2023 Candidate Filings for Village of Trempealeau Offices

Village  of Trempealeau President
Jeff Barry

Incumbent Kurt Wood filed non-candidacy papers

Village  of Trempealeau Trustees (3 seats)

Incumbents

Peggy Sieger

Jeff Barry

New

Glenn Brommerich

Incumbent Jackie Pyka filed non-candidacy papers

As required by state law, the Village of Trempealeau will be undergoing a village-wide full exterior revaluation of all taxable property under Wisconsin Statutes 70.05.  The last time a revaluation was performed in the village was 8 years ago in 2015. To ensure that an accurate revaluation is performed, it will be necessary for the assessment staff to conduct an on-site exterior review of all homes and commercial buildings within the village limits. Each appraiser will carry a letter of identification from the Village of Trempealeau and a name badge identifying them.  If you have concerns about the person at your door, please call the Village Hall at 608-534-6434.

Bowmar Appraisal, Inc., a private assessment firm from Eau Claire, WI, has been retained by the Village of Trempealeau to complete the revaluation for the 2023 tax year. The revaluation will establish new assessed values in an equitable fashion for all properties in the village at 100% of market value.

The field work is scheduled to begin sometime this fall while the new assessments will be completed in the fall of 2023 and all property owners will receive a written notice of assessment at that time. You will then have an opportunity to discuss the assessed values with Bowmar Appraisal staff members at the Open Book session. After the Open Book session, the Board of Review will conduct hearings to evaluate evidence concerning any final challenges to the assessed values.

Our goal is to conduct an accurate and transparent revaluation.  We greatly appreciate your cooperation in the revaluation process and ask that you direct any questions you may have concerning the revaluation to Bowmar Appraisal, Inc. at 715-835-1141 Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

FAQ’s

The following list of questions are the most common raised during a revaluation and they help to explain the process, its necessity, and the result of a community wide revaluation.

Q1. What does revaluation really mean?

A1. It means that the municipality will make a present day, full market assessment of your property. In other words, if your property would sell for $100,000 at the present time, this amount would approximate your new assessment.

Q2. Why is this revaluation necessary?

A2. State Statutes require municipalities to be within 10% of full market value at least once within a five-year period. The village has been outside that range and out of compliance since 2018. A revaluation is done to bring assessments closer to 100% of full market value. The last time there was a city-wide revaluation was in 2015.

Q3. Will this revaluation automatically increase my taxes?

A3. By itself, a reassessment does not increase or decrease tax revenue; it merely redistributes the total tax burden more fairly.  Some property owners will see increases while some will see decreases.  The amount of total tax collected will remain the same unless budgets are changed.  Reassessment itself is revenue neutral.  The revaluation does not change the total amount of taxes collected by the municipality but rather changes the total assessed value of the village (tax Base) of which the tax levy is divided into which typically will cause a reduction of the mill rate.

Q4. Do all assessments change at the same rate?

A4. No. Several factors can affect the rate of change such as location, style of property, age, condition, undocumented updates, ect.

Q5. If the new assessments are made at full value, won’t this raise taxes?

A5. No, this will not raise the total amount of taxes levied on property in the municipality. With the total of all the assessments in the village increasing, the tax rate would be reduced by the same percentage to generate the same tax dollars.

Q6. What process is being used to arrive at a fair assessment?

A6. The revaluation program is based on the sales approach. The value of properties in the community are compared to actual sale prices supplied to the village by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. These are actual property sales, and they are then compared to the assessed value of like properties using a computer model.

Q7. What information does the assessor use to determine assessments?

A7. Assessors consider information from many sources to determine your assessment including: • Comparable property sales, including recent arm’s length sale(s) of comparable properties; • Current construction costs; • Improvements to property; • Location; • Depreciation; • Legal restrictions (ie. zoning ordinances); • General economic changes in the community

Q8. Will my home or apartment be inspected?

A8. This is a full exterior revaluation. This means the Assessor will review recent sales, existing property records and view each property exterior to calculate assessments. An appraiser will not need to view the interior of your home in most cases. If they do need to view the interior, you will receive a letter from Bowmar Appraisal, Inc.

Q9. How will I know if an appraiser was at my house?

A9. The appraiser will leave a door tag indicating they were there and whether they have any additional questions for the property owner.

Q10. Will the person that comes to my door be able to tell me what my assessment will be?

A10. No, the field representative gathers data only. The actual assessment will be calculated at a later date.

Q11. Can I refuse to let the appraiser enter my home?

A11. Yes, you may refuse information and entry to your home or business.

Q12. Will I have the right to appeal this assessment if I refuse entry in my home or on my property?

A12. Yes and no, if you refuse entry to your home you still have the right to appeal. State law allows a property owner to refuse entry into the home and does not prohibit the owner from objecting to their assessment under Section 70.05 (4m) State Statues. If you refuse entry on your property for an exterior view, after written request from assessor, you are not allowed to appeal under Section 70.47 (7) (aa) State Statutes.

Q13. How soon after the field inspection will I know what my new assessment will be?

A13. Each property owner will be mailed a notice of their property’s assessment, called the Notice of Assessment. The notice will list your current property value and your new property value. The Notice of Assessment will be sent as soon as the figures are available.

Q14. Will I have a chance to discuss this new assessment with someone if I feel that it is too high?

A14. Yes, on the same notice you receive informing you of your new assessment, a date and time will be indicated when you will be able to appear at an informal hearing (Open Book) to discuss whatever questions you may have regarding your property.

Q15. At the Open Book, will I be able to discuss my property with someone in private?

A15. Yes, all conferences will be in private.

Q16. Will I be able to compare my property with similar types?

A16. Yes, we encourage this comparison. It is one of the basic criteria used to arrive at a fair assessment. The assessment roll is always open for inspection.

Q17. What if, after Open Book, I am still dissatisfied with my assessment?

A17. The formal Board of Review will be held shortly after these conferences. After filing a written petition of objection with the Municipal Clerk at least 48 hours in advance of the Board of Review, you can appear before the Board of Review. In addition, you must complete the Objection to Real Property Assessment and file it with the Municipal Clerk prior to or within the first two hours of the Board of Review’s first scheduled hearing. At the Board of Review you will give testimony and have the Board decide whether or not your assessment is fair.

Q18. What if I am still not satisfied?

A18. You can then appeal the decision to the Circuit Court.

Q19. When will we be billed based on the new assessment?

A19. The tax bill you receive in December 2023 will be based on the new assessment.

Q20. What will happen if I decide to build a new home while the reassessment is in process?

A20. Nothing out of the ordinary will happen as your new home will be appraised as of January 1, 2023. If the new home is started after January 1, 2023, it will not be assessed until January 1, 2024. If it is partially complete on January 1, 2023, it will receive a partial assessment as of that date.

The Village of Trempealeau has started the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan. The purpose of the Comprehensive Plan is to identify issues, opportunities, needs and organize public policy to address them in a manner that makes the best and most appropriate use of Village resources. It will also describe a desired future for the community over the next 20 years and establish goals to move toward that future. The Comprehensive Plan will be used by both elected officials and Village staff to assist and provide a rational basis for local land use decisions within the community. The Village of Trempealeau’s Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 2002.

We’ll have a booth at Catfish Days on Saturday from 9am-3pm near the arts and crafts show. Please stop by and share your thoughts and ideas about the future of Trempealeau.