Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

County Real Estate To Be Reassessed

Members of the Nevada County Quorum Court heard a report from John Zimple of Little Rock concerning Act 758 of 1995, during its regular meeting Monday night at the Nevada County Courthouse.

Zimple told the JPs his office, the Assessment Coordination Division (ACD), was to audit counties to be sure current property assesments were on hand, and to offer special assistance to assesors.

He explained Act 758 requires all real estate be reviewed and revalued at least once every five years.

He said it has been 10 to 15 years since a review has been done. Zimple said the review would increase the county's revenue through tax collections of property, and for every $1 the county spent, they could expect $6 in return according to statewide averages.

It was hoped, Zimple said, that equal taxation would occur through the act, which affects all schools due to the same tax collection which benefits the county.

Currently the state is hoping to receive a three or five year plan for the evaluation or review.

The county was reassessed three to six years ago in a plan which the county's three school districts paid a portion of the fee.

Nevada County Tax Assessor Barbara Butler said her office was not seeking any budget increases at this time. It is expected one to two extra employees will be asked for in her office to implement the plan.

JPs approved an inter-local agreement between the City of Prescott and the county for sharing of radio dispatcher and jail duties.

The Prescott City Council approved the agreement at its meeting in September.

The JPs were informed by Nevada County Judge John William Barham concerning drug testing for all county employees with CDL licenses. The licenses are for workers who drive vehicles weighing more than 16,000 pounds.

The drug testing will be random and performed by Department of Transportation (DoT) officials.

DoT officials can give a test after stopping a driver on the side of the road ,or can pull social security numbers from the county's employee records and test those employees at their place of work.

JPs will be studying a completed audit before long.

Some of the JPs did not receive an audit while others did. The audit was tabled until all JPs had time to review it.

JPs also continued discussion this month on a computer system. Some county officials are planning to travel to two counties this week and look over their systems.

JPs were also informed a meeting between the hospital board and quorum court is in the works. They will be notified of a time and date later on.