Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper

DECISION 2018

The Sidney Sun-Telegraph recently reached out to area election candidates. Reprinted below are responses to a questionnaire sent to candidates who will appear on the Primary Ballot.

MELODY "MEL" KELLER

• Name as it appears on ballot: Melody Keller

• Community you live in, are running to represent: I live in Gurley and I am running for the office of Cheyenne County Assessor.

• How long have you lived in Cheyenne County? I am proud to have called Cheyenne County my home for 39 years, during which time I have made it a point to be involved in the community as a volunteer. This is a list of just a few of the things I have helped with in the past or am currently helping with: Dalton Fall Festival volunteer, Panhandle Prevention Coalition (strategic planning for the prevention of underage drinking), Youth As resources mentor (YAR) Sidney Schools (mentoring 4th grade students), Early Childhood Advocates member (working with colleges and the Nebraska Department of Education to bring training to local childcare providers), Roctoberfest Co-planner and volunteer (planning, promoting, fundraising and supervising a dance and games for teens), Hay Day Festival co-coordinator and volunteer (planning, fundraising, promoting and supervising of carnival style event), Park Improvement Committee member (working to raise money for new park equipment) and Children's Church, Awana instructor, Sunday School Teacher, Cool Kids Field Trip volunteer, Cub Scout leader.

• What motivates you to seek public office: I am seeking this position to do what I can to help people understand their rights as homeowners, business men/women and taxpayers. Taxpayers of this county pay a good salary to the County Assessor and I feel they deserve someone whose focus will be on the task at hand. When a person works their way up to achieve a managerial position they have more respect for that position and the people who work under them. I have been in the public eye in the past as I was the director of the K-3rd grade after/summer school program and the assistant director of the K-8th grade program as a whole for eight years. During this time, I worked with parents, teachers, school boards, superintendents, principles, local businesses and state officials: all to bring educational and fun events to the children of this county. I am accustomed to working with people from all walks of life and known for treating people fairly and with respect. I have experience working with officials on the state level and I am very qualified to do so again.

• What experience related to the office do you bring? Prior to working in the Assessor's Office, I worked for Cabela's as Inventory Control Analyst and have vast experience with numbers crunching. As the director of the Cool Kids k-3 program I was in charge of eleven staff members and their schedules. I have been promoted to management positions at almost every position I have ever held and have outstanding leadership skills.

I have worked in the Assessor's Office for six and a half years as a clerk making me the employee with the most tenure. There is a misunderstanding that the only thing clerks do is data entry when in fact they do so much more. The clerks do most of the field work or reviews of property in the county, the assessing. Though the Assessor has the final say on the assessments it is the clerks who do the leg work the majority of the time. The clerks in the office are the first faces you see when you enter the office, we are the front line.

During the first year I worked in the office my main duty was to enter all sales of real estate into the computer system and forwarding on to the state. This requires being knowledgeable in reading legal documents such as deed, understanding meets and bounds, and being willing and able to do title searches at the Cheyenne County Clerk's Office. This duty was then passed on to the Deputy Assessor whom I helped train.

From that point on I was given as my main duties:

Personal Property Schedules-this requires tracking business entities that come into or leave our county throughout the year to prepare schedules for the following year.

Mobile Home Sales and Tracking- entering all mobile home sales into the computer and keeping up-to-date records of all mobile homes in the county as required by the state

Igloos-sending out reports for Sioux Army Depot igloos owners to complete and return to the Assessor's Office

Airplanes-tracking all airplanes located in Cheyenne County as required by the state

Office inventory and Supply-Keeping track of what is needed for office supplies such as paper goods and goods used up throughout the year, and also keeping track of more tangible goods such as desk, computers, filing cabinets etc. as required

Notices of Taxable Status-notices to governmental entities that own property which is not for public use or the promoting of business and will be taxed as required by the state

Homestead Exemptions-this is an exemption that allows people sixty-five or older or certain disabled individuals or widows of a military veteran to have some or all of their taxes paid for by the State of Nebraska if they own and occupy their home from January 1st to August 15th and meet certain other guidelines

Permissive Exemption Forms- These are forms churches, educational and/or charitable organizations can file to have all real estate and personal property exempted.

I have since trained other staff members on how to do many of these reports.

During my time with the Assessor's Office I also have had the pleasure of meeting many of you face to face while doing property reviews with my co-workers or helping with homestead applications or other forms when you came into the Assessor's Office.

• What are some of the issues you want to seek addressed?

If elected I want to bring a sense of community to the Assessor's Office. People need to understand what our office does, how it does it and to understand the Assessor is not the enemy. I want valuations to be correct and as up to date as possible. I have worked in the Assessor's Office long enough to see that a change is needed in how the people we work for, the people of Cheyenne County, are treated. I once worked for a company who printed on their checks "Proudly brought to you by your customers". I feel the idea that we work for the people of Cheyenne County needs to be deeply instilled in all who work in the Assessor's Office, including the Assessor. The people of Cheyenne County need to know we care and should be treated with respect when they have concerns regarding their property values. I have seen many of my friends have to move because of the changing times we have all been facing over the past three years and I believe we should no longer dwell on what is behind us but stick together to make it through. It has been obvious for over four years that property values in Cheyenne County needed to be reevaluated.

Most people are not upset about the value of their property but more so the taxes. I want to make sure people are aware how taxes work. The Assessor's duties are not to raise or lower taxes as some people think. Taxes are based off the assessment of property but the taxing entities set the levy which is based off of the budget requirements of each entity. The levy is then multiplied by the assessment to calculate the taxes. When people invest in property it usually is to make a profit or establish equity. As a fellow home owner I understand high taxes rates but am also aware that if my valuation goes down so does the equity in my home. For example if my home is valued at $200,000 and the suddenly goes down to $150,000, I have just lost $50,000 in equity and may now being overpaying for homeowners insurance, may now owe more on my home than it is valued at, or have trouble refinancing.

Describe the duties and responsibilities of the office you are seeking. The Assessor is charged with several administrative and statutory duties; however, the primary duty and responsibility is to cause to be assessed all real property within his/her jurisdiction except that which is otherwise provided by law.

The duty of the Assessor is to supervise and review many of the responsibilities I have previously listed.

He/she must review all assessments of real property and create the reports required by the state too numerous to be listed here but can easily be looked up at revenue.nebraska.gov/PAD. Once at this site click on "Calendar." This will give you a listing of what the Assessor is required to do and also links to more detailed descriptions. This website also has many other helpful tools. Under the "What's New" area is a link for Real Property Value Percentage Change 2017-2018. This will show you how our county compares to others.

Sales are looked over by the Assessor and entered in the system by the Deputy Assessor and Clerk who does Mobile Homes. The state reviews the county's sales and makes recommendations as to what would be the best course of action to follow.

It has been obvious for over four years that property values in Cheyenne County needed to be reevaluated. The Assessor is required by the State of Nebraska to be within 92-100% of market value and can choose where it best fits their community. Cheyenne County has been on the high end of this scale for far too long and the Assessor could have made the decision to lower the percent in past, hardly making the new lower assessments newsworthy. While bringing the percentage to the lower end of the scale does appear to be helpful, it may also cause serious budget cuts needed to sustain the taxing entities such as schools, fire departments, law enforcement, county roads and others. A list of taxing entities is available at the Assessor's Office.

Why should voters support you? I have seen many of my friends have to move because of the changing times we have all been facing over the past three years and I believe we should no longer dwell on what is behind us but stick together to make it through. I am a hardworking individual with outstanding work ethics and character. While raising my blended family of six children and working full time, I became a non-traditional student at Western Nebraska Community College achieving a 4.0 GPA and graduated with highest honors. During my stint at Western Nebraska Community College in Sidney I had the honor of being the Phi Theta Kappa, national honor society, president. I then went on to Chadron State College to achieve my Bachelors of Science Degree in Education with a minor in mathematics in which I also received high honors.

I take pride in saying that I have a passion for doing what is right even if it means facing opposition. As you can see by the way I have run my campaign, when I have a task to do I do not procrastinate, I get out there and get it done. I am fully dedicated to confidentiality and exerting superior customer service. I am detail-oriented and resourceful in prioritizing and completing projects on a timely basis. I am confident and poised in interacting with individuals at all levels while remaining open to the intellect and concerns they bring to the conversations.

How can people reach you if they have questions? I prefer to meet with people face to face and am very approachable. I am often out to eat lunch in Sidney from 12:30-1:30 or available after 5 p.m. I find that intentions can be misconstrued over social media but would be happy to hear from you to set an appointment. Please leave a personal message on Facebook at Melody Keller for Cheyenne County Assessor. I hope this paper has answered many questions for you.

SYBIL PROSSER

• Name as it appears on ballot: Sybil Prosser

• Community you live in, are running to represent. I live in Dalton and I am running to represent all residents of Cheyenne County.

• How long have you lived in Cheyenne County? It has been my honor to live in Cheyenne County for more than seven years. I look forward to enjoying many more years of living the "good life" in Cheyenne County!

• What motivates you to seek public office? A candidate's reason for running for public office is critical. There must be a passion to serve the public. I have that passion.  As the current incumbent since my appointment in 2016, I have had the pleasure of meeting and serving our citizens of Cheyenne County. Helping the residents in Cheyenne County receive a fair evaluation of their property value is what motivates me to continue to serve as your Cheyenne County Assessor.

• What experience related to the office do you bring? I began my career in the Cheyenne County Assessor's Office in 2012, when I was hired as an Office Clerk. In 2013, after completing and passing the State of Nebraska County Assessor's Certification test, I was promoted to Cheyenne County Deputy Assessor. I served as the Deputy Assessor until 2016 when I was appointed to County Assessor. The knowledge, continuing education, training, and experience that I received as a Deputy and then as Assessor has been PARAMOUNT to me navigating the challenges that we are currently facing in Cheyenne County. Without this extensive knowledge and experience it would be next to impossible to fight for Cheyenne County the way that the county deserves.

• What are some of the issues you want to seek addressed? The processes, duties and procedures of the Office of the Cheyenne County Assessor are mandated by the Nebraska Department of Revenue, numerous reporting deadlines have hard stops. When I submit my annual updates and revisions to the Real Estate Abstract of Assessment it first must have the approval of the State of Nebraska Department of Revenue.

The Nebraska Department of Revenue then submits to the abstract to the Tax Equalization and Review Commission, they are responsible for equalizing the assessed values of all real property each year. The Commission has the authority to increase or decrease the values. It is then my responsibility to implement any adjustments to the Real Estate Abstract of Assessment as ordered by the Commission. Unfortunately, many times my hands are tied. I have a good working relationship with Ruth Sorensen, State of Nebraska Property Tax Administrator. I am proud to say that this year, Ms. Sorensen accepted my reduced valuations as submitted. I can say that from watching the sales come in, that values continue to drop. This means a reassessment will again be necessary next year.

Since being appointed in 2016 I have initiated many positive changes to the office.We now operate on a new and modern computer system that significantly improves the efficiency of the office. I have also imposed new office regulations to streamline and ensure procedures are followed with the most ethical of standards. For example, I imposed a policy in which no one working in the County Assessor's Office may assess their own property, their family's property or the property of close friends. We have an open door policy and welcome residents to bring in their concerns or questions so that we can talk about them. The atmosphere in the office has changed considerably and we do find that while people may not agree with the answer they leave with, it is an honest and transparent answer, after all, that is what I would appreciate receiving from an Assessor.

My plan is to continue to improve the customer service level of the Assessor's Office to ensure residents feel welcome to come in and discuss issues or discrepancies with staff and myself.  

• Describe the duties and responsibilities of the office you are seeking. Cheyenne County has 10,633 parcels and as the Cheyenne County Assessor, it is my responsibility to assess the value of all real estate and personal property, to meet all State-related deadlines, submit all forms required by the State, and to handle any questions or concerns. In addition, I manage the office and oversee the work of 3 clerks and one Deputy. I consider myself as a servant-leader. Everyone in this office has a role in its success, however the roles that each lead are incredibly different.

• Why should voters support you? Considering the merger between Bass Pro and Cabela's, Cheyenne County is facing some extraordinary circumstances.  In order to successfully navigate these issues during this difficult time, we must have an Assessor who has the tenure, experience and qualifications to successfully stand strong with the residents of Cheyenne County. I am that person. I am the only candidate with experience beyond the role of a clerk. It is an intricate and detailed process to determine property values. It is a process that takes a tremendous amount of time and considerable fortitude, to convey to the Nebraska Department of Revenue as to why my valuations are correct and should be approved upon submission. Because of the experience and knowledge that I have gained in three years as your Deputy Assessor; two years as your County Assessor and; over 100 hours of continuing education hours, that my reduced values were accepted by the State of Nebraska Property Tax Administrator with no questions asked.

Next year is going to prove to be even more challenging as property values continue to decline. I am proactively working with the State to determine a plan for next year if sales continue to decline.  I know how to navigate this. I know how to formulate a plan with the State and get us to a good place for the residents of Cheyenne County. I am someone who not only talks-the-talk but actually walks-the-walk. I lowered all residential values this year from 5-14% depending on location, and lowered all Agricultural dry and CRP land from 12-20 percent depending on location.  I have a proven record of fighting for Cheyenne County and taking the necessary steps to make Cheyenne County successful.

I would sincerely appreciate your vote because: I am the more qualified candidate and the only candidate with any experience beyond that of a clerk. I want to see Cheyenne County succeed. You deserve a County Assessor with the knowledge and education to fight hard on your behalf!

• How can people reach you if they have questions?

I am available for any assessment related questions 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday- Friday at the Office of the Cheyenne County Assessor located at the Cheyenne County Courthouse in Sidney, Neb. You can reach my office by phone at (308) 254-2633 or via email [email protected].  If you have questions directly related to my campaign, you can contact me via email at [email protected] or via my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/prosser4assessor.com

 

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