Green Garden Township Assessor’s May 2021 Report For review at June 14, 2021 Township meeting

Jane Bushong, CIAO Assessor, Green Garden Township

On-going, standard Assessor tasks/projects

• Appraiser, Real Estate, attorney, county and resident requests.
• Visit new construction sites to apply assessed values as soon as occupancy is complete.
• Data entry into PAMS system: property record card information, Sales, Permits, Appeals, photos, exemption paperwork, correspondence, new construction drawings and inquiries into PAMS. Change assessments in 2021 as necessary.
• Respond and research remaining Soft Appeals.
• Commercial / Industrial property assessment work and comparables
• Sub division comparable reports created & maintained
• Land AV comparable reports created & maintained

May tasks

• Assessor Staff assistance

Interviewed CIAO designated person yet needs 30-40 hours per week. Also, without an Assessor’s office, she can not fully perform all necessary tasks due to remote access.

Hired additional contracted part time assistant for remote tasks. Priority is Five Oaks yet will eventually work on other areas as well. Still training. Both contracted part time assistants are sharing access at this time.

• 2021 Field work preparation and staff

At this time there are at least 50-100 properties, most newer home construction which need complete field checks: measurements, drawings, photos, data entry into PAMS and PAMS Draw. For many of the larger homes, total hours per property is around 4 hours.

Interviewing field staff personnel – college students with architectural related studies.

Five Oaks subdivision

• There is a great deal of assessment work to be completed in the Five Oaks subdivision. A great deal of time was spent in May and going into June, making assessment adjustments and assessing new structures. Completed extensive spreadsheets with all Five Oaks properties to ensure all are equitable and adjustments made where necessary. Once completed, this are will generate more tax revenue than in the past.

Assessment revisions

• Between May & June, over 100 property residential assessment revisions were processed. The majority of these were either well underassessed or usage changed (no longer being farmed – changed to residential).

Reminder to Board of Trustees

The Assessors’ office continues to lack resources to ensure all properties are equally and adequately assessed.

Remote access has extreme limitations for any staff hired to assist.

Statute 35 ILCS 200/2-80 states: The township board shall provide the office and storage space, equipment, office supplies, deputies and clerical personnel, and other items as necessary for the efficient operation of the Assessor’s office.

When properties are not assessed adequately or equally, it not only prevents adequate funds from being received by each taxing body yet is also generates a great deal of unnecessary inquiries, appeals and frustration to all involved.

Cemetery Board

• I would like to request that a Green Garden Township Cemetery Board be created which will ensure any public cemeteries are properly cared for, such as Union Cemetery.