Gage County Equalization Board approves contract to reappraise Beatrice properties
January 21, 2026 | Gage County, Nebraska
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The Gage County Equalization Board on Jan. 25 voted to approve a professional-services contract to reappraise residential and commercial properties in Beatrice, moving to complete the county’s broader equalization work.
Board members approved the contract after staff described plans to explain the valuation process to residents and provide multiple ways to report property details. Speaker 3 said the office will prepare plain-language materials and explain sources used in valuation calculations, citing Marshall & Swift as an input to help residents understand changes before values are posted.
Why it matters: Reappraisals can change taxable values for many homeowners and businesses, prompting protests and corrections. Board members and staff said the goal is a fair, consistent system across Gage County and to reduce surprise when new values arrive.
Board discussion and outreach: Speakers discussed that field staff have been leaving door hangers with a QR code linking to a questionnaire, and that residents can complete the form digitally or get help by phone or in person. Speaker 2 said office staff (Jen) have assisted residents with questionnaire completion, and the board encouraged referrals to the office for help.
On the valuation process, Speaker 3 said she and assessor staff will compile an explanation of how the valuation works and why it’s equitable, and will identify the data sources used: "...how this works and why it makes it equal ... Marshall and Swift... so we can get a good explanation so people can try to understand prior to this coming out." Speaker 2 also raised the possibility of using pictometry (aerial imagery) for future inspections and noted the last county flyover was in 2021 or 2022.
Timeline and next steps: Staff said March 19 is the deadline for having values entered; field crews are collecting data on iPads while valuation work is done in Lincoln and later synced to county records. The board approved the contract (motion moved by Haxby; second by Adams) with a recorded vote of 6 in favor.
The contract is intended to finish reappraisal work in Beatrice and help the county progress toward full equalization; staff said additional clarifying materials and assistance will be provided to residents once the work proceeds.
Board members approved the contract after staff described plans to explain the valuation process to residents and provide multiple ways to report property details. Speaker 3 said the office will prepare plain-language materials and explain sources used in valuation calculations, citing Marshall & Swift as an input to help residents understand changes before values are posted.
Why it matters: Reappraisals can change taxable values for many homeowners and businesses, prompting protests and corrections. Board members and staff said the goal is a fair, consistent system across Gage County and to reduce surprise when new values arrive.
Board discussion and outreach: Speakers discussed that field staff have been leaving door hangers with a QR code linking to a questionnaire, and that residents can complete the form digitally or get help by phone or in person. Speaker 2 said office staff (Jen) have assisted residents with questionnaire completion, and the board encouraged referrals to the office for help.
On the valuation process, Speaker 3 said she and assessor staff will compile an explanation of how the valuation works and why it’s equitable, and will identify the data sources used: "...how this works and why it makes it equal ... Marshall and Swift... so we can get a good explanation so people can try to understand prior to this coming out." Speaker 2 also raised the possibility of using pictometry (aerial imagery) for future inspections and noted the last county flyover was in 2021 or 2022.
Timeline and next steps: Staff said March 19 is the deadline for having values entered; field crews are collecting data on iPads while valuation work is done in Lincoln and later synced to county records. The board approved the contract (motion moved by Haxby; second by Adams) with a recorded vote of 6 in favor.
The contract is intended to finish reappraisal work in Beatrice and help the county progress toward full equalization; staff said additional clarifying materials and assistance will be provided to residents once the work proceeds.
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