By Kate Hessling
Tribune Staff Writer
BAD AXE — The issue of conflict of interest as it pertains to wind
developments in Huron County took a turn Tuesday.
During Tuesday’s regular meeting, the Huron County Board of Commissioners
pulled a resolution to enter into a contract with KMA Associates to complete
2010 commercial, agricultural and residential appraisal studies.
Commissioners pulled the resolution because KMA Associates is owned by Clay
Kelterborn and Valerie McCallum, two Lake Township residents who have raised
a variety of concerns about wind developments, including fears wind turbines
will decrease area property values.
“Desperate people take desperate measures when they want to prove a point.
These two assessors should not be permitted access to the property in
townships leased by wind development companies. Surely, this is a conflict
of interest,” stated Commissioner Steve Vaughan.
The two assessors, as well as other residents concerned about wind
development in Huron County, previously have raised concerns that Vaughan
and four county planning commissioners have a conflict of interest because
they have contracts with wind developers.
While four planning commissioners still have contracts with wind developers,
Vaughan’s contract was terminated June 21.
Regarding claims he had a conflict of interest prior to the contract’s
termination, Vaughan noted he entered that contract prior to being elected
Huron County commissioner, and a wind turbine wouldn’t have been able to
go on his property because he already has a communications tower on his
property. He said he entered the contract to help neighbors on property near
his who are eligible to have a wind turbine on their property.
Vaughan said he has no clue why his contract was terminated. He said he
received a letter in the mail noting the contract was being terminated, but
he wasn’t given a reason for the termination.
As for the planning commissioners who have wind contracts, all four
previously explained the circumstances of their contracts, and two abstained
from voting on two new wind districts to prevent the appearance of a
conflict of interest.
In regard to Tuesday’s claims McCallum and Kelterborn have a conflict of
interest, both Vaughan and Commissioner Kurt Damrow stated the two had a
conflict of interest after they publicly stated, at numerous meetings, that
turbines will decrease property values.
“Clay Kelterborn and Valerie McCallum are assessing five out of 28
townships in Huron County. They have control over nearly 20 percent of the
county’s assessments,” Vaughan stated. “Both of these people belong to
an organization known as knowwind.org.
This organization and its representatives, which appear before the county
planning commission and the board of commissioners, repeatedly express their
concern about devaluing property due to the further development of wind
energy in Huron County.”
He later added, “Any and all assessing contracts with these two
individuals should be canceled in a proactive approach to protect the
integrity of the assessments in this county.”
Kelterborn told the Tribune the statements are unfounded, as assessments are
driven by market data, not personal feelings.
“This is news to me,” he said, when asked to comment about the board’s
discussion during Tuesday’s meeting.
He noted KMA Associates did assessment work for the county last year, and
there were no issues of concern raised from that work. In fact, Kelterborn
said, the county’s equalization director asked KMA Associates to do
additional assessment work for the county this year.
According to the resolution pulled Tuesday, the county’s equalization
director recommended the board contract with KMA Associates to complete some
appraisal studies, of which, the contractual work would not exceed $4,000.
Kelterborn, who is the assessor for Meade and Verona townships, said he and
McCallum, who is the assessor for Dwight, Fairhaven and Hume townships, work
to meet a high standard, and have not had problems in the townships they
work or in the work the pair did last year for the county.
He said when doing assessments, assessors have to provide
documentation of market data to back up their assessments. Some of the
things assessors look at include sales studies, market indicators and a list
of homes that have sold in a particular areas.
“It’s a very open and honest process ... and people have the ability to
appeal their assessment if they feel it’s unfounded,” Kelterborn said,
stressing personal feelings are not part of the equation when determining
assessments. “ ... Our work performance, I think, has been acceptable to
the equalization department.”
He said he’s attended numerous county commissioner and planning
commissioner meetings, and it’s unfortunate and sad to hear what happened
at Tuesday’s meeting.
“I just feel it’s unfounded for them to make those statements,”
Kelterborn said, noting if the board had any concerns, commissioners should
have talked to the equalization director or given McCallum and himself the
courtesy of a heads up that this was an issue.
“People should have the ability to speak freely about issues in their
community,” he added. “I don’t feel like we’ve been out of line (in
voicing our concerns).”
McCallum told the Tribune she was not aware the board of commissioners
intended to pull the resolution to contract KMA Appraisals. She referred the
Tribune’s other questions to Kelterborn. Kate Hessling • (989) 269-6461
• khessling@hearstnp.com
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