NORTHERN PRAIRIE NOTES 

By Bonnie Fosheim, CAA, Property Tax Specialist,
Department of Revenue and Regulation

Greetings from the Northern Frozen Tundra Land.

 I don’t know if it will ever stop snowing and blowing. We are beginning to have some doubt. The calendar says spring will be here in a few weeks but I think we have a few months to go yet. If and when the snow finally decides to leave then we will have the flooding and believe me there will be flooding.

 During this time of year assessment notices have been sent, equalization boards are coming up and the legislative session is winding down. I hope things will be calm for everyone.

 We did our ratio audits earlier this year along with a compliance audit. I think it went very well. I know I was thankful for not having to drive across the state this winter. We’ll have to decide if we will do the audits early this year also.

 We have a couple of new Directors in the NE part of the state. In September Shannon Lee took over for JoAnn Goldsmith in Marshall County. JoAnn will stay on a few days a week to do the planning and zoning for a few months yet. Deuel County will be hiring a new Director soon. Toni Hible will be leaving for North Dakota. We wish Toni well.

 As a reminder, if you are in the certification program please keep working on your course work and send them in to me when each course is completed. Don’t wait too long because that first year goes by pretty fast. So keep working on the courses to get them done. 

I am looking forward to SDAAO Conference in May at Cedar Shores.  It will be good to see everyone.

 On a personal note, I’m going to be Grandma again (I love it). My daughter and son-in-law will have their second child in June.  Grandchildren are wonderful.

 It’s been a long winter and spring is just around the corner I hope.

 Hope everyone has a good year and we’ll see you in May at conference at Cedar Shores. It will be good to see everyone again.