Linn County appraiser seeks bids to outsource change‑of‑value mailings, flags need for better permit system

Lisa Kela, Linn County’s appraiser, told the board she has solicited three bids to outsource the annual change‑of‑value notice (CVN) mailing and is leaning toward using a vendor that can verify addresses and mail at bulk rates. Kela said in‑house mailings cost the county about $16,000–$19,000 when labor, supplies and postage are included, and that one vendor indicated it could save roughly $5,000–$7,000 through bulk postage and address‑verification services.

Kela said she met the vendor on Zoom and that the vendor works with a national address‑verification service, which could reduce time staff spend chasing missing addresses. She noted some counties are experimenting with email distribution of notices but said Linn County is not ready for that approach because many residents do not have reliable email addresses on file.

Kela also flagged the county’s building‑permit system as a concern: she said field staff frequently find work that was never permitted and that the county needs a better permit accounting system to reduce legal risk as state laws change. She asked the board for notice that she is pursuing bids and for guidance before signing any contract.

Why it matters: outsourcing CVN mailings could reduce costs and staff time and improve address accuracy for tax notices; improving permit tracking could reduce future liability and ensure compliance with upcoming rules.

Quotes from the meeting: “It’s costing us about 16 to 19,000 with employees and supplies and postage to mail,” Lisa Kela said. “One company can save us about six to 7,000 just because that’s all they do.”

What’s next: Kela said she will continue evaluating bids, confirm any contract details with the treasurer’s office, and return to the board before signing a contract. She will also continue work on a plan to improve permit accounting and report back with options.