The Clay County Commissioners have approved a $36,000 contract for the county’s annual audit, but postponed action on awarding a tax revaluation bid possibly until the next budget meetings.
At the commission’s Thursday evening session, the annual audit contract was awarded to CPA Shawn P. Long of Hayesville, who has done the county’s audit for the past several years.
Clay County Tax Assessor Nancy Kimsey presented two bids to revaluate private and commercial property in the county. The county’s next property reval is due Jan. 1, 2018. The first bid, from RS&M Appraisal Services of Lincolnton, N.C., was for $253,750. The second, from Tyler Technologies Appraisal of Moraine, Ohio, which has offices in North Carolina, was for $369,500.
Kimsey said she has heard positive reports on both companies but personally favors the lower bid because Tyler does not visit every property. RS&M, currently working in Haywood County, sends appraisers on site, she said.
Because of e-mail snafus, commissioners did not receive information on the bids in time for Thursday’s meeting, but Kimsey urged quick action. Because the revals are due in January 2018, Kimsey said, “We’ve got to get people out and get the field work started to get the project done in time.”