S41700April 17, 2000
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in special session at 6:30 p.m. in the Commissioners
Meeting Room, County Office Building, 725 McDowell Rd., Asheboro, for a duly advertised public hearing
on the schedule of values for the upcoming revaluation. Commissioners Kemp, Frye, Mason, Holmes and
Davis were present.
Chairman Phil Kemp welcomed everyone, opened the public hearing and turned the meeting over to Ben
Chavis, Tax Supervisor.
Ben Chavis presented the schedule of values to the commissioners. (This schedule has been and continues
to be available to the public for viewing in the Tax Department.) Mr. Chavis explained that the revaluation
will be effective January 1, 2001, with the new values on tax bills that will be mailed July 2001. He gave a
PowerPoint presentation explaining what a revaluation is and why and how it is done. The following are
some points of interest:
• Revaluation is done to determine market value on property, to more evenly distribute real and personal
property values and because state law requires it.
• Revaluation is NOT about raising taxes.
• Sales assessment ratios indicate that current market values are at 64% as compared to 1993's revaluation
figures with values declining at an approximate rate of 5% per year.
• Every parcel of property in Randolph County will or has already received an on-site review. (50% of
property has already been visited.)
• There are 3 types of valuation methods: Market Approach, Cost Approach, and Income Approach.
Mr. Chavis discussed the appeals process. A citizen's first line of appeal is to the Tax Department staff.
If the citizen is not satisfied at this level, he then can appeal to the Randolph County Equalization and Review
Board which has been appointed by the Randolph County Board of Commissioners. The last level of appeal
is a formal hearing with the North Carolina Property Tax Commission.
Mr. Chavis introduced the appraisal staff who are all Randolph County citizens, remarking that this is
Randolph County's first ever complete in-house revaluation. The appraisers are Debra Hill, Revaluation
Coordinator; Mark Frick; Kent Strickland; Chuck Husband; B. J. Pittman; Eric Cranford; and Macky Garner.
An unidentified citizen asked if gun clubs or shooting ranges built in a neighborhood would affect
property values. Mr. Chavis responded by saying that these could have an effect on values.
Hal Powell praised the Tax Department on the quality and accuracy of information it provides to the
public.
Chairman Kemp inquired about the cost of going to a 4 -year revaluation cycle instead of an 8 -year cycle.
Mr. Chavis said that due to Randolph County's rapid rate of growth and the fact that an expert appraisal
staff is already in place it would be an advantage to go to a 4 -year cycle and would eliminate some of the
"sticker shock" of the size of increase resulting from waiting 8 years.
Darrell Frye stated that currently personal property owners are shouldering a heavier burden of the tax
load because their values are revaluated every year as opposed to real property owners whose property is
revaluated every 8 years.
Mr. Frye asked about improvements in valuing commercial property. Mr. Chavis responded by saying
that the County had some problems in 1993 because we used an outside appraiser. Now we have Mark Frick
on staff whose expertise lies in commercial and industrial appraisals. Mr. Kemp praised Mr. Frick for his
academic achievements in the commercial appraisal area.
Mr. Chavis mentioned that he has diligently tried to educate Randolph County citizens about the
upcoming revaluation via presentations to civic and social groups, and gave special credit to the news media
for their publicity in this area.
Mr. Kemp stated that a 4 -year cycle would especially benefit the elderly because the valuation increase
resulting from an 8 -year wait can be devastating to many of the elderly on fixed budgets.
Chairman Kemp asked if anyone from the public had any questions or comments and no one spoke. Mr.
Kemp thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting at 7:28 p.m.
Phil Kemp, Chairman
Harold Holmes
Robert Mason
Darrell L. Frye
Robert Davis
Cheryl Ivey, Deputy Clerk to the Board