After reviewing options, the Barton Appraiser’s Office has determined that using The Master’s Touch of Spokane, Wash., to create valuation notices, mailing labels and envelopes is the most effective method for printing and mailing, County Appraiser Wendy Prosser told the County Commission Wednesday morning.

The Appraiser’s Office invited requests for proposals for the mass mailing of 2023 real estate valuation notices. She received three bids: The first two from Mail Services of Des Moines, Iowa, which submitted a bid in the amount of $9,501.80 and  a second bid utilizing a different sized envelopes a little bit cheaper at $9,339.12; and from The Masters Touch for $7,997.60. 

More than $5,000 of that total is for the postage.

“In addition to these bids, we did receive several responses from local vendors that are here in Barton County,” she said. “However, they did let us know that they weren’t submitting bids at this time just because of the costs associated with these that they couldn’t really compete with these big bulk vendors.”

Prosser’s office has utilized The Masters touches for the last several years. “We’ve had great working relationships with them, and this year still come out to be the cheaper of the bids that we received,” she said.

“Each year by statute, we’re required to mail out our annual evaluation notices as of March 1,” Prosser said. 

“With the cost of the postage and envelopes and paper nowadays, it’s actually cheaper on a mailing this size to go out to a third party vendor,” she said. “They’re able to obtain the supplies and postage at reduced rates that we aren’t able to.”