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Hillsdale Board of Review re-elects Kerry Laycock as chair; Becki Jaeger remains secretary
Summary
At its March 3, 2026 organizational meeting the Hillsdale Board of Review re-elected D. Kerry Laycock as chair and retained Becki Jaeger as secretary, reviewed assessor training and formalized procedures governing appeals and FOIA handling ahead of multi-day taxpayer hearings.
The Hillsdale Board of Review met March 3, 2026 for its annual organizational meeting and voted to retain D. Kerry Laycock as chair and Becki Jaeger as secretary through December. The motion to keep Kerry and Becki in their roles was moved and supported by board members and passed unanimously.
Assessor Kimberly Thomas presented the required Assessing District Board of Review training paperwork (Form 5731) and updated the board that this is a non-audit year. Thomas also reported three open appeals at the Michigan Tax Tribunal and State Tax Commission. The board approved the organizational agenda and recorded that State Tax Commission bulletins and guidelines were emailed to Kerry and Becki; Anthony "Tony" Vear said he does not have a computer to receive documents electronically.
The meeting included a detailed review of taxpayer appeal procedures. The board covered quorum rules (minimum two members to constitute a quorum), the assessor’s responsibilities during appeals (administrative support and provision of property record cards), and the requirement that petitioners complete form L-4035 as the record of their appeal. The board reviewed guidance that the local BOR’s work does not qualify for closed sessions under the Open Meetings Act and reminded petitioners that documents submitted to the BOR are subject to FOIA and should be redacted by the filer if they contain sensitive information.
Board members also discussed logistics for in-person appeals — recommended 15-minute appointment blocks, check-in procedures, and how walk-ins are handled — and protocol for written petitions, including the assessor’s role in presenting submitted materials and the BOR’s authority to request additional documentation or to table matters for later consideration.
The meeting recessed after procedural business to prepare for the scheduled taxpayer hearings beginning March 9. The board set follow-up hearing dates and confirmed procedures for recording and publishing corrections to the assessment roll.
