Seeking individuals for Assessment Review Board

The City of Cold Lake is inviting citizens to sit on a quasi-judicial Assessment Review Board (ARB).

“The board doesn’t meet that often, and this is an excellent chance for residents to take part in the property assessment process,” said Mayor Craig Copeland. “There’s no experience necessary, and we cover the cost of the training session.”

The Cold Lake ARB is an impartial tribunal that hears formal complaints from property and business owners who disagree with the assessed values of their property as determined by the City of Cold Lake’s assessor.

The board operates independently from the City of Cold Lake. In the case of a complaint, hearings are typically scheduled in the fall, where a panel of board members will hear information from the complainant and the assessor, then make an official decision. The time commitment for hearings varies each year, as it depends on the number of hearings scheduled. When it is time for a hearing, all the documents are prepared by an ARB clerk prior to the hearings, and hearing packages will be given to the board members.

“We’re not asking people to commit a lot of time throughout the year to this board, other than the mandatory training session,” said Copeland. “Hearings are usually done within a single day, once a year, if there are any to be had at all.”

There are a minimum of two positions available for both the Local (residential) ARB and the Composite (commercial) ARB. Both positions are for a two-year term.

To qualify, applicants must be a resident of the City of Cold Lake, at least 18 years of age, and must attend mandatory training in Edmonton on April 24-27, 2018. A per diem and expenses occurred will be paid during this training period, in accordance with City Bylaws and Policies.

Application forms are available at City Hall (5513 – 48 Avenue) or at www.coldlake.com. For more information, contact the ARB Clerk at 780-594-4494 ex 7915 or kisert@coldlake.com.