Larry Crooks will stay on as the Scurry County Appraisal District (SCAD) chief appraiser, on an interim basis.
During today’s meeting, the board of directors approved naming Crooks as the interim director while a search for his replacement is underway. Crooks had planned to retire at the end of the month, but said he would be willing to serve as the interim chief. The board discussed the opening during a 43-minute closed session, which also included a discussion on the litigation involving Kinder Morgan mineral values.
However, if Crooks had to leave at some point during the search, Assistant Chief Appraiser Toni Shields would take over on an interim basis. The board, in one motion, voted to name Crooks as the interim and Shields as his replacement if Crooks left.
The board also approved advertising for the position for 30 days. Information has been sent to each county appraisal district in the state and the job is posted on the Texas Association of Appraisal District’s website.
“I want to thank Mr. Crooks for sticking around another month. I know he was looking forward to retirement,” board member Jerry Boyd said.
During the public comments portion of the meeting, Bob McCarter asked about the voting process to replace Thomas Y. Pickett and Company as the mineral appraisal firm.
“Mr. Crooks sent out a survey and all were returned but four,” he said.
While pointing to Cogdell Memorial Hospital CEO Ella Helms and Western Texas College President Dr. Barbara Beebe said, “You, you, the county and (Snyder ISD Superintendent Dr. Eddie) Bland did not have the courtesy or decency to return the survey. Does the majority rule or does the one that pays the most money (to fund SCAD) override everyone else?” he asked. “This is going to effect me in Mitchell County and Scurry County. Colorado City (ISD) said keep the appraisal we got. Five said to keep it and four said nothing.”
Crooks said the Scurry County Hospital District did return the survey and pointed out that the four entities McCarter mentioned have publicly said Pickett needs to be replaced.
As for the voting method, Crooks said each entity has a voice and it is not based on the “tax levy.”
“The smaller ones have the same vote as the larger ones,” Crooks said.
The board voted last week to seek bids for mineral appraisal firms. The deadline for companies to submit proposals is 5 p.m. Oct. 5, Shields said. Officials from Capital Appraisals are scheduled to meet with SCAD officials this afternoon.
Crooks also reported that the district has spent $38,919 in attorney fees so far this year on litigation filed against it by the four taxing entities, as well as Walmart and CT Land and Cattle. Of that amount, $21,336 has been paid to Kirk Swinney in connection with the taxing entity lawsuit.
When asked how the board would pay for attorney fees after the budgeted amount is reached in 2019, board chairman Fred Cross said money would be pulled from reserves. So far in 2018, the district is $19,419 over budget on attorney fees. The 2018 budget included $19,500 for attorney fees and Appraisal Review Board expenses while the 2019 budget, which was approved today, had the same amount.
Crooks said the entities’ litigation has caused an increased workload on employees. He said Brent Lemon, the attorney representing the four entities, has continued to request information, sometimes in duplicate.
“This is taking a big portion of (administrative assistant) Dalinda’s (Roberts) time,” Crooks said. “It would be nice to be able to work. This is an enormous amount of work to do (gathering information) and is causing some problems in our office and expenses.”
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