Alva Review-Courier -

The Woods County Tax Roll Corrections Board held a special meeting Monday to consider changes to the 2020 and 2021 tax assessments of two companies. Chairman John Smiley opened the meeting with members Renetta Benson, county assessor, and Joe Shirley present.

Benson reminded the board that action was tabled on the SandRidge E & P protest for 2020 at an earlier meeting. Representatives for SandRidge attended the meeting by phone. Benson went over value changes in each five assessments. In all but one case, the assessments were changed to zero because of a change in laws that states salt water lines aren’t considered part of gross production.

The SandRidge assessment in School District I-1, Alva, was lowered by $1,616,534 to $457,216 removing the salt water portion. This lowers the taxes to be paid to the county by SandRidge from $148,418 to $32,723, a change of -$115,695. Not all of that tax goes to the school; it is shared by other county entities.

The remaining two agenda items involved DCP Operating Co., LP. Benson expressed frustration that after dragging out the protest all this time, the attorneys decided to settle instead of going through the court. She said the amounts are probably what the court would have assessed anyway.

On the 2020 tax roll, DCP’s old assessed value was $1,439,995 and the new value is $1,296. This lowers the assessment by $143,995. Their new tax bill is $101.900, decreased by $11,323. The school district most affected in this change of assessment is Waynoka.

DCP Operating also agreed to settle on the 2021 tax roll. The old assessed value was $1,442,385, and the new assessment is $1,368,000, a difference of $74,385. This results in lowering taxes to be pai dby $6,171. The new tax is $113,374. Again, the school district most affected is Waynoka.

The board members approved each of the agenda items.