Township assessor opts out of contract, county extends offer for services through Land Records

The townships of Clinton, Magnolia, Mound, Springwater and Vienna are without assessor services following Joyce Schmidt’s sudden non-renewal of her contract.
She told township supervisors in a July 27 letter that she won’t extend her 2024 assessing services due to unforeseen medical concerns in her family.
“It would be my suggestion that you reach out to the Rock County Assessor’s Office to see what options are available to your township,” Schmidt wrote.
At their meeting Tuesday morning, Aug. 8, the Rock County commissioners accepted Land Records Office Director Rachel Jacobs’ suggestion to offer three-year contracts with Rock County to each of the five townships.
“They are up in the air,” Jacobs said of the affected townships. “They have 90 days to find and fill the assessor position, but really we are the only local assessor around here except for Tom (Houselog).”
Former Rock County Land Records Director Tom Houselog is an independent assessor in Pipestone County, but the five Rock County townships are unlikely to contract for his services.
“Because the whole reason they didn’t come to the county in the first place five years ago is because they didn’t agree with Tom,” Jacobs said.
Assessing contractors must have an Accredited Minnesota Assessor license, according to a mandate that became effective in 2022.
The five townships opted not to contract with Rock County in 2017, when independent property assessor Pete Jessen stepped down as assessor for the city of Beaver Creek and 11 Rock County townships.
Everyone but Clinton, Magnolia, Mound, Springwater and Vienna townships opted to contract with Rock County.
These townships signed a three-year contract with Schmidt at a higher rate of $14 per parcel. With Rock County, the same services were $12 per parcel.
At Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners considered offering the five townships an assessing contract at the $14-per-parcel rate, the same rate they were paying.
“I have a difficult time dropping that rate down to $12 when they are used to paying $14,” said Commissioner Greg Burger.
After initially supporting developing a two-tier fee system, commissioners decided a single fee system for all the townships was a fair and equitable option.
Commissioner Sherri Thompson made a motion to extend an offer of three-year contracts of $12 per parcel (plus 3-percent increases after the initial year) to the affected townships starting in 2024.
Burger seconded the motion.
“We want to be good neighbors and fix the relationship with your office and these other townships. You’re (Jacobs) being proactive in your offer,” Thompson said.
Commissioners, in a 4-0 vote, accepted Jacobs’ recommendation that all township assessing contracts have the same fee schedules. Commissioner Jody Reisch was absent.
Township supervisors can choose to accept the assessment contract with Rock County or make an agreement with another licensed assessor
Because the townships of Clinton, Magnolia, Mound, Springwater and Vienna are without assessor services, these supervisors have 90 days from July 27 to choose an assessor.
If one is not chosen by the supervisors, the county auditor will appoint an assessor.