JISD hedges on GIS deal with city
By GEORGIA PURDY Newsboy Correspondent

The Jasper Independent School District Board of Trustees nominated Danny Walker and Joe Clyde Adams as candidates for the Board of Directors of the Jasper County Appraisal District at their regular meeting Monday, Oct. 8.

The Texas Property Tax Code requires nominees on the Appraisal District board be made by each applicable taxing unit. Candidates elected to the board serve a two-year term; therefore, the upcoming election is for 2008-2009.

The board also approved the sale of 13 properties that were included in a "sheriff's sale" held Sept. 28, 2007. The sale included 26 properties held in trust by various Jasper County entities. JISD will net a total of $2,385.83 and will place those properties back on the tax rolls.

Finance Director Carolyn Foster submitted an administrative report explaining a request by the city of Jasper to have the school district join them in an effort to map and plat part of the city.

There are a number of properties that are not on the tax rolls because these properties are not platted, and the owners cannot be identified. It is estimated that one third of the city falls into this category.

Metro Planning was the low bid to research, GIS service, plat, and create an accurate tax lot base for Jasper City, Jasper County and the Jasper Independent School District for a cost of $114,000.

The Appraisal District will treat all added properties as new construction.

Foster said that the cost of the project would be split among the three entities to be paid over a two-year period. She suggested that a committee be formed to look into this before considering the proposal.

"Part of this is to get properties cleaned up in addition to getting them on the tax roll," Foster said. "I suggest that we form a committee to look into this because we don't know if these fees are all-inclusive or if there will be additional fees for this service. We may also have other questions."

Superintendent Bill Dean asked board members to submit any questions they may have and the committee would ask those when they met to discuss the issue.

JISD's estimated cost is $38,000 to be paid over the next two fiscal years, and the estimated increase in property tax revenue is $1,011,271.