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Valley County assessor requests transfers to cover appraisers’ travel and registration
Summary
Assessor Leeper told commissioners three appraisers completed certification courses and a newly hired appraiser will require training; she asked to reallocate supplies funding to cover an estimated $36.59 shortfall in registration and roughly $2,000 in travel costs.
Assessor Leeper told the Valley County commissioners on May 26 that certification and continuing‑education costs for appraisers have pushed the assessor’s travel and registration accounts toward shortfall, and she asked the board to reallocate existing supply funds to avoid service interruptions.
Leeper said three appraisers attended the required certification classes last winter and a fourth new hire will begin June 10 and soon require certification. She reported a registration shortfall of about $36.59 and that travel/mileage costs will be roughly $2,000 over current allocations once lodging and per diem are included.
To cover the gap, Leeper proposed moving roughly $1,300 from office supplies into registration and travel lines; commissioners suggested keeping assessor office supplies at $2,000 and increasing registration fees to $9,000, a change Leeper accepted so she can cover Marshall & Swift updates and end‑of‑year needs.
Leeper also explained that a line labeled 'cell phone' is being used for tablet Wi‑Fi in the field and that appraisers have variable needs for mobile devices; commissioners discussed those charges and agreed to monitor the lines as assessments are mailed this week.
Why it matters: Certification and travel expenses are operational costs that affect the assessor’s ability to maintain certified staff and meet statutory appraisal schedules; commissioners indicated they would accommodate reasonable reallocations during the budget process.
