I commend both citizen boards for their time and effort to address citizen appeals. It has been a Board preference to use the reassessment for school debt and to catch up with non-school capital needs. Unfortunately, the 2001 reassessment will not cover all the school and County needs. The School Board has earmarked its half of the reassessment for Wilson Middle School debt and the County has a number of capital projects on its list, including the new jail, new Juvenile Detention Home and the relocation of the Sheriff and Courts to the Government Center. To be eligible for land use, property must be zoned agricultural and be in qualifying production for five years.
Minimum acreage is five acres, excluding the house site and one acre.
Property under land use is assessed based upon its soils type. It is first in beef cattle, sheep and production of alfalfa hay. Farm income ranks second in the state. Production of corn silage ranks third, dairy cows ranks third and poultry production ranks seventh in the state. The Board has fostered an interactive relationship between citizens, Boards, Commissions and County agencies.