By Jolene FarleyRock County Assessors Tom Houselog and Mark Hovland attended the Hills City Council meeting Tuesday for the Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting. The half-hour Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting ran concurrent with the council meeting. The council would have temporarily adjourned the city council meeting if a citizen arrived to protest a tax valuation.Houselog and Hovland recapped sales and tax valuation statistics for the council during the half-hour.Houselog told the council that valuations were raised an average of 1.5 percent in Hills. Agricultural land increased 9.6 percent, a typical increase for agricultural land countywide. Hovland informed the council that homes with a current tax valuation of $35,000 or less had no increase.On houses assessed between $35,000 and $60,000, there was a 4 percent increase in valuation. Hills had six home sales in this category.Houses assessed between $60,000 to $80,000 were increased 2 percent and houses assessed at more than $80,000 received no increase.In other council business:oThe council was informed that a Hills Fire Department truck had been used to fill a rural resident’s swimming pool with water."The fire department shouldn’t be allowing that," Mayor Jim Jellema said. Although the city will be reimbursed for the water, the council was concerned about liability issues and the use of city equipment for non-city business.oThe council talked about the construction of the basketball courts at the city park. After some discussion, they decided that Jim Jellema would work with Steve Wiertzema to purchase two hoops for the court. Wiertzema has already obtained a few bids for the hoops. The council is leaning toward purchasing adjustable height poles for the court, at a cost of more than $3,000 each, so younger children will be able to make baskets when they play.oCity employee Wayne Ward was instructed by the council to become licensed to spray for mosquitoes. Ward said he has two tests to take before he can apply for his license.
