An annual property assessment study of values and procedures used in the Fremont County Assessor’s Office has resulted in another report showing that Fremont County is in compliance with Colorado law in analyzing property values. The report issued by the auditing firm of Wildrose Appraisal determined that Fremont County Assessor Stacey Seifert and her staff met the standards of both a procedural and statistical analysis.
The property assessment study covered the 18 month assessment period from January of 2013 through June of 2014. The study examined procedures the Assessor’s Office used in classifying and valuing commercial property, residential property, agricultural land, vacant land, personal property, and natural resources. In all categories the audit report found the Fremont County Assessor’s Office to be substantially compliant. The audit report found compliance in analyzing values of the 784 qualified residential properties sold during that 18 month period, the 35 commercial and industrial sales, and the 117 qualified sales of vacant land.
The assessment study said that Fremont County was tested for the equal treatment of sold and unsold properties to ensure that “sales chasing” had not occurred. After the auditor used three methods to test those values the report concluded that Fremont County is reasonably treating its’ sold and unsold properties in the same manner.
Fremont County Commission Chairman Ed Norden said it’s important that the citizens of Fremont County recognize that not only does the audit report reflect the fact that Seifert’s Office is complying with state law, but is applying equal and fair treatment to their property values across the county.