Services

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Benchmark Assessments offers its clients a complete annual assessment package at a competitive rate.  We provide high quality service for all aspects of the annual assessment process from start to finish while giving the municipality cost certainty for budgeting year over year.

• We believe that communicating information to municipal staff and council, the general public, citizens, appraisers, realty agents, other municipal governments and the provincial government is a top priority and consider it a strength of our organization.  
• We will perform site inspections of residential, non-residential, industrial and farm properties to gather and verify assessment data.   
• We will ensure information collected is updated and validated on the CAMA system including digital photographs and diagrams.  
• We will establish market value assessments in a mass appraisal environment by the application of property appraisal and assessment theory and principles. 
• We will establish regulated property assessments by the application of statutory procedures.   
• We will interpret land titles and all associated registered documents, including sales verification.   
• We will analyze and report requirements of the Provincial Assessment Audit process for ASSET and provide information to the Provincial Assessor, as necessary. 
• We will prepare and present evidence to defend assessments as required before the Local Assessment Review Board, Composite Assessment Review Board, and/or Municipal Government Board. 

With the growth in the Tax Agent industry in recent years and the increase in complaints filed throughout the province, it is becoming more difficult for the local assessor to defend his or her assessments.  Benchmark Assessments offers consultation services to municipalities and assessors to help guide and train the local assessor as how to prepare and defend their assessments against growing tax agencies.

• Provide direction to municipalities in assessment complaint matters.   
• Assist municipal clerks with general complaint procedures (scheduling, notice of hearing, and any jurisdictional matters).    
• Schedule and participate in assessment resolution meetings with ratepayers and authorized agents.  
• Review evidence disclosures filed by the complainant.   
• Recommend and organize the hiring of expert witnesses, if necessary.     
• Prepare evidence and argument disclosures as the respondent for municipalities.   
• Appear before assessment review boards to present disclosures, answer questions, and cross-examine expert witnesses.    
• Provide training to municipal assessors.   
• Summarize proceedings in a formal letter with future recommendations.  

We believe that confidence in the assessment roll by the municipality is essential in administrating a tax levy.  Municipal administration and rate payers must feel confidence in their assessor.  Benchmark Assessment can provide consultation with an in-depth audit of an assessment roll, providing guidance and help to create fairness and equity along with creating efficiencies and "out of the box" thinking.  We work with the local assessor to provide the municipality with a higher quality assessment roll.

• Provide an in-depth review of assessment procedures for municipalities including but not limited to:
  • sales data verification
  • building permit inspections and data collection
  • reinspection frequency
  • valuation models 
  • assessment revisions
  • reporting assessment data to Alberta Municipal Affairs
  • compliance with section 299 of the MGA (access to assessment information)
  • property exemptions
• Review the equalized assessment report and provide observations on provincial equity
• File equalized assessment complaints on behalf of municipalities 
• Request and review assessment information of designated industrial property  as prepared by the provincial assessor
• File designated industrial property complaints on behalf of the municipalities 
• Prepare evidence and argument disclosures for designated industrial property complaints as the respondent for municipalities before Municipal Government Boards
• Appear before the Municipal Government Board to present disclosures, answer questions, and cross-examine expert witnesses on designated industrial property complaints

Benchmark Assessment has a motivated and diverse staff that can offer an array of services.  From a complete "all in" Annual Assessment package to individual resinspection cycles, we can offer it all!  No matter what the need, Benchmark Assessment will be there for the municipality and the local assessor to provide support!

Benchmark Assessment Consultants offers services to municipalities as customized packages based on individual needs.  We will work with the municipality and the local assessor to deliver the highest quality product.  Alberta is experiencing a shortage of assessors, especially in rural Alberta. Benchmark Assessment Consultants is here for municipalities to help offset the need to hire a full time employee.  We believe that the most time-consuming aspect of the assessor's job is data collection and entry. We feel this is where Benchmark Assessment can help an in-house assessor the most.  We can work with the local assessor to get the job done in a timely manner at a substantially reduced cost to the municipality.  Here is a glimpse of what we offer:

• Annual or interim reinspection cycles coordinated by the local assessor, which includes property inspections and data input
• Update digital photo of all properties
• Update digital sketches 
• Exempt property review
• Marshall and Swift Cost Conversion services
• Income Approach database setup
• Coordinate non-residential RFI mail-outs to ratepayers