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Board of Appeal and Equalization Handbook <br />All proceedings must be public <br />The board meetings are subject to the open meeting law. The open meeting law requires that meetings of governmental <br />bodies generally must be open to the public. Therefore, all board proceedings must be public. <br />Board members should not leave the meeting to the assessors while they talk about other business. <br />Board members should not confer with each other, the assessor, or appellants regarding appeals in question outside the <br />board meeting(s). <br />Make appellants feel comfortable <br />Presenting an appeal to the Board of Appeal and Equalization can be intimidating for appellants. The goal of the board should <br />be to make the appellant feel comfortable, not intimidated. To make the appellant more comfortable when presenting an <br />appeal to the board, it is recommended that the appellant sit (or stand) in front of the board and present directly to the <br />board rather than having the appellant speak and address all present in the audience. This not only allows the appellant to be <br />more comfortable, but also decreases the potential that an angry “mob” will form at the meeting. <br />Dealing with angry or difficult property owners <br />The following are some tips that may be helpful when dealing with an angry or difficult property owner: <br />Always treat the property owner withrespect; <br />Listen to the propertyowner; <br />Speak calmly and keep your body languagecalm; <br />Encourage the property owner to discuss his/herconcerns; <br />Do not getdefensive; <br />Keep things on a positivelevel; <br />Avoid blamingstatements(“You…”); <br />Keep the conversation focused on the issue,not personalities (“The assessor doesn’t like me,” etc.); <br />Clarify theproblem; <br />Acknowledge the property owner’sconcerns; <br />Show empathy for the propertyowner; <br />Emphasize collaboration (“Let’s see if we canfind a solution to thisproblem.”); <br />Let the property owner know that you will be reviewing the facts of the case;and <br />End the property owner’s presentation by acknowledging in a tactful manner that you’ve heard what he/she <br />has to say and will consider thematter. <br />Ifthingsgettooheated,itmaybeagoodideatosuggest a short break so the parties can calm down. Do not let things <br />get out of hand before informing the authorities. If the board is anticipating any problems, it may be a good idea to <br />inform local law enforcement of the meeting in advance. Do not take threats or someone talking about violence lightly. <br />Safety should be your main concern. If you feel threatened, call theauthorities. <br />Oftentimes, property owners are frustrated by the process because they are unsure about how to appeal to the local <br />board. To reduce their frustration, it is recommended that the local board let them know what they will need to do to <br />substantiate their appeal (see “Handouts for property owners” section in the Appendix for information local boards <br />may supply to property owners). <br />24 <br /> <br />