Commissioners deny tax assessor’s request for three full-time hires

Tax Assessor-Collector Warren asked Potter County commissioners to approve a budget amendment and add three full-time employees to the motor-vehicle office to handle rising transaction volume and to pursue potential commercial fleet renewals. "We have a lot of demand that our staff just can't meet," Warren said, noting new revenue opportunities from fleet renewals and increased road-and-bridge and child-safety fee receipts.

County financial staff warned the hires would reduce the current contingency by roughly $121,000 this fiscal year and would commit about $162,000 annually going forward. "You're looking at reducing your contingency down to about $103,183," Brandon told the court, adding that the county may need to fund permanent positions with future tax-rate adjustments. Commissioners questioned training time, whether part-time hires could meet demand and urged benchmarking with other counties.

After discussion, Commissioner (11) moved to deny the request, a motion Commissioner (13) seconded. The court voted to deny the request; commissioners said the assessor's office may return during the next budget process with additional data and comparisons to other counties. The motion concluded without an immediate budget amendment; the assessor indicated he would return to request staffing during the regular budget cycle.