Commissioners debate taxpayer-advocate role and consider state-led appraisal reforms; staff to convene South Central delegation

Brent Shelton, deputy chief financial officer, briefed the commission on recurring questions about a taxpayer-advocate position and outlined five themes: scope of work, logistics (employee versus contract), timing in appeals, conflict-of-interest avoidance, and reporting structure.

Brent said one option is a contract with an independent firm rather than a county employee to reduce conflict concerns and to scale for concentrated appeal seasons. "One of the ideas that came up was maybe this is a contract with a firm rather than a position," he said, adding that an outside contractor could be scaled for peak demand.

Commissioners debated the trade-offs. Some said an in-house advocate risks conflict if the county funds someone who might later testify against county positions; others said a local advocate could provide visible assistance for taxpayers who find appeals confusing. One commissioner suggested taking the issue to the state: "I would love for Sedgwick County to lead on that, to actually write strategic proposals and write statute and actually try to rally support from legislators," he said, arguing state reform would address systemic causes rather than local Band-Aids.

County appraiser Deanna Aspidon told the commission that the Property Valuation Division (PVD) sets valuation rules and that the county must follow those regulations. She clarified state practice on comparables: a minimum of five comparable sales is standard, while industry guidance sometimes treats 15 sales as a more "adequate" sample to describe market conditions. Deanna also said sales data access is restricted and that staff can assist residents who report trouble accessing comparables.

Staff raised the logistical and cost hurdles of reinstating a hearing-officer panel: Brent said a hearing-officer program disbanded in 2005 because it added complexity and cost, and estimated the recurring cost for training, staffing and pay could approach $750,000 annually. He also noted statutory requirements, scheduling burdens for the county clerk’s office, and training limitations because PVD no longer routinely offers the specialized class to certify hearing officers.

Outcome and next steps: commissioners asked staff to convene a roundtable with the South Central legislative delegation to explore state-level reform and to compile a list of appraisal and property-tax issues the county would raise. The commission did not adopt a budget item for a taxpayer-advocate at the meeting.