Grand Forks County approves 2026 property assessments after staff reports slight valuation drop

Miss Walsh, a county staff member, presented the preliminary comparison of 2025 and 2026 taxable valuations and the agricultural value per acre, telling the Grand Forks County Commission that there was a 1% decrease year over year and that agricultural valuations are about 98% of the average reported by NDSU.

The presentation, delivered to Chair Hagen and the commissioners, identified new-growth taxable valuations by jurisdiction and invited questions. Citing state law as the authority for equalization, staff asked whether any members of city or township boards of equalization were present to appeal their 2026 valuations; none appeared.

With no appeals, the commission moved to approve the 2026 assessments "as returned by" the local boards of equalization for all cities. The motion was moved and seconded and, according to the transcript, passed unanimously. The commission took the same action for township assessments, again recording a motion, a second, and a unanimous approval.

After approving the assessments, the board of equalization was formally adjourned by motion, and the county commission meeting was subsequently reopened briefly and then adjourned.

The meeting record indicates no public appeals or contested valuation hearings at this session; staff noted the valuation comparisons and the agricultural-per-acre figure but did not provide additional details on methodology in the remarks on the record. The transcript also references a state statutory citation in the equalization process as provided by staff (citation transcribed in the record as "North Dakota Sentry Code 571201").

The commission concluded its business and adjourned.