Alva Review-Courier -

Seven companies are protesting their 2020 tax valuations, according to Woods County Assessor Renetta Benson. She said three companies are still protesting their 2019 valuations in ongoing lawsuits against the county and the assessor. Meanwhile, their ad valorem tax payments are held in escrow until the protests are settled. While this impacts other entities such as the county, school districts are the hardest hit by the protests.

Wednesday, Benson presented her report to the Woods County Excise Board consisting of Chairman Bob Seivert, Chris Olson and Joe Shirley. The 2020 property valuations are the basis for 2021 ad valorem taxes on those properties, including real estate, personal property and public service.

Benson told the board that the total county assessed value for 2020 including TIF districts is $220,530,116, up $350,495 from 2019. Excluding TIF the assessed value is $219,267,712, up $287,152.

The public service assessed value, included in the countywide total is $43,964,090, up $5,893.955. Benson said there are four public service protests on the 2020 valuation and three oil and gas protests.

The public service protests are DCP Southern Hills Pipeline, Glass Mountain Pipeline, LLC, ONEOK NGL Pipeline, LLC and Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co.

The oil and gas protests are DCP Operating, BCE-MACH and Targa Pipeline Mid-Con WestOk, LLC.

Benson reported that the new valuations for the 2021 tax payments being protested by public service companies total $11,026,812. These are valuations on which taxes are based, not the actual tax amounts.

She broke down the protested public service valuations into school districts. Alva (Dist. 1) protested valuations are $8,115,879. Waynoka (Dist. 3) valuations are $2,785,295 and Freedom (Dist. 6) protested valuations are $72,482. An additional $53,156 is for Dist. 4M, a school district covering a portion of Woods County but based in another county.

Benson said 2019 assessed values still in protest in lawsuits in Woods County total $26,765,692. The three companies involved are DCP Midstream, BCE-MACH and Targa Pipeline Mid-Con WestOk. It's unknown how long it will take for these lawsuits to be settled. Meanwhile those 2020 ad valorem taxes will remain in escrow.

The board approved the report by the assessor.

Other Business

In other action, the excise board approved the creation of the Sheriff Drug Task Force account. The new account is being set up because of a recommendation from the auditor.

Board members approved two transfers of funds. These were accounting errors with deposits being logged into the wrong funds. The transfers were $6,304.26 from the General Fund to the E911 fund and $21,240.48 from the E911 fund to the General Fund.

The board members also approved the following monthly appropriations presented by County Clerk Shelley Reed:

• District 1 highway cash $85,262.91

• District 2 highway cash $85,978.02

• District 3 highway cash $85,652.55

• CBRI Fund-105 District 1 $5,232.13

• CBRI Fund-105 District 2 $5232.12

• CBRI Fund-105 District 3 $5,232.12

• Enhanced 911 $14,314.75

• Assessor's Fee $190

• County Clerk's lien fee $3,284.86

• County Clerk's preservation fee $2,360

• Sheriff's revolving $2,186.17

• Treasurer's resale $3,129.92

• Sheriff commissary $47.3

• Sheriff's service fee and CHS $5,530.75

• Mortgage tax $135

• Sheriff drug task force $52,961.02

• County donations/rural fire $500

• Court clerk salary $8,507.64

• Court clerk RM&P $220

Brief Equalization Meeting

The excise board members adjourned and then reconvened as the Woods County Equalization Board. There was no action to be taken on the agenda, so the meeting was then adjourned.

A video of the meetings is available for viewing at http://www.AlvaReviewCourier.com.