Notice of Open Book & Board of Review

Town of Oakland

The 2021 Open Book and Board of Review sessions will be held on May 8th and May 15th respectively.

Both sessions will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the

Webster Fire Hall
7420 Main St W, Webster WI

Sec. 70.47(7)(aa),Wis. Stats., provides that the BOR may deny a hearing to a property owner who does not allow the assessor to complete an exterior view.  However, the Wisconsin Supreme Court expressed due process concerns regarding a similarly worded statute in  Milewski v. Town of Dover, 2017WI 79, 377 Wis. 2d 38,899 N.W.2d 303.  It is the DOR’s recommendation to allow a BOR hearing even if the property owner denied an interior or exterior view.  The lack of access to view, and the credibility of evidence offered can be managed as an evidentiary issue at the BOR hearing, rather than denying access to the BOR.

After the first meeting of the board of review and before the board’s final adjournment , no person who is scheduled to appear before the board of review may contact, or provide information to, a member of the board about that person’s objection except at a session of the board.

No person may appear before the board of review, testify to the board by telephone or contest the amount of any assessment unless, at least 48 hrs before the first meeting of the board or at least 48 hrs before the objection is heard if the objection if allowed under sub, (3) (a), that person provides to the clerk of the board of review notice as to whether the person will ask for removal under sub. (6m) and if so which member will be removed and the person’s reasonable estimate of the length of time that the hearing will take.

When appearing before the board, the person shall specify, in writing, the person’s estimate of the value of the land and of the improvements that are the subject of the person’s objection and specify the information that the person used to arrive at that estimate.

No person may appear before the board of review, testify to the board by telephone or object to a valuation; if that valuation was made by the assessor or the objector using the income method; unless the person supplies to the assessor all of the information  about income and expenses, as specified in the manual under s.73.03 (2a). that the assessor requests.  The municipality or county shall provide by ordinance for the confidentiality of information about income and expenses that is provided to the assessor under this paragraph and shall provide exceptions for persons using the information in the discharge of duties imposed by law or of the duties of their office or by order of a court. The information that is provided under this paragraph, unless a court determines that it is inaccurate, is not subject to the right of inspection and coping under s.19.35(1).

Respectfully Submitted, Sherril Anderson, Clerk