Commission postpones decision on 2nd Street Daycare reappraisal after owner describes financial strain

Park County commissioners on Aug. 7 postponed a decision on whether to adjust tax billing after a Department of Revenue reappraisal of the 2nd Street building. Commissioners asked staff to obtain the DOR determination letter and return at the next meeting.

A staff member told the commission the matter has been delayed for years because required filings from 2020 were lost and DOR staff turnover left the case unresolved. The staff member said a DOR notice (AB26) was not processed in a timely manner and the regional manager told staff the department would not "go back on nothing," leaving the property owner with an unresolved bill and accrued interest.

The property representative described a sharp rise in assessed value after renovations. "So it went from 6 to 7 to 18,000, and I'm like, this is crazy," the presenter said, describing how an appraiser increased the building's assessed value after a renovation. The speaker said rental income for the building was about $36,000 a year while insurance and utilities each run roughly $10,000 annually, and that the increased tax burden left the property with little net income.

Staff said the county cannot change its records until it receives a DOR determination letter that documents the corrected valuation. The presenter asked the commission to remove penalties and interest (about $6,500) that accrued while DOR reviews and internal paperwork delays persisted.

A committee member moved to postpone consideration until the next Tuesday so staff can secure the DOR determination letter and clarify the amounts owed; the motion carried. The commission did not take final action on the penalty or interest waiver during the meeting.