City assessor seeks full-time clerk and flags rising certiorari and consulting costs

Renee Ozimek, who said she was appointed city assessor in February, presented the assessor’s budget and asked the council to approve replacing a retired part‑time clerk with a full‑time clerk at grade 8, step 1. Ozimek gave a specific salary figure for that clerk: $43,009.86.

Ozimek warned the council that tax certiorari — legal challenges to assessments — has exceeded the budgeted amount. "To date, the amount is 74,000, so we have been over budget on that," Ozimek said, noting the 2026 line was budgeted at $50,000. She told councilors she expects to ask for about $75,000 for the certiorari line in the coming fiscal year while an attorney is handling current cases.

Councilors pressed Ozimek about the GAR consultant contract and whether line items accurately reflect actual fees. Ozimek said some costs were put under software and others under consulting; she identified a $7,500‑per‑month figure for parts of the contract that would total roughly $90,000 annually if accounted in the consulting line. She said reassessment notices will be mailed March 1 and that property owners can contest assessments with the assessor or with GAR.

Council members also discussed whether Newburgh should perform annual reassessments or remain on a cyclical schedule; Ozimek said the city is enrolled in cyclical revaluations (every three to four years) which provide certainty by assessing at 100% of market value but limit interim adjustments. The council took the presentation under advisement for the larger budget process.

The assessor’s requests and the certiorari exposure will be incorporated into the council’s continuing budget review.