By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Groveland Twp. — On Monday night the Groveland Township Board of Trustees voted 5-0 to contract with Ortonville-based Thompson Property Tax Consulting for the township’s property assessment.
The shift from the Oakland County assessment contract was prompted recently when the Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted for an increase in fees for the service effective July 1 when their contract expires. The move will impact the 32 communities, including Groveland with county contracts.
“I’m glad we jumped on the wagon, because there are a lot of municipalities that are trying to figure out what to do,” said Kevin Scramlin, Groveland township supervisor.
Currently the township is charged $43,723 per year for assessing, under the new contract with the county that amount will jump to $64,055 the first year, then $84,690 in the second and $111,973 in the third year. The total over the next three years will be $260,178.
Thompson’s rates are $50,400 the first year, $52,920 the second year and $55,560 for the third year of the contract. The total contract will be $158,880. Thompson’s would save the township $101, 298 over the three year contract. Thompson Property also does the assessing for Atlas and Brandon townships.
Jayson Rumball, Brandon Township supervisor said they have been working with Thompson for several years.
“Thompson has been excellent to work with over the past years,” he said.
Brandon has about 6,000 parcels at a cost of about $65,000 per year.
A second assessing proposal was received from Fenton based Legacy Assessing Services at a cost of $173,000.
According to the County Equalization Division, Groveland Township has 2,695 parcels charged $16.22 per property. In comparison, Rose Township 3,354 parcels at $17.42 per and Holly Township 5,251 parcels at $17.48 per property.
At the May 1 county commissioners meeting, the county board voted 10-9 for a standard contract and rate for real and personal property assessment administration services for county communities. The vote stayed along party lines with all but two Democrats, Commissioner 19th District Charlie Cavell, majority caucus vice chair and Commissioner 10th District Kristen Nelson joining Republicans and voting no.
Commissioner 7th District Robert Hoffman (R), who serves Brandon, Groveland, Holly, Rose and Springfield townships along with the City of Fenton within Oakland County voted no.
“The county does not think their costs for assessing are covered,” said Hoffman. “They don’t communicate very well, this decision is last minute.”
“These municipalities are going to leave (the county assessing) and they are not going to come back,” Hoffman said prior to the vote. “These are our customers, it’s no way to treat them. We need a closer look. How is it that a private contractor can do (assessing) at half what we are proposing at the county? If we are competing with them we are going to loose customers. If our costs are too high to do business, we need to cut costs.”
Commissioner 19th District Gwen Markham (D) supported the hike.
“As chair of the finance committee it is my job to make sure our budget matches our expenses,” she said. “No one can tell me how the (assessing) rates we currently have are so different. We are trying to get this back to where people are paying for the services they are getting. There are communities paying $44 today for assessing. This ideal where we are going to lose to cheaper assessors does not wash with me.”
Township Clerk Jenell Keller said there will be additional fees when shifting from the county assessing.