Assessment contract for $46,500 annually

BY KEVIN BONESKE

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

The Rhinelander City Council has approved a new appraisal firm for at least the next three years.

At a special meeting Wednesday, council members voted to enter into a three-year contract with Associated Appraisal Consultants, Inc., with an optional two-year extension contingent upon both parties agreeing.

Under the contract terms, which will cover the years 2017-19 with an option for an extension through 2021, the city will pay the assessor $46,500 annually for “maintenance services.” If the city would opt to have a full revaluation in 2017 or 2018, the annual charge would be $205,000, which would include the maintenance services.

Alderman Mark Pelletier, who chairs the city’s Finance Committee, said another company that made a presentation to provide assessment services for the city, Summit, withdrew its bid.

“This is the one (Associated Appraisal Consultants) that I guess you could say was left standing,” said Pelletier, who also noted the city could have gotten one more year from Peterson Appraisals, which would not be available in future years with the individual handling the city’s assessment services planning to retire.

Pelletier also called Associated Appraisal Consultants “very professional, 21^st Century.”

“A lot of bang for our buck,” added alderman Tom Gleason.

Upon be awarded the contract, city clerk Val Foley said Associated Appraisal Consultants will immediately be working on determining the personal property value of mobile homes located in parks in the city, so that statements can be sent out to the mobile home owners.

The City Council held off on an option with the contract to post the city’s assessment data on the company’s website for a fee of a penny and a half per parcel per month, which would be payable to a third-party vendor. Council members decided to have Foley look at the data already posted on the company’s website for other municipalities and come back with a recommendation next month as to whether that would be beneficial to have for Rhinelander.