Photography By Tommy Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
Nelson Residents Wait to Appeal Their Most Recent Tax Assessment
Lovingston, Virginia

Above are just a few of the many folks that showed up Monday afternoon to appeal their most recent property tax assessments delivered to Nelson property owners in the mail last week.

Imagine your taxes going up 600% since the last assessment in 2003. That’s the surprise that waited on some Nelson property owners last week when they opened the mail. NCL has spoken with several owners who report their assessments on land increasing anywhere from 4X to 6 X the last assessment. Generally speaking the assessment on buildings doubled.

When we visited the courthouse Monday afternoon a steady stream of property owners showed up to discuss their the assessments on the first of seven days set aside for appeals hearings. Many folks we spoke with are very concerned about even being able to pay their taxes, some going from $3000.00 to $10,000.00!

If you wish to appeal your current assessment, below you will find a schedule of times you can go in person to the courthouse.

ASSESSOR’S HEARINGS
The County Assessor’s hearings on the Reassessment will be held in the County Court House. Please check in with the receptionist located in the main hall on the first floor. If you wish to discuss your assessment, you may telephone (434) 263-7075 for an appointment, or you may come in during any of the times shown, and you will be seen as soon as possible. Due to the thousands of notices mailed out, our telephone lines will be busy and we will appreciate your patience. Note: please have this notice available when calling.

Monday, January 14, 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Tuesday, January 15, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Wednesday, January 16, 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Thursday, January 17, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Monday, January 21, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Tuesday, January 22, 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Wednesday, January 23, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Thursday, January 24, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

This is the sign posted on the west door of the courthouse in Lovingston.

Here’s more from:
WINGATE AND ASSOCIATES, LTD., REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS
CONTACT HAROLD WINGATE 1-800-277-2799
NELSON COUNTY
PROPERTY REASSESSMENT IN PERSPECTIVE

As most property owners are aware, rural acreage properties have experienced a tremendous increase in market value in recent years. This is true, not only in Nelson County, but in other Virginia rural counties as well. Consequently, rural land, and particularly acreage tracts, will show a much larger increase in value than residential or commercial properties.

Property owners should be aware that the basic requirements of a reassessment are to bring all assessments to current market value and equalize assessments with similar properties. Amount of increase is not, of itself, indicative of an erroneous assessment.

Reassessment notices will show the assessed values for 2007 and the proposed assessed values for 2008. “Land Use” assessments are not shown on these notices. Computer printouts of County-wide proposed assessments will be available for public view at the Public Library and the Nelson County Courthouse in Lovingston. These lists will give property owners an opportunity to compare their proposed assessments to other comparable properties.

The real estate tax rate for 2008 will be set by the Board of Supervisors based on the 2008-2009 fiscal year budget. It is impossible to determine the exact amount of taxes applicable to each property, until the new tax rate is set by the Board.

The reassessment process began in the fall of 2006, with a study of real estate sales for 2006. As work continued, sales for the first half of 2007 were also examined and considered, as market value was estimated on all County properties.

In collecting sales information and in the assessments, the reassessment office staff considers location, construction cost, quality of construction, condition of the buildings, etc., in order for the sales data to be compared, for assessment purposes, with the various properties in different neighborhoods throughout Nelson County. No sales or construction costs outside Nelson County were used in the reassessment.

Sales which were higher or lower than typical sales were not considered in the assessments. These would include family transactions and sales which took place because of pressure on the part of the buyer or seller. This can occur when there is an immediate need to raise money and time will not allow for the property to be properly exposed to the open market. This may, then, result in a sale for less than market value. It is also possible that an adjoining owner may pay more than market value in order to protect his existing property.
Land tracts of similar size, use, etc., must be used when comparing assessments. For example, a small acreage house site will reflect a much higher value per acre than a larger acreage property, even though the two may adjoin.

We would encourage property owners to compare their assessments with similar properties in order to determine if the assessments are fair and equitable. If you feel your assessment is out of line with similar properties, or over market value, it should be brought to the Assessor’s attention along with supporting facts which can be used in reconsidering your assessment. Percentage of increase above the old assessed value is not, by itself, grounds for an appeal. Please remember the last reassessment was five years ago and does not represent today’s market value.

Owners of a manufactured home assessed as personal property, need to be aware that water and septic systems are assessed as real estate and will be included on the landowner’s reassessment notice under “Buildings”. The water and septic systems are always assessed to the landowner, regardless of ownership of the manufactured home.

Again we urge property owners to keep in mind that Reassessments are not conducted to raise taxes, but rather are required by State Law to bring all assessments to current market value and to assure uniformity of assessments.

Photo by Florence Brown
For Nelson County Life Magazine ©2007
Roseland, Virginia

Above Betsy Smith pins the the Tenderfoot rank patch to her son Ben (upside down) while his Dad, Stuart, holds him inverted!

Okay, I never made it out of cub scouts, but I don’t even remember my friends talking about this, but sure enough here it is. Betsy Smith, Angel in the Sky from page 37 of the December ’07 issue of NCL, and proud mom of Ben Smith in Roseland sent us this picture.

Here’s what Betsy said:

Hey Tommy,

The Piney River Boy Scout Troop of America 32 just had their Court of Honor Awards. Many received badges and some earned a higher rank. Ben just earned the first scout rank of Tenderfoot. The ritual of earning the honor of this particular rank gave me a chuckle.

As new scout parents, Stuart and I were surprised to learn that Stuart had to turn him upside down while I pinned his new rank patch of Tenderfoot onto the correct pocket – a picture that I attached to this email to bring a grin to your face as well. Ben said his feet went numb by the time I figured out the right pocket to pin his patch on I am told that all future ranks don’t require this “upside down” ritual – thank goodness since he will soon be taller than Mom!

Betsy

I hope you don’t shoot us for putting it here Susan, but this is too funny!

From: “Susan B. Viemeister”
Date: November 20, 2007 10:21:50 AM EST
To: , Yvette Stafford
Subject: Weather Request

Hi Tommy,

Re:Weather

Could you please arrange for sunny, clear skies and temperatures about 58
degrees or above for this Saturday and Sunday please? I understand you are
the “go to” man for weather. Our Winter Marketeers would be very
appreciative of whatever effect you could have on this matter.

Thank you,

Your avid reader,

Susan Viemeister
Garden Trade

www.gardentrade.us
2nd Annual Winter Market
Sat. and Sun. Nov. 24th and 25th
Weekend after Thanksgiving
jewelry, photography and paintings, sculpture, canine fashion and treats,
baked goods, dried arrangements, wreaths, Christmas trees,
herbal products, meats and cheeses, and more.
Music Saturday: Bill and Linda Staton
Music Sunday: The Deer Creek Boys
GARDEN TRADE nursery and garden shop
Hours:
W-F 10-6
Sat 9-5
Sun 12-5
71 River Road, Faber, VA 22938
Phone: 434-263-8786

Photography by Bo Holland of RVCC
For Nelson County Life Magazine – Copyright 2007
Smokin’ Butts @ RVCC
Afton, Virginia

So last Thursday morning I was asked to speak to the Rockfish Valley Community Center’s Seniors.. I was there to talk about Nelson County Life’s NCL-Weathernet stations across the county. And discuss why and how weather is different here in Nelson due to the mountains and valleys.

Yvette and I couldn’t stay for lunch, but I wish we could have. This grabbed our attention, and thankfully Bo Holland grabbed this picture for us!

Bet it was good!

Photography by Tommy Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine – Copyright 2007
Danny Watson campaign continues
Nellysford, Virginia

Ok if any of you have been driving by Wintergreen Hardware lately, you have no doubt seen the brown van parked around the hardware store and car wash. Several days ago we showed you Danny Watson’s effort to promote Ron Paul for president.

We’ve been stopped all over the place and asked if we knew what it was about. Your mind is not playing tricks. Our own Danny Watson has made it a mission to organize a Ron Paul for President campaign right in Nellysford. Danny’s so serious about this he’s been enlisting help from all over the place.

Last weekend it seems Danny had his agents, youngsters on skateboards, out to do a little campaigning!

As you entered the drive to the store you’d be greeted and ask to vote by the skateboarder!

Not bad, not bad. Danny is getting very organized, mmmmmmmmm.

Good thing they have the ball bearings for the skateboard there!

Photography by Yvette Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine – Copyright 2007
Nick the Tomato Bandit!
Greenfield, Virginia

People’s Exhibit A: You’ve read about him on page 5 of the current September 2007 issue of NCL, well here’s the proof! Tomato in mouth! Folks don’t believe us when we tell them that our beagles, Nick started it, have eaten every tomato in the garden this year.

People’s Exhibit B: Guilty!

We’ve never heard of it either, but here you are. At least they are getting their lycopene!

Case closed.

Our friend, Jeff Vogelgesang, of Heards Mountain sent this in this morning. I just had to laugh, lots! I agree we have to exercise caution in this post 9-11 world, but…….

Note to Josh Palumbo at Wintergreen Nature Foundation, please don’t let them do this to our station up there!

From: Jeff
Date: August 1, 2007
Subject: Weather station mistaken for bomb

From the Roanoke Times

Weather station mistaken for bomb

A bomb-squad recently blew up a “suspicious looking box” mounted to a tree near the Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Roanoke, Virgina. Turned out that the “bomb” was actually an amateur weather station placed there by an employee of the Center.
An employee had placed a putty-like substance around the box to make it weather proof.

The investigation is concluded and no criminal charges will be filed.

Ok, Laurie. After your insightful comments to my original knitting post, I agree: knitting is a sport.

There. I said it.

I was doing some research on the notion of knitting as sport. Recreational activity? Yes. Sport? I was still skeptical.

For starters, there are tons of knitting blogs out there (and if you blog about it, it must be real). Here’s how blogger Elinor of Lawrence, Kansas sums it up in her blog:

I’m a graduate student and new mother who spends her free time knitting. I find that knitting is such a powerful addiction that its presence in my life must be tightly controlled. As a procrastinator, I’ve always fought off the temptation to knit instead of work. Often, knitting projects threaten my exercise time as well. Because I am committed to living an active life, this is not acceptable so the rule is EXERCISE BEFORE KNITTING.

And then there’s this piece in the April 2007 issue of Blue Ridge Outdoors where the writer goes as far as to claim that “knitting is the new yoga.” Namaste.

Still not convinced? This entry makes reference to “hardcore knitters” and “extreme sports knitting.” Knitting on a half-pipe. Can’t wait to see that.

Furthermore, if knitting were not a sport, would it have it’s own Olympics?

I think not.

– YS

Here’s the Cowslip shoefiti status report:

They are still up there but have migrated northward along the wire and are now somewhat obscured by trees.

More later on this breaking story …

It’s hard to see the shoes in this picture as they blend in with the trees:

But when you zoom in a little closer …

Bingo! Thanks Leslie for the follow up!

I tried running for Sheriff years ago
in an eight man race and came within
a few hundred votes of actually winning
it. I was 26 at the time.

But I am much wiser now so I’m
thinking about running again. My
momma tells me I was just ahead of
my time, bless my pea pickin’ heart.

I had hired a consultant to advise
me on my campaign. He told me I
probably wouldn’t win and since he
felt sorry for me, he didn’t charge me.

He took one look at me and said,
‘Son. Can you grow any facial hair?’
I grew my moustache but it wasn’t
dark enough so they airbrushed it for
the poster. The consultant also told
me I needed to do something about
my tasseled loafers.

‘Son, take off those sissy slippers
and get you some lace up shoes!’

I did and I still lost. I should have
remained true to myself. I should
have been more like Lt. Jim Dangle
on Reno 911. He’s a hero of mine
because he’s always been true to himself.
If his way of protecting the citizens
of Reno, Nevada is by wearing
polyester shorts, then Amen brother!
I do believe those shorts are 20%
inspiration and 80 % perspiration.

As Sheriff I would let turkeys
drive truck drivers in cages. I would
form a regional task force to fight
the growing shoefiti epidemic (page
38). And because I am a man with a
compassionate heart, I will endorse
the formation of a competitive knitting
league. Though my wife tells me
knitting is not a sport, I disagree.

So I hope you remember me on
Election Day. This year, I believe it
falls on the second anniversary of this
magazine, April 1, 2007. Visit TommyStafford.
com for more info.

My name is Tommy Stafford and I
approve this message.