BOE decides against sustaining appeal to reduce assessment

The Phelps County Board of Equalization (BOE) decided against sustaining an appeal by the owners of Family Fitness, a Rolla business, to reduce their business’ personal property assessment; the BOE rendered a unanimous decision on Thursday to uphold the original assessed value of the business’ equipment.

   The Board of Equalization (BOE) based its unanimous decision upon finding the owners had provided an insufficient list of business equipment.

   Family Fitness Owners Smith and Connie Gaddy, whose business is located at 605 West 8th Street in Rolla, appeared before the BOE to present their appeal on July 17.  The Gaddys appealed an assessment of $7,000 on their business’ personal property and asked for the assessment to be reduced to $1,500.

   The BOE requested a list of business equipment at that time, and although a new list was forwarded to the board by the Gaddys, the board found the list contained insufficient information.

  The Gaddys originally filed the assessment appeal with the BOE on June 20 stating the nature of the appeal lay in the fact that their assessment increased from $1,800 in 2007 to $7,000 in 2008.

   Phelps County Assessor Kevin Rasmussen told the BOE that four, previous attempts had been initiated by the assessor’s office to obtain a list of the business’ equipment, without success.

   “If a full accounting of the tangible personal property assets are not produced to the Board’s satisfaction, then the Board either needs to decide what assessment value is fair, or this Board should make an appointment to visit the facility to inventory the assets for amount and value,” Rasmussen informed the BOE.

   After the BOE’s decision to let stand the original assessment, the board adjourned.

   Rasmussen said no further appeals were pending.

   The voting members of the BOE included Presiding Commissioner Randy Verkamp, Commissioner District 1 Larry Stratman, Commissioner District 2 Bud Dean, Kent Mace, owner of Elgin Surveying & Engineering, Gene Gaddy, semi-retired, former banker and consultant to Town & Country Bank, and Harold Bennish, retired engineer contractor.

   Other county government business conducted at the Monthly Officials’ Meeting on Thursday in the Commission chambers at the courthouse included the following items:

   • Verkamp said the Commission had received many calls from Phelps County citizens relaying their concerns about the proposed Enhanced Enterprise Zone (EEZ), a collaborative effort by the cities of Rolla and St. James to designate a contiguous portion of land between and in both cities as an Enterprise Zone.

   The purpose of an Enterprise Zone is to entice businesses to either relocate or expand within the zone.  Enticements include tax incentives or abatements, the sole purpose of which is to add jobs to the community.

   Verkamp said the majority of concerns expressed by residents related to the large geographical “census blocks,” which, although necessary to define the EEZ geographical area, include a large segment of the county beyond the frontage of Interstate 44.

   “The folks who live in the country live there for a reason — solitude,” Verkamp said.

   The Commission declined making a commitment whether it will endorse or reject the proposed EEZ, and Verkamp said it will wait to make a decision until the cities of St. James and Rolla explore the option of applying for two, distinctly separate enterprize zones within their own cities.

   • Circuit Clerk Sue Brown informed officials that Sept. 9 has been designated “Beautification Night” by the Tour of Missouri Local Organizing Committees.

   Each member is assigned a section of the city to clean, in preparation for the premier cycling event that passes through Rolla and St. James on Sept. 11 and 12.

   Brown asked for volunteers to help with the clean-up.

   Commissioner Stratman advised everyone that St. James still needs hundreds of volunteers to assist with the event.

   • County Clerk Carol Bennett reminded everyone that the Primary Election is Aug. 5.
   Sample ballots are available in the county clerk’s office, Bennett said.

   • Director of Retired Senior Volunteers Program Julie MacCash announced a fundraiser for RSVP — a pancake breakfast — was planned from 8-to-10 a.m. Aug. 16 at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar in Rolla.

   • The Commission approved paying an invoice of $625 to the Rolla law firm of Steelman, Gaunt & Horsefield for providing special prosecutor services for one case to the county.

   • Jerome resident Ollie Biermann sought the Commission’s help with a neighbor who, he claimed, had cut flowers he planted alongside a road, shoved his mailbox against a post and removed all the stones he placed on the sides of the road to keep the dirt from washing away.

   Biermann said, “My wife and I are almost afraid to walk out of the house.  He’s trying to aggravate me so much, hoping I’ll do something wrong.  I’m here so nothing serious happens to me and my wife.”

   Commissioner Dean explained to Biermann that the Commission had only given the neighbor permission to cut down 2-to-3 trees so he could build a new driveway.  Moreover, Dean said, the Commission could not deny the neighbor access to the road.

   “The only thing we can do, Ollie, is to tell him he can’t disturb anything on county roads, but he can do what he wants on his own property,” Dean said.

   Biermann answered, “There was peace in the valley until they moved here.  They closed a road I had driven on for 50 years.  All I want to do is live the few years I have left, and I don’t want anyone to badger me.”