Assessor, other candidates appear at forum

Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Six of 10 invited candidates appeared at a forum Sunday in Culbertson. (Bruce Crosby/McCook Gazette)

CULBERTSON, Neb. -- Facing a recall election, Hitchcock County Assessor Marlene Bedore said much of the controversy surrounding her performance in office stemmed from her efforts to reduce expenses.

That included switching from an expensive computer system that required expensive training to a lower-cost system used by 51 other counties in Nebraska, lowering her training budget, and bringing appraisals into compliance based on market value and deterioration of buildings.

Speaking to about 30 people at a candidates forum sponsored by the Culbertson Women's Club Sunday, Bedore said she has "done nothing but follow the statutes to bring assessments up to date."

Asked "what have you done that all these people have tried to crucify you?", Bedore said there are "800 million reasons," the approximate valuation of the county. For example, she found that a co-op was being taxed in the wrong district, making an $8.9 million difference in taxed valuation. There were a number of discrepancies in how manufactured homes were assessed as well, she said.

Following complaints last year about Bedore's methods of setting property valuations, state property tax administrator Ruth Sorenson recommended Bedore be placed on probation and comply with 14 corrective measures.

After she allegedly failed to comply, she appeared before a hearing officer for the Department of Revenue last Tuesday and Wednesday, and the hearing was continued to Nov. 17-18.

Also taking part in Sunday's candidates forum were school board candidates Casha O'Byrne, Heath Hamilton and Deborah Walters, and village board candidates incumbent Robert Sitzman and Roger Kolbet. Invited but not attending were school board candidates Aaron Kolbet and Larry Marks and village board candidates Rick Johnson and Marvin Harms.

O'Byrne, who has three children, one still in high school, noted that she had been defeated by only one vote in a previous run for school board, and enjoyed serving on an advisory committee when given the chance. Hamilton, who has served on the county fair board, said he felt it was a citizen's duty to get involved and not just watch from the sidelines. Walters, a retired educator, said it's "all about the kids," whether gifted or academically struggling.

Sitzman, who works at the Work Ethic Camp in McCook, said he was elected as a write-in and then re-elected, said he wanted to do the best for the Village of Culbertson with the resources available. Roger Kolbet, a semi-retired farmer, said he felt Culbertson is "one of the best-kept towns in the state" and wanted to help keep it that way.

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