Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Service Agreement with Perry & Co., LLC for Administration Services of the Assessing Department ($85,114.00)
Memorandum
The prior City Assessor retired in April 2018. Since that time, the Deputy Assessor has served as the interim City Assessor. During that time the City engaged in recruiting efforts for a permanent City Assessor but was unable to finalize employment with a credentialed candidate. Recruiting an MMAO is difficult in Michigan because there are both few in number and they typically do not like to change locations when they’re in the process of preparing an assessment roll for another community. This makes the ideal time to recruit an assessor to be April through August timeframe. Since this window has passed for 2018, staff is pursuing alternative plans to support the City during the upcoming assessment season.
The City Assessor is responsible for the preparation of an assessment roll of all property in the City and placing a value, in accordance with law, upon all taxable property, both real and personal. The assessor is also responsible for administering all aspects of the City’s Assessing Department under the administrative oversight of the Chief Financial Officer.
The department’s workload varies throughout the year and September is the start of significantly increased workload as it relates to state-required responsibilities. In order to properly support delivery of the department’s services, staff believes an outside firm should be engaged to provide oversight and assistance in the required activities of the department.
The full-time recruiting process resulted in the City becoming aware of a local firm Perry and Associates, which has Mark Perry as a principle. Mr. Perry is experienced in the field of property valuation and has had MMAO (or level 4) certification for more than two decades.
Staff recommends contracting with Perry & Co., LLC to have Mark Perry fulfill the role of City Assessor as more particular outlined in Exhibit A of the attached agreement. Perry and Company LLC is willing to perform these duties for $62/hour. City staff anticipates these duties will require three days a week worth of work (or 24 hours/week). With a 10% contingency, staff request authorization to spend no more than $85,114.00 for such services over the next year. Funding for this contract is available in the department since the position is presently vacant.
This contract would be a sole source professional services contract and is recommended due to the limited timing available for a full procurement process as well as the reasonable hourly rate, since it’s roughly equivalent to the budgeted pay of a full-time assessor.
Perry & Co., LLC complies with the requirements of the City’s living wage ordinance.
Staff
Prepared by: Tom Crawford, Financial Services Area Administrator and CFO
Approved by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City needs assessing department oversight services including but not limited to: preparation of the assessment roll, project lead on an upcoming AMAR audit (minimum standards audit), implementation of a new manual from the State Tax Commission, representation for the City in Michigan Tax Tribunal cases, assistance in finding a permanent Assessor, and other assessing related duties as assigned by the Chief Financial Officer or required by the State;
Whereas, The assessing department is entering into its busiest season and could immediately utilize the additional support of an outside contractor and desires to utilize Perry & Co., LLC as a professional services, sole source contract for one year;
Whereas, Perry & Co., LLC can contract with the City to provide the above services for an annual amount of $85,114.00, which includes a 10% contingency;
Whereas, The City has the ability to cancel the contract at any time with 30-day’s notice to Perry & Co., LLC;
Whereas, Perry & Co., LLC complies with the requirements of City’s Living Wage Ordinance; and
Whereas, Funding is available with the assessing department since the full-time budgeted position is presently vacant;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the attached one-year professional services contract with Perry & Co., LLC for assessing services, including approval of $85,115.00 to be spent pursuant to such contract, which includes a 10% contingency to be expendable subject to the City Administrator’s approval;
RESOLVED, That the amounts authorized herein may be used without regard to fiscal year;
RESOLVED, That Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute the contract after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take all necessary actions to implement this resolution including execution of any authorized renewals and any changes or amendments that do not exceed the contingency amount.