Expert review committee recommends two review templates and new fee floors for reviewers

The committee on expert review voted to recommend that staff make two appraisal-review templates available to prospective reviewers and to propose new fee floors intended to expand the pool of expert reviewers and shorten complaint timelines.

Chair opened the meeting by framing the goal as producing an actionable recommendation for the full board. Committee members compared a privately used review form and a checklist-style example provided by Kevin McGwigan and Randy Button and concluded that both documents offer different benefits. "I would lean towards utilizing this as a tool or resource for someone to use as a guideline," a committee member said during the discussion. The committee agreed not to require either form but to present both as templates, with a disclaimer reminding reviewers to follow current USPAP standards.

On fees, members cited low historical response rates and time demands on reviewers. After debate the committee agreed to recommend a $1,000 flat fee for residential desk reviews and a $2,000 commercial fee floor with allowance for reviewers to propose higher fees on complex assignments. Will Hasten, participating in the discussion, urged that fee adjustments be balanced against available contract funds and the goal of attracting qualified reviewers. The committee voted to forward both motions—the forms guidance and the fee recommendations—to the full commission as committee motions for the board report and later contract implementation. The commission later approved the committee recommendations during the full meeting.