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Yankton County board affirms most assessor valuations, trims a few structure values after appeals
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Summary
The consolidated Board of Equalization on April 24 reviewed dozens of appeals — residential, commercial and campground properties — accepted most assessor recommendations but approved targeted cuts including a compromise reduction for a split-level home and adjustments to several commercial parcels.
The Yankton County consolidated Board of Equalization met April 24 and after hours of presentations and public comment approved most of the assessor’s recommended values while making a handful of adjustments.
In an overview presentation, Michelle Gokin, director of the county equalization office, said assessors “must be at fair market value” under state law and described how assessments rely on comparable sales, income approaches and permit records. “Assessors don’t set tax rates,” she said, explaining that increases in assessed values reflect market changes rather than tax‑rate decisions.
The board heard appeals from homeowners and commercial property owners. In one residential appeal, commissioners agreed the appellants had been caught at the market peak and that a split‑level classification raised the assessed value; to strike a compromise the board approved a motion to reduce the structure value to $325,000 while leaving the land value unchanged. The motion (moved by Dan, seconded by Wanda) passed following a substitute‑motion procedure and roll call.
Commercial appeals included the Yankton Mall, Menards and several large industrial properties. The Mall’s owner disputed the assessor’s use of broad comparables and said only the front roughly 100,000 square feet had been renovated; assessors defended an income and sales analysis that produced a substantially higher structure value. After debate the board accepted a substitute valuation for the Mall structure following a second motion and roll‑call vote. The board also accepted the assessor’s recommended valuation for Menards after the property’s consultant and assessor agreed on which square footage to use for the uniformity analysis.
Campground owners appealed new accessory‑structure assessments (decks, awnings). Owners argued many improvements are removable and in some cases belong to tenants; county staff said inspections re‑added improvements previously omitted and cited state statutes that permit assessing permanently affixed structures. The board voted to accept the assessor’s recommended assessments on the parcels before it, while staff noted they plan to follow up annually and that affected owners were notified in advance of the 2026 assessment cycle.
The board also approved statutorily required exemptions, including elderly/disabled and disabled‑veteran property‑tax exemptions, which county staff said increased this year because of state eligibility adjustments. The meeting concluded after the board took roll‑call votes on each appealed parcel.
Next steps: staff said they will notify appellants of the board’s decisions; parties wishing further review can pursue additional appeal rights under state procedure.
