attorney to confirm that the RFP process complied with applicable statutes.
Discussion at the dais grew pointed. Commissioners and the county attorney debated whether the county could execute a contract not presented by the elected official responsible for that office. The county attorney advised that, as a legal matter, contracts should be presented by the responsible county official and cautioned against taking official action outside required notice procedures.
Other commissioners raised budget and operational concerns. One commissioner said hiring 12 new assessor staff in 30 days would cost roughly $1.2 million and would be difficult to implement, while others argued a vendor could perform the work at lower cost. Public commenters and a trustee noted strong opinions on both fiscal prudence and the assessor’s professional judgment.
After extended discussion commissioners proposed a near‑term, non‑adversarial step: meet with the county attorney (Beth) to try to resolve the assessor’s questions before authorizing any private engagement. Several commissioners said they would revisit the request at the Dec. 15 meeting if outstanding issues remained. The record contains motions to consider approving an engagement letter, but the transcript does not show a final vote approving outside counsel or county funding for external legal fees.
What happens next: The board asked staff and counsel to attempt an internal resolution and tabled any decision to fund or approve outside counsel until the next regular meeting on Dec. 15 unless the parties agree earlier. Laxley said she would provide an engagement letter draft and noted she had resources available to pay if the county declined to fund an outside attorney.
Provenance: The discussion and all quoted remarks appear in the meeting transcript beginning with Jennifer Laxley’s presentation and continuing through the commissioners’ legal and fiscal debate.
