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Finance committee approves four-year renewal with Accurate for commercial appraisals
Summary
The Waukesha City Finance Committee approved a four-year renewal with contractor Accurate to perform commercial appraisal work covering 2027–2030, changing the revaluation schedule to one revaluation within four years and saving the city about $16,000 annually, officials said.
The Waukesha City Finance Committee on Jan. 27 approved a four-year renewal with appraisal contractor Accurate to perform commercial appraisal work for assessment years 2027 through 2030.
Sam Walker, the city assessor, told the committee the current contract covered 2025–2026 and that the proposed extension would lengthen the contract and change the revaluation cycle so the city would perform one revaluation over the four-year term rather than two separate biannual revaluations. "This would actually extend it out to a 4 year contract ... and change the reevaluation cycle, so we would only be doing 1 reevaluation in that 4 years as opposed to 2," Walker said.
Walker said the change is intended to provide flexibility: if market conditions warrant, the city could still perform a revaluation sooner than four years, but the proposal avoids a rigid two-year schedule. He said the four-year approach would reduce the city's annual contract cost by about $16,000. Committee members pressed that the schedule remain responsive to market conditions.
Alderperson Helbing Slavin asked whether the city was abandoning a two-year cadence; Walker replied it is a flexible approach rather than a permanent rule. Oliver Semonke asked whether Accurate would assist if a property owner sued over a valuation; Walker said Accurate performs appraisal work up to the point of litigation and the city's insurance counsel (historically Amy Seibel) would handle circuit court actions, with Accurate providing supporting data and records.
Alderperson Helbing Slavin moved to approve renewing the contract with Accurate for assessment years 2027–2030 as presented; the motion was seconded and the committee approved it by voice vote.
The assessor said the city began contracting commercial appraisal work after its prior commercial appraiser retired in 2024 and recruitment attempts were unsuccessful. Walker characterized the contractor's service as satisfactory to date and recommended continuing the arrangement. The contract change and revaluation timing will be reflected in the assessor's schedule for upcoming tax administration work.
