Assessor

December 18, 2023

The assessing staff will be away from the office for the holiday season. The Assessing office will
be closed December 22nd through January 1st. We will be back at our desks on January 2nd. If you
need assistance, please leave a voicemail OR send an email with your concern – we will respond as
we are available.

As 2023 comes to a close, there are some important deadlines for property owners.
• The assessing staff is completing fieldwork for the 2024 assessment roll. We will be out the
week of December 18th to complete inspections of new construction and any remaining parcels that
have not been inspected for the reappraisal of the agricultural study.

• December 31st is the filing deadline for Form 4640 – Conditional Rescission of Principal
Residence Exemption.

• December 31st is the filing deadline for Form 865 (L4293) – Request for Non-consideration of
True Cash Value of Normal Repair, Replacement and Maintenance Expenditures. This exemption request
is available to parcels in the Residential (400) class on the assessment roll. The form is
available on the Bruce Township website. Please call or email if you have any questions.

• For any parcels approved in 2023 for a Land Division, it is required a recorded document be
filed by December 31, 2023 to establish ownership of the new parcels for the 2024 assessment roll.
The approval of the land division expires after 12 months from the Township Board decision. If the
documents are recorded after December 31st and before the expiration of the Land Division approval,
the new parcels will be created on the 2025 assessment roll.

• December 31st is also the deadline for submitting a request to combine parcels on the
assessment roll. Parcels must meet the following criteria:
o Property taxes must be paid including the current Winter 2023 tax bill.
o Parcels that will be combined must be in the same ownership.
o Parcels must be in the same section, town and range OR same plat.

We wish you a safe and jolly holiday season….. Pam and Katie

April 2023

It is Spring! I say that with a bit of a sigh of relief. The 2023 assessment roll has been completed with the help of property owners and the Board of Review. The 1.079 inflation rate multiplier (IRM) issued by the State Tax Commission AND the strong market with high residential real estate prices made it a challenging year for all of us. With the returning sun, warmer temperatures and melting snow, Katie and I are eager to start fieldwork.

For the 2024 assessment roll, our fieldwork schedule will be:

Finishing waterfront inspections along Scenic Drive from 6 Mile Road to 7 Mile Road and from 15 Mile Road south to Munuscong Bay.
Finishing inspections in the Agricultural class and reviewing agricultural exemptions
Inspections of Class B, BC and A construction quality – typically custom-built residential

Our inspections are “exterior only” to obtain measurements and photographs of all improvements to the land (buildings and site improvements). Any information from the property owner is very helpful.

Public Act 660 of 2018 provides a statutory process to ensure quality assessing for taxpayers and local units. The General Property Tax Act, specifically MCL 211.10g, also requires the State Tax Commission audit assessing districts every five years. The audit includes assessor and township responsibilities in the assessment process. Chippewa County townships are scheduled for this audit in 2024.

It is important the assessor be available to property owners and other parties utilizing the assessment data. Communication is a critical part of being a public servant. Katie and I will continue to be available most Wednesdays from 1 to 4pm at the Bruce Town Hall. It is not necessary to have an appointment, however an appointment is helpful to avoid a long wait and it enables us to be prepared for your visit. We do schedule appointments around your schedule if the Wednesday hours are not convenient. We are available by phone – Pam at 906.440.2799 and Katie at 906.440.2257. Please leave a message so we are able to return your call. Contacting us via email at assessing@brucetwp.com is also an option. We strive to answer calls and emails within 24-48 hours during the work week.

Public Act 660 of 2018 requires that the assessor and township will make available studies and data used to create the assessment roll to the public. The goal is to increase transparency and accountability of the assessment process. The Land Value and Economic Condition Factor (ECF) studies are on the Township website. Please call Katie or Pam with any questions about your assessment or the assessing process.

Bruce Township assessing data is available at https://bsaonline.com/?uid=1045 . Instructions for using the BS&A website are posted on the BS&A website. There is no charge for the property owner to obtain their own parcel information.

Katie and I are committed to creating a uniform and accurate assessment roll. When there are errors, we will use whatever statutory process is available to create a correct assessment. Don’t hesitate to call us if you have questions. Assessing is also about educating and informing taxpayers. We welcome and encourage your calls!

Pam Chipman, MAAO, MCPPE – Assessor

Katie Chipman Bergmsa, MCAO MCPPE Assessing Data Technician

You can request a phone call or meeting with Pam using the form at the following link:
https://forms.gle/Fko7AB91do8WPZEw5