MAA President's Message
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September/October Message
As summer draws to a close, along with conference season, I can reflect on how far we have come as a profession. I am eager to watch the direction it moves over the next decade. Dan Holland said it best; “Assessors, Equalization Directors and the State Tax Commission are three legs of the same stool. If one of these legs is weak and not in accord with the other, it will fall apart.” Over the last year, the relationships between those three legs has grown significantly. I have worked closely with Shila Kiander, the past president of MAED, and started a conversation with the State regarding education, along with other concerns, and we have been heard. MAED and MAA have also worked together to make sure these organizations complement each other. We want to work towards common goals to improve assessment administration. I am looking forward to working with Joe Porterfield, the current MAED president, moving forward. Mike Woolford told me he had a conversation with Mike Galligan about how we are in the Golden Age of assessing. This rang true to me. We are in a time of progression, moving forward, and are working as a cohesive field. With these changes occurring, all three legs of the stool must work together to accomplish this. There is a sense of peace that I have not witnessed before. I know many assessors have a fear these changes are leading towards county assessing, but we have been assured that this is not the case.
MAA fall school are back at Treetops! Assessors have been asking for this location and we have heard you. They have remodeled the facility, so it should be a great place for our continuing education. Beth Botke and Debra Ring have put together some great education tracks. I have taken the Wireless Communication Towers with Mr. Schnelle and it was a great class. He has expanded on it this year and it was a class full of information the is useful. I highly recommend the “STC Update & Michigan Equalization Gateway (MEG) introduction” if you have not taken it yet, as we assessors will start using it to send our L-4022s to the State this year.
Starting September 6th, you will be able to cast your vote for the slate of MAA officers. This is the first year for this process. An email blast will be sent to you when the voting is open. Everyone will have 19 days to vote. The new 2022 MAA Executive Board will be certified at the September meeting.
All my best,
Stacey Kaake, President