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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES <br />2023 STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: September 25, 2023 <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Request to Approve a Resolution Appointing Two <br />Hearings Examiners to Support the Board of Equalization. <br />BACKGROUND: The Board of County Commissioners recently assigned the <br />Board of Equalization from the Commissioners' Office to <br />Community Development Services. With this move, staff <br />began researching the potential to hire a Hearings Examiner <br />to advise the Board of Equalization on appraisal appeals. <br />Washington Administrative Code 458-14-436 specifically <br />addresses the use of a Hearings Examiner to support the <br />Board of Equalization. With the sufficient staffing of the <br />citizen Board of Equalization, staff has prepared a job <br />description for the Hearings Examiner and a Request for <br />Proposal to support the hiring of the Examiner. <br />A Request for Proposals was advertised for a three-week <br />period and proposals were due for consideration by <br />Thursday, August 31, 2023, at 5:00pm. Staff did not <br />receive any Request for Proposals by the published <br />deadline. <br />At a recent Board of Equalization meeting, staff solicited <br />current members for interest in supporting the Board of <br />Equalization by submitting qualifications to serve as <br />Hearings Examiner. Two members expressed interest, <br />appear highly qualified and staff is recommending moving <br />forward with the hiring of two Hearings Examiners to <br />support the current workload. <br />Ensuring future success of the BOE Hearings Examiner <br />process, the proposed legislation also provides for BOE <br />member training creating the opportunity for fixture <br />hearings examiners. The revised process is expected to <br />result in shortening the BOE annual process. <br />INTERACTION: Community Development Services. <br />RECOMMENDATION: Approve the Resolution to Hire Two Hearings Examiners <br />to Support the Board of Equalization. <br />