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Board lowers Beast Buffet's assessment to match city's commercial average
Summary
After hearing testimony and reviewing comparables, the City of Monroe Board of Review voted to lower the Beast Buffet commercial assessment to roughly $446,700, aligning it with the citywide commercial average increase (11.4%). The decision followed argument over late filing and choice of comparables.
The City of Monroe Board of Review voted to adjust the 2024 assessed value for Beast Buffet to approximately $446,700, a change the board said reflects the citywide commercial average increase.
Amanda Fields, the property owners' attorney, told the board Beast Buffet's 2024 assessed value was $481,200, an $80,200 increase from 2023, and provided a packet of commercial comparables she said supported a substantially lower opinion of value. "The Beast Buffet Building has gone up significantly in the past 2 years," Fields said, adding the owner's opinion of value is about "$370,000." Fields also explained a delayed mailing and an agent on vacation contributed to a late notice of intent to file.
Assessor Brandon Roush testified the assessor's office relies on 2023 sales and dollar-per-square-foot analysis; he said some listed sales from early 2024 cannot be used in the 2024 assessment period. "Utilizing [the comparables] as comparables, it does support the assessed value by a dollar per square foot basis," Roush said, while acknowledging he would schedule a physical inspection for next year to verify condition and square footage.
After discussion about precedent for hearing late filings, a board member moved to apply the citywide commercial average increase (11.4%) as a compromise calculation. The motion set the new assessed value near $446,714; the assessor noted a required rounding and recorded the working figure as $446,700. The board approved the motion by roll call: Mayor Douglas (aye), Alder Tollman (aye), Alderman Miller (aye) and Clark Wall (aye).
The board directed the assessor to consider a physical inspection for the property during the 2025 cycle and the clerk said notice of the determination would be emailed to the attorney representing the owner.
