By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly Position Subcommittee Monday recommended advertising for a new city tax assessor, and allow the person currently in the position – Wendy Lawrence – to work remotely through the Tax Year 2020 valuation, and perhaps beyond that.
Lawrence is the wife of Bryan Bertacchi, who has resigned as head of the city electric department and taken a position out of state.
The vote was 2-0 to advertise the assessor position, while allowing Lawrence to work remotely as needed to complete her tax valuations, and give her the opportunity to submit a proposal to continue providing assessing services to the city as a contractor, according to the draft minutes of the meeting.
Richard Wein and Valorie Nelson attended the subcommittee meeting. Chair Steven Eisenbeisz was unable to attend.
Lawrence proposed two options for the city, and Wein added a third.
Option 1 was to allow her to remain as assessor working remotely and on-site as needed, until the Tax Year 2020 and Community Purpose Exemption are complete, with a departure date of no later than March 15, 2020, “or until an assessor is hired and feels comfortable taking over the revaluation process.”
“This option will afford the time it may require to hire a new assessor, will allow time for transition overlap for the new assessor, will ensure assessing staff members are fully supported through a full market revaluation and will allow for the full revaluation to happen,” Lawrence wrote in her memo to the Assembly and staff.
Under Option 2, Lawrence would give 30 days notice of resigning as assessor and finish the projects as much as she is able to do. She noted that she doesn’t think it’s ideal to hire an assessor midstream of the revaluation without overlap. She said it “can be done, but the process would be very challenging for the assessor, the assessing staff and taxpayers.”
The subcommittee picked option 1, but also added an option to give Lawrence the opportunity to contract with the city when her tasks are completed, as proposed.
The subcommittee members also clarified that they support advertising for an assessor, but were recommending that the position not be filled until Lawrence has solidified her long-term plans, the draft minutes said.
The hiring subcommittee was established in the wake of the Assembly’s hiring freeze in the spring. The subcommittee’s recommendations go to the Assembly for a final decision.
The Sitka tax assessor position will be advertised at a salary of $86,132 to $121,680 the subcommittee said.
