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Commissioner of Revenue’s Annual Meeting with Assessors
MAAO Annual Meeting and Election of Officers
Topical Educational Seminars
Social Events

September 26 – September 29, 2021
Breezy Point Conference Center

9252 Breezy Point Drive
Brainerd Lakes Area
Breezy Point, Minnesota 56472

 Register now by clicking here

For over 100 years, Breezy Point Resort has built its reputation as the Minnesota 4-season vacation destination for families, golf groups, conferences, and weddings. Minnesota resort guests from throughout the Midwest and Canada enjoy a wide choice of lodging options, great food in 4 distinctively different restaurants, and superior service. Their state-of-the-art conference center hosts groups up to 450 with style. Let’s not forget golf! Breezy Point Resort has 3 spectacular golf courses, including Deacon’s Lodge, the premier championship course in the Brainerd Lakes Area of Minnesota. Adding to the beauty of this Northwoods resort is the location…on the shores of crystal clear Pelican Lake. Whether you’re just looking for a relaxing hideaway or a recreation-filled vacation, Breezy Point Resort has it all and is only a half-tank away from the Twin Cities.

For sleeping room reservations, go to http://breezypointresort.com select online reservations, select arrival date and enter group #281070 and select the type “any room”.

Attendees are responsible for making their own lodging reservations.  Lodging reservations must be made by September 5, 2021. Reservations made after that date are on availability basis for the conference rates.  PHONE RESERVATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Commissioner of Revenue’s Annual Meeting with Assessors

Commissioner of Revenue Robert A. Doty and staff will hold the Annual Meeting with Assessors on Monday, September 27th from 9:00AM to noon.  This session promises to be full of new information and timely announcements.

MAAO Annual Meeting

The Minnesota Association of Assessing Officers invites you to the 75th Annual Conference of the MAAO.  Meeting includes the Annual Meeting of the MAAO, committee reports, election of officers, and the MAAO-sponsored seminars for continuing education. 

MAAO Vendors Area

MAAO welcomes the vendors that contribute to the Fall Conference.  All vendors will be situated in the Whitebirch Lobby on Monday and Tuesday.  Please stop by and talk with them.  Vendors who want to have a table, contact Paul Knutson at 507-339-3889 or [email protected].

Conference Activities

Come early on Sunday and play golf at one of the many golf courses in the area. On Sunday night at 5:30 will be a cocktail hour before a 6:00 buffet cookout on the deck at the Dockside Deck Bar. On Monday afternoon, conference participants will be treated to a choice of fishing contest, golf, or a self-directed walking tour plus all the resort amenities. Conference attendees will be able to eat at your own leisure up until 9:00 PM at the Marina II restaurant.

U40/10 Committee

Please join us for the MAAO Fall Conference Golf Scramble sponsored by U40/10! The scramble will consist in teams of 4 starting at 3:00 on September 27^th. The cost is $17.50+ tax (per person, includes cart). The scramble will be played at the traditional course (9 holes). There will be prizes!! Any questions or need to register a team, please email Troy Halter at [email protected]

MAAO Hospitality Room

Regions 1 and 3 will host the MAAO Hospitality Room. The event will be held in Suite #255 Lakeside, Breezy Center. The rooms will be open at times that do not conflict with an organized MAAO event.

Questions??? Contact Paul Knutson, MAAO Conference Coordinator, at 507-339-388 or [email protected]t or Dawn Klein, MAAO Assistant Conference Coordinator, at 651-438-4230 or [email protected].

AGENDA

Sunday, September 26th
Noon                                                                    Golf and other resort amenities on your own
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm                                               Conference Registration – Front Desk Lobby
3:00 pm                                                               Executive Board – Governor’s Room
5:30 pm                                                               Opening Reception – Cookout on the Deck - Dockside Deck Bar             

Monday, September 27th
8:00 am– Noon                                                     Registration – Whitebirch Lobby
9:00 am – Noon                                                    Commissioner of Revenue Meeting – Whitebirch
Noon – 1:00 pm                                                    Lunch Buffet – Marina II Restaurant
1:00 am– 3:00 pm                                                MAAO Annual Meeting – Whitebirch
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm                                               Golf, fishing contest, walking tour, other resort amenities
Evening                                                                Use your name badge to eat dinner anytime off menu up to 9:00 pm Marina II Restaurant.  Reservations – call 7161

Tuesday, September 28th                                                
7:30 am                                                               Past Presidents Breakfast – Marina II Restaurant – Gooseberry Room
9:00 am – Noon                                                    MAAO Annual Meeting – Whitebirch       
Noon – 1:00 pm                                                    Lunch Buffet – Marina II Restaurant
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm                                               Educational Seminars –
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm                                               Reception – Dockside at Whiz Bang Bar
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm                                               Annual Banquet – Lakeside Ballroom
8:30 pm                                                               Awards and Presentations
After Awards                                                         Dockside Entertainment

Wednesday, September 29th
8:00 am – Noon                                                    Educational Seminars –

EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS
Fall Conference 2021 – Breezy Point Resort
Seminars

Tuesday:  Sept 28

What’s New- GIS & Mobile Devices: (1) 2 hour: 1-3pm
Jonathan Graves, Property & Environmental Resources, Josh Schoen, Rice County Assessor and Markus Yager, City of Maple Grove

“What’s New”- GIS and Mobile Devices - This session will consist of 3 panelists covering some of the latest uses of GIS technology and mobile devices.  The presenters will cover calculating weighted CPI for tillable using GIS, using semi-automated GIS functions to review sales ratios and quintile processes, and changes seen in the area of mobile devices in the Minnesota assessment field.  The session is likely to spur many questions about the use of GIS and mobile device technology so our presenters will serve as panelists for a roundtable discussion.  Come with all those GIS questions you’ve always wanted to know! 

Golf Courses are Unique: (2) 2 hours:  1-3pm & 3-5pm
Christopher Halden, Ramsey County

Golf courses are a special use type of property that provides challenges for developing accurate and supportable valuations. The golf course industry has experienced dramatic changes in the last several years which has had an impact on golf course market values. This course will focus on providing assessors with an update on current golf course industry trends, important case law decisions, highest and best use issues, valuation techniques and insight from prominent golf course professionals. In addition, there will be time set aside so attendees can ask questions and discuss issues or unusual circumstances they may have encountered in establishing values for golf courses.

Taft Law/Tax Court:  4 hours:  1-5pm
Moderator: Brett Hall, Hennepin County. Presentations by: Chief Judge Tien, Judge Delapena and Judge Bowman - Tax Court Update and Taft Law's Marc Manderscheid & Andrew Carlson

Tax Court Update - MN Tax Court Chief Judge Tien, Judge Delapena & Judge Bowman: 

• Introduction, brief professional bios, of the most recently appointed Chief Judge Tien as well as Judge Bowman and Judge Delapena
• Updates and/or changes such as: embracing technology and the opportunity to shift to a virtual trial when appropriate, administrative orders, etc.
• Provide an approximate number of current pending cases? With the oldest pending case being …? (year).

Tax Court Insight & Decisions - Taft Law's Marc Manderscheid & Andrew Carlson will provide attendees with an insightful look at recent issues that Assessors are facing in Tax Court followed by an indepth look at several recent decisions from both MN Tax Court and the State Supreme Court relating to Retail, Industrial and a brief discussion on Exemption issues making their way through the courts (as time permits). 

So Now you are the Assessor: 4 hours: 1-5pm
Gary Griffin, Crow Wing County Assessor & Rebecca Malmquist, City of Minneapolis Assessor

Newly appointed Assessors will discuss what their major challenges were when they became the Assessor, what they would do different, and what they would take to be better prepared for the position. Additional topics that will be  discussed include dealing with County, City and Township Boards, budgets, staffing, Board of Equalization, etc.

Assessing the Person:  4 hours:  1-5pm (limit 50)
Jessi Glancey, DOR

Assessors are charged with assessing property based on its use, but some factors of the property tax system are based on the person using the property.  This seminar will include information on the administration of the 1b blind/disabled classification, the Homestead Exclusion for Veteran's with a Disability program, and other information regarding personal/private data used by assessors’ offices.

Wednesday:  Sept 29

Business Organizations and the Corporate Farm Laws: (2) 2 hour: 8-10am & 10-Noon
Doug Spanier, State of MN

Minnesota's Corporate Farm Law, Minnesota Statutes Section 500.24 regulates what types of business entities can have an interest in agricultural land.  This presentation will explain how the law works, its history, and how to use MDA's website to determine if an entity is certified or not.  The presentation will also go through the different types of business entities available and how they work. 

Addressing Farm Stress: (2) 2 hour   8-10am & 10-Noon
Emily Krekelberg, U of M Duluth

With low commodity prices, taxes increasing, high debt loads, a global pandemic, and challenging weather in recent years, farmers are experiencing a high amount of stress. It can be challenging to know how to approach someone under a lot of stress, how best to help them. In this session, Emily will review the nature of farm stress, discuss how to identify stress, provide strategies for communicating with stressed individuals, and review available resources.

Lakeshore Valuation:  4 hours: 8am – Noon
Gary Griffin, Crow Wing County

The objective of this seminar is the demonstration of the different variables that contribute to lakeshore value:  shoreline types and quality adjustments and quantity or excess lake frontage adjustments.  There will be examples of lakeshore valuation by extraction, use of aerials and GIS. for access, footage, and shore quality.  This will assist in the uniformity and justification of the values placed on these types of properties.

Continuing Education Hours (CEH).  The State Board of Assessors will grant 2 CEHs for one two-hour seminar, 4 CEHs for 2 two-hour seminars, 4 CEHs for one four-hour seminar, 8 CEHs for 2 four-hour seminars.  There are no Commerce Credits applied for.

Fees

            Conference Fee                      $325.00 (includes meal package)      

            Extra meal package                $160.00

Seminars

            2-hour seminar                      $  37.50

            4-hour seminar                      $  75.00

            8-hours                                 $150.00

The Conference fee of $325.00 includes the Sunday reception, Monday Continental Breakfast, Monday Lunch, Monday Dinner, Tuesday Continental Breakfast, Tuesday Lunch, Tuesday Banquet and Wednesday Continental Breakfast. A meal package for companions is available for $160.00. Individual meals must be purchased through the resort.

Local Host Committee

• Gary Griffin, Crow Wing County
• Sandra Brueland, Crow Wing County
• Zachary Houle, Crow Wing County

Registrations will close September 10, 2021. Book your spot today!

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