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Multiple Deuel County landowners seek 2025 valuations citing drought hardship; assessor recommends no land-value changes
Summary
Several Deuel County landowners told the Board of Equalization they experienced hardship from limited moisture and asked that their 2026 valuations be reverted to 2025 levels; county assessor cited a sales study and recommended no change in land values.
Three protests filed by Colette M. Chiesa and separate protests by Margo Wilder and Phillip Bartle centered on drought-related hardship and requests that 2026 valuations be reverted to 2025 levels. Colette M. Chiesa, appearing via Zoom, "requested the value go back to 2025 valuation due to hardship from the limited moisture/drought." The complainants asked the board to consider drought impacts on comparable sales and valuations.
County Assessor Michele Bartlett told the board the assessor’s office reviewed the county sales study and recommended no change in land values for the protested dry-land parcels. Bartlett reported that, of 48 sales in the study period, 30 were dry-land sales with per-acre sales ranging from $827 to $2,674 and noted the county meets the State's 72% statutory level of compliance. The board took testimony but deferred final decisions to the Board of Equalization meeting on July 21, 2026.
