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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 20, 2009 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. (pe <br />_SUBJECT: Outsourcing of Business Personal Property Listin Function <br />DEPARTMENT: Revenue/Assessor/Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Contract with Tax Management <br />Associates <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Jo Roberson, 245-2735 <br />Frank Clifton 245-2306 <br />PURPOSE: To approve a contract for aone-year pilot project outsourcing business personal <br />property listing as part of the reorganization of the Tax Assessor's Office and the Collector's <br />Office into the Tax Administration Office. <br />BACKGROUND: On September 15, 2009 the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to <br />develop and present to the Board a more specific reorganization plan which allows for the <br />merging of the Tax Assessor's Office and the Revenue Department. One aspect of the <br />reorganization requires that plans be instituted that will allow taxation and excellent public <br />service to continue after the retirement of key staff and with a countywide hiring freeze <br />mandated. Staff has developed a reorganization plan that will allow for not only the continuance <br />of taxation and excellent public service but will potentially enhance operations while allowing for <br />coinciding budget cuts as well. <br />Over the past year, Durham County, Tax Management Associates (TMA) and the North <br />Carolina Department of Revenue have worked together to develop a viable outsourcing of <br />business personal property listing, managing, and billing that conforms to North Carolina <br />General Statutes. With the impending retirement of the County's only business personal <br />property appraiser effective January 1, 2010, staff would recommend the Board consider <br />pursuing a contract for aone-year pilot program with Tax Management Associates. <br />This one-year recommended pilot process will allow staff to thoroughly evaluate the overall <br />value to the County. This recommendation is based on the belief that outsourcing will not only <br />provide cost savings to the County but will also produce significant enhancements in the <br />implementation and administration of the business personal property taxation program. With <br />the TMA team (consisting of 45 special project team members) at Orange County's disposal, <br />much more can be accomplished than one Orange County Business Personal Property <br />Appraiser could achieve. With an entire team involved, Orange County will be able to more <br />thoroughly insure the accurate and complete listing of businesses and to also realize <br />enhancements in areas such as statistical and benchmarking analysis that will locate <br />questionable listings and will find businesses that have in the previous year listed but who have <br />not made current listings. There will be the resources and the software to create management <br />reports that will identify specific listings for special review and audit. There will also be time and <br />