E&R 1984-04-16
4
MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND REVIEW MEETING - APRIL
16, 1984
OATH OF OFFICE
Ms. Phyllis J. Novak, Assistant Clerk of Court of New
Hanover County, administered the sworn oath to the members of the
1984 Board of Equalization and Review.
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
Commissioner O'Shields MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner
Barfield to elect Commissioner Gottovi as Chairman of the 1984
Board of Equalization and Review. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED
UNANIMOUSLY.
ASSEMBLY
Chairman Gottovi called the meeting to order at 11: 09
o'clock A.M. The following members were present:
Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Sr.
Commissioner Donald P. Blake
Chairman Karen E. Gottovi
Commissioner Nolan O'Neal
Commissioner Claud O'Shields, Jr.
PUBLIC HEAR1NG
Notice had been given that a Public Hearing would be held by
the Board of Equalization and Review on Monday, April 16, 1984,
at 10:00 o'clock a.m. in the Assembly Room located in the New
Hanover County Administration Building, 320 Chestnut street,
Wilmington, North Carolina, to examine and review the tax list of
the County and hear any taxpayer who owns or controls property
taxable in the County with respect to the listing or appraisal of
his property or the property of others.
Chairman Gottovi asked if anyone present wished to speak to
the Board on the appraisal of their property. The followinq
person commented:
Attorney Algernon L. Butler, Jr., appeared before the
Commissioners on behalf of himself and residents of the Masonboro
Sound Area, requestinq an explanation of an off-year evaluation
of his property located at 529 Masonboro Sound Road. He stated a
letter was mailed from the Tax Office in July, 1982, notifying
him of the reappraisal requesting review for any errors or
inconsistencies. He questioned the value assigned to 3.36 acres
contacting Mr. Judkins, the appraiser, who explained the base
figure of $20,000 per acre was used in computing the value of his
real property. Mr. Butler stated this represented an increase in
excess of 200%. Mr. Butler stated he was willing to accept this~
however, a year later he was told that a clerical error had been
made in the computation stating the base value per acre should
have been $60,000 instead of $20,000 which represented an
increase in excess of 300% questioninq the legality of
reappraisals in an off-year.
5'"
I
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND REVIEW MEETING - APRIL 16, 1984
(CONTINUED)
Mr. Roland Register, Tax Administrator, stated that an error
had occurred in the computation of forty-six (46) parcelS along
the waterfront in the Masonboro Sound area and that according to
the General Statutes 105-287 the County has the legal right to
make this correction.
Mr. Jim Bethune explained to the best of his ability, how
this error occurred stating the unfairness of the appraisal with
the error in the computation in comparison to other waterfront
property appraisals in the county.
After a lengthy discussion with motions made and rejected,
Commissioner O'Shields MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner O'Neal to
uphold the tax office's right to correct the error made in the
reappraisals with notification to property owners reflecting the
correct value of their property with the right to appeal to the
E&R Board. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
I
Mr. Butler requested a hearing be held swearing in persons
involved from the Tax Office in order to ascertain if an error
had occurred stating that 23 property owners had attended the
meeting to express their concern.
After discussion, it was the consensus of the Board to
continue the hearing after lunch.
RECESS FOR LUNCH
Mr. Carlton Prickett, Attorney on behalf of the Kenans who
own property in the Masonboro Sound Area, requested the Board to
establish the fact that an error was actually made.
Chairman Gottovi asked any persons in the Assembly Room or
in the Tax Office wishing to give testimony to step forward to be
duly sworn in. The following persons were sworn in:
Mr. Roland Register
Mr. Jim Bethune
Mr. Joe Judkins
Attorney Algernon L. Butler, Jr.
Chairman Gottovi commented on the changes of personnel in
the Tax Department stating some questions would be very difficult
to answer with the absence of previous personnel involved in the
revaluation procedure.
I
Attorney Butler questioned Mr. Bethune extensively on how
the error occurred. Mr. Bethune gave an explanation of how the
raw data was improperly entered into the Data Processing System
stating he felt that an error was made in the computation.
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BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND REVIEW MEETING - APRIL 16, 1984
(CONTINUED)
After a lengthy period of questions and answers by Attorney
Butler and Jim Bethune, Chairman Gottovi requested Attorney
Butler to consider submitting further questions in writing to the
Tax Department with a written answer from the Tax Department.
After discussion, it was the consensus of the board and
agreeable with Attorney Butler to submit any further questions
in writing to the Tax Department with copies of these questions
and answers forwarded to the Board of Equalization and Review to
be heard at a later meeting if necessary.
Tax Administrator Register requested the questions be
submi tted to the Tax Department wi thin the next seven (7) days
and not seven (7) days before adjournment as requested by Mr.
Butler.
MEETING RECESSED AND CONTINUED UNTIL MAY 21, 1984
Chairman Gottovi recessed the meeting at 2: 35 o'clock p.m.
to be continued on May 21, 1984, at 10:00 o'clock A.M.
~e ectful1.YY. s sJo bmm~itted,
'if~
L '-e F. Smi th
Clerk
MINUTES OF CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING OF THE 1984 BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION AND REVIEW MEETING, MAY 21, 1984
ASSEMBLY
Chairman Gottovi called the Continued Meeting of the 1984
Board of Equalization and Review to order at 10:45 o'clock a.m.
The following members were present:
Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Sr.
Commissioner Donald P. Blake
Chairman Karen E. Gottovi
Commissioner Nolan O'Neal
Commissioner Claud O'Shields, Jr.
Chairman Gottovi opened the Public Hearing.
The following persons from the New Hanover County Tax Office
were sworn in:
Mr. Roland Register, Tax Administrator
Ms. Cheryl Roberts, Appraiser
Ms. Virginia Cumber, Appraiser
Mr. Adley Bass, Appraiser
Mr. Joe Judkins, Appraiser
Mr. Jim Bethune, Appraisal Supervisor