After hearing from three mineral appraisal firms, the Scurry County Appraisal District board of directors was asked not to bow to pressure from the taxing entities.
Representatives from Thomas Y. Pickett and Company, Capital Appraisal Group and Pritchard and Abbott, Inc., discussed their services during today’s board meeting. Directors are scheduled to meet next Thursday to select a firm to conduct appraisals for 2019 and 2020.
Capital Appraisals had the lowest bid at $105,900 followed by Pickett at $109,000 and Pritchard and Abbott at $115,000.
After the presentations, Deputy Chief Appraiser Toni Shields asked to speak about the situation.
“We are here because Pickett made a mistake (a clerical error entering mineral values in 2016),” she said. “I know the board is being pressured from the outside from the taxing entities to make a change. We want to work with our taxing entities. But I would not tell (Snyder ISD Superintendent) Dr. (Eddie) Bland how to run his schools. I would not tell Mrs. (Cogdell Memorial Hospital CEO Ella) Helms how to run the hospital. And I would not tell (Western Texas College President) Dr. (Barbara) Beebe how to run her college. I don’t understand what makes them think they can come in and tell us how to run this office.”
Shields said the board needs to consider more than Pickett’s mistake. She said the district has a long history with the company, and that each firm that presented information today has made mistakes.
She said the district’s employees and Pickett work to make sure taxpayer questions are answered in a timely manner.
“If we change, we could lose all of that,” Shields said.
Scurry County Tax Assessor/Collector Jana Young said she has not seen any issues getting updated information since Pickett took over the mineral ownership records. The local appraisal district still has access to the information and can make changes.
Shields also said Snyder ISD’s board of trustees declined to accept terms of a proposal to have Kinder Morgan values re-appraised through a third-party appraiser.
Shields said Bland said it would “not be in the best interest of the taxpayers.”
“We want to do what is best for the taxpayers of Scurry County and this office. The only reason we are (hearing proposals) is because of the mistake,” she said.
Young said the other two companies had made mistakes, “some of them bigger.”
“(Pickett) came back and made good about their mistake the best they could,” she said of the settlement agreements reached with Snyder ISD, the hospital district and the college.
“It is almost like Pickett was found guilty and not have (the opportunity) to prove their innocence,” Shields said.
The company’s presentations centered on what they could each offer the district.
Michael Parks said Pickett has been working with Scurry County since 1949 and they work to provide “fair and uniform values.”
“We understand what it takes to get the job done,” he said.
When asked about the clerical error made in 2016, Parks said steps have been put into place to limit errors, but said the company cannot guarantee perfection.
Kenneth Hitt said Capital Appraisal has 46 clients in Texas and has helped companies find properties that are not on the tax roll.
“We want to make sure you will have timely information in your system,” he said.
Greg Davis said Capital has software to help find errors in values.
Rodney Kret of Pritchard and Abbott said if his firm is selected the appraisal district will have a team from regional offices to work with, including Amarillo and San Angelo.
He touted his company’s work with oil-producing counties.
“You have to be on your toes when performing mineral appraisals,” he said. “I think we have some of the best tools available to perform appraisals.”
Prior to the presentations, the board held a closed session to conduct one of two interviews for the chief appraiser position. At press time, the board was conducting the second interview.
Board chairman Fred Cross said directors may name the new chief appraiser during next Thursday’s meeting.
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