Novi council considers contracting with county for assessor

NOVI — The Novi City Council is considering naming Deputy Assessor Jan Ziozios as acting assessor and contracting with Oakland County for a short-term stopgap after the city’s former assessor, Micheal Lohmeier, left to take a new job with Oakland County.

Naming Ziozios as acting assessor would allow her to handle the day-to-day decisions involved in working with the city’s legal team, residents and businesses while supervising staff and consultants, according to City Manager Peter Auger.

Oakland County would be considered the assessor of record and would sign the city’s rolls as required by law. The county would provide a myriad of services, especially with commercial properties.

The contract would be for $75,000, plus additional hourly costs for testimony and added services beyond that. The contact would be for a length of time that is yet to be determined. However, Auger said he believes it would be until spring.

“I do think it is a very good opportunity for us,” Auger said during the Aug. 8 City Council meeting.

According to Auger, this will ensure that the city maintains the level of expertise needed until a permanent assessor can be hired next spring.

“Currently, Deputy Assessor Jan Ziozios is doing a great job of exercising leadership over the day-to-day operations of the Assessing Office,” Auger said during the Aug. 8 meeting.

Mayor Bob Gatt inquired as to whether the contract would satisfy all of the city’s needs for an assessor, legal and otherwise. Auger said it would.

“Where will the $75,000 come from?” Gatt further questioned.

Auger said that the funds would come out of the budget for the Assessor’s Office.

Gatt inquired as to whether or not Ziozios has the credentials to take over the assessor position. Auger said that she needs to test for level 4, which he said she is prepared to do and has all the required experience. According to Auger, Ziozios can take the test this fall. He said she hadn’t done so, as they anticipated having more time before the previous assessor left for her to take the test.

“So, by the first of the year she will be a level 4 assessor, so by the time our contract with the county expired, we would have another person to do so,” said Gatt.

The council agreed to consider a contract with Oakland County. Auger will continue to work on the negotiations with the county to present to the council at a future meeting.