COLUMBUS — The Colorado County Central Appraisal District recently passed the Texas State Comptroller's Office Property Value Studies for all three school districts in Colorado County: Columbus, Rice Consolidated and Weimar.
The appraisal district had previously failed the property value studies, which cost the district and school districts a large amount of funding.
The appraisal district had fallen short of its fiduciary duties brought on by poor management in the past and a failure to apply specific regulations to garner the needed money to fund the school districts adequately.
This shortfall of about a million dollars for one school district alone put how schools would staff teachers and manage classroom numbers in limbo.
The appraisal district board of directors attempt to right the ship by bringing on interim chief appraiser Jane Armontrout and several other senior employees who a previous chief appraiser summarily dismissed have paid off handsomely for the appraisal district and set up the school districts in a more favorable financial position.
Colorado County CAD President Michael Trefney said, “Personally, Jane Armontrout has done a remarkable job of turning around the Colorado County CAD since returning as the interim chief appraiser and the senior working appraiser on staff. She has been able to get the assessed values for properties located within the school districts in this county back within the required range of plus or minus five percent of the state Comptroller's Office determined values that are necessary to avoid any penalties, which Columbus ISD, unfortunately, suffered last year as a result of deficiencies in the appraisals under the prior CAD administration. Under Ms. Armontrount's leadership, I am confident that the CAD will continue to meet its mandate to fairly and accurately appraise all real property within its jurisdiction.'
Much like school, a grading system shows the Colorado County Central Appraisal District receiving a 100 in Governance, Taxpayer Assistance, Operating Procedures and Appraisal Standards, Procedures and Methodology.
The School District Property Value Study determines the taxable property values of a school district and certifies those values to the Commissioner of Education for the equitable distribution of education funds.
