Assessing tough situation, Kovacs looks for help

From COVID closures to the loss of former leader Rich Houser, a new operating system and staffing shortages, the Kootenai County Assessor's Office hasn't had it easy this year.

As of Thursday at noon, the office is down three staff — one residential appraiser, one appraisal technician, and a chief deputy assessor. According to the online job listing, the openings are all within the last two weeks.

"Chief Deputy Assessor Joe Johns made a personal decision that we can't go into detail for privacy reasons," Kootenai County Assessor Bela Kovacs said Thursday. "It was something he and his family had thought about doing three years ago but put off, staying on during the transition. We're going to miss him."

When Kovacs stepped into the assessor's role 10 months ago, he wasn't expecting the department to have such a difficult transition. 

"It's been anything but a normal year. I think even under normal circumstances, it would be challenging," Kovacs said. "It was certainly a sobering thing to learn about some of the challenges we have in the department." 

Filling those roles is somewhat of a worry for Kovacs, who sees a loss of institutional knowledge over the years. As people retire, he said, the office had done little work to put the appraisal process in writing, and decades of hands-on training have walked out the door.

"For many, many years, this department was extremely stable. A lot of longevity came from people being here for many years who were experienced and trained," Kovacs said. "That is a good thing, but there are two edges to that sword. Eventually, people retire or go away, and if there is not a sufficient degree of succession planning, it leaves people coming in after with a challenging situation."

Much like the rest of the county, Kovacs said the office struggles to provide competitive market pay. On top of that, the department has discovered that certified appraisers are rare.

Typically reviewed against standards set by the Idaho State Tax Commission and county, appraisers are expected to undergo education and possess a background in the construction or real estate industry. However, those two fields have become increasingly in demand and well paid as Kootenai County's housing crisis continues to grow. 

In the past, the county has considered applicants who don't have direct appraisal experience as long as they commit to becoming certified and understand the industry. The problem, Kovacs said, is those individuals would be considered entry-level and be paid between $18.60 and $21.64. 

"It's been difficult to get people to apply for the wages that we pay," he said. "The American way is to apply for jobs, buy homes, cars, and everything we own based on our income and total compensation package. Most people are not going to take a pay cut."

Kovacs did say the commissioners have committed to reviewing county departments' pay as part of an ongoing wage study. 

Online, the county is looking for: 

• An entry-level residential appraiser: $18.60 to $21.64 hourly
• A midlevel appraisal technician: $15.91 to $18.51 hourly
• A chief deputy assessor: $72,501 to $105,127 annually 

Kovacs said he's been working with North Idaho College to set up an internship opportunity within the assessor's office. His goal is to bring in students interested in appraisal, business, or similar fields to analyze data and educate on governmental processes.

While nothing is set in stone, Kovacs believes the program would offer college credit and possibly some hourly pay.