Cole County Assessor’s Office uses new technology for 2027 mass reinspection

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County residents should expect a knock on their door soon as the Cole County Assessor's Office starts a mass reinspection plan.

Every odd-numbered year, there is a reassessment of the value of residential properties. This property value then determines property taxes.

This year, the assessor's office is gathering detailed information on every residential parcel to guide next year's reassessment.

Assessor Tim Theroff wouldn't discuss details about why the mass reinspection was needed, saying the reasons go back to before he took office in 2025. However, the State Tax Commission has told the county that current property assessments are too low.

Assessors will first knock on the door when they arrive at a home. They'll then take photos around the residence, updating new features as needed. Assessors only observe the outside of a home.

The process used in the past by the Cole County Assessor's Office was simply going out with a pen and paper, gather information, then head back to the office to put the new information in.

With this new technology, assessors take an iPad out in the field, take their pictures, and enter their data while they are still in the field.

Noah Lara, an assessor in Cole County, said that this new software makes it easier for assessors to gather data and have it back in a timely manner.

"It lets us do most of that work in the field, like editing our sketches, adding photos, confirming our outbuilding data," Lara said. "It allows us to do all that in one software and then send it off."

Theroff said that although the first week using the new technology has gone well.

"So for the sake of efficiency, we take the pictures and do all of the data entry in the field, and then we're able to stay out in the field for all five days and spend more time out, inspecting those properties and feel like it's a better use of our resources," said Theroff.

Theroff said that, when it comes to cost, assessors can now spend more days in the field than in the office, so he feels it is a net value.

"For the sake of efficiency and being good stewards of the taxpayers' money, our field inspectors are able to be out in the field for five days a week instead of three days a week. So we figure it is a net gain," said Theroff.

Theroff said the cost of the software is around $20,000 annually.

Theroff notes that the assessor's objective is to accurately value property, and to make sure that everything is fair.

"If properties are valued scientifically, and there's equity in how close they are to true market value, then that establishes fairness and what people are paying in taxes," said Theroff.

Lara said that when assessors come to a home, they announce themselves and explain to residents what the process looks like.

"Because a lot of people, some people just don't know what this process is or, you know, they're first-time owners or, you know, they haven't seen this in a while. So we just like to put people at ease," Lara said. "I mean, we're just out collecting our data. We're out making sure that we have everything that we need for this assessment cycle. It's great to interact with the public"

Theroff is cautiously optimistic that this new system will increase the efficiency of field inspectors.

Cole County will send out postcards to residents with updates.

Theroff said that the reassessment process is expected to take seven to eight months, with 25,000 homes to inspect.