Neighbors say driveway, choppers hurt property

Neighbors are concerned about a driveway (above) on the east side of Community Hospital. (McCook Daily Gazette)

Four McCook neighbors told Red Willow County commissioners that the expansion at Community Hospital of McCook has decreased the value of their homes.

One of the four, seeking an explanation for valuation, accused Assessor Sandra Kotschwar of "picking on us."

Tony Spilinek, Jim Huffman, Virginia Odenbach and Denise Buddenberg presented a united front in their protest, yet Commission Chairman Earl McNutt told the four during Tuesday's hearing that each homeowner's protest would be handled individually, and not as a group.

Spilinek told commissioners that when he realized the valuation of his home (at 1601 East I) went up 21 percent, he started checking with neighbors, and learned that the valuation of all, except one, went up substantially.

Huffman told commissioners the valuation of his home, at 903 East 15th, has increased five of the seven years he has owned it. Huffman compared this latest percentage of increase to what he feels are lesser increases in valuation for other homes in McCook. "We don't want to get picked on," he said.

Huffman said, "My house is less desirable," because of what he called the "four-lane super driveway" on the east side of the hospital's new expansion.

"My biggest concern," Huffman said, "is the traffic created by the hospital." Huffman complained, too, about the "humming noises" of air conditioners and generators, trash blowing onto his yard and trash trucks in and out.

Spilinek said he plans to ask pilots of the MedStar helicopter not to fly over his house because it upsets his wife, who was once transported in a helicopter for medical reasons.

Buddenberg, at 805 East 15th, said air turbulence caused by the helicopter has damaged her trees.

"Instead of looking out onto the hospital and buffalo grass," Huffman said, "I look out onto the expansion and a parking lot and a four-lane super driveway."

Spilinek admitted to commissioners that hospital staff keeps the hospital property mowed, but then he shouted, "It's weeds, and then they mow it and where does it blow? On my lawn."

Spilinek also complained about the lack of improvements on East H that borders the south of their neighborhood. "East H looks like heck," Spilinek said, with no gutters, no drainage and trash along the street. Spilinek also said he has no paved alley.

Kotschwar told the homeowners that sales of similar homes in their own neighborhood will support the valuations placed on their homes.

McNutt said that although the selling price of a home on East H does seems inordinate, sales like that still affect valuation, which is based, in part, upon recent market sales of similar properties.

McNutt told Odenbach, who lives at 1603 East I, "Plain and simple, if you give more for the house than the house is valued, that still drives the market."

Kotschwar said her office does mass appraisals using new computer software that helps her office staff develop neighborhoods.

"It's impossible to ap-praise every property every year," Kotschwar said, ex-plaining there around 10,000 records in Red Willow County.

Kotschwar said, when the state ordered revaluation of Red Willow County's residential properties, she chose not to do a 6 percent increase across-the-board, because there are neighborhoods whose homes (because of lack of recent sales and/or declining condition) would not justify even a 6 percent increase.

Kotschwar also explained she did not revalue rural residential homes because there were no sales to support a valuation change.

McNutt said the valuation of his own home, nearly 100 years old, on West Fourth south of the former hospital, increased 17 percent with the McCook reappraisal.

So, Huffman asked, why did homes in his neighborhood increase by 21 percent?

Kotschwar told him that changes to his home, including enclosing a breezeway (thus increasing living space) and remodeling the kitchen have increased the valuation of his home through the years.

Setting values and revaluation is "not an exact science," Kotschwar said. She ex-plained, however, that computer software may become so precise that, if statistics show the county is low on the valuation of two-story homes, Kotschwar's staff could revalue only those homes.

Kotschwar encouraged homeowners to visit her office to research the valuation of their homes and compare similar homes, neighborhoods and recent sales. "It's all public record," Kotschwar said.

McNutt told the four homeowners that commissioners would check into the situation. "We haven't made up our minds today," he said. "We'll consider all we can and try to be fair with you." Each protest will be handled separately.

Kotschwar said she would drive the neighborhood. "I'll try to see what you see that affects your valuation," she said.

Spilinek said, "We want it fair."

Huffman added, "We want it fair for everyone. We think we're being picked on."

He continued, "We just want something fair. And what has happened to our neighborhood isn't fair."