Postal Presort, Inc. will be sending out about 18,000 pieces of county mail soon as the Wichita firm sends property valuations to county residents.
The Barton County Commission approved spending approximately $3,000 to mail out the valuations.
County Appraiser Barbara Konrade-Stierlen told the commissioners that contracting out the mailings will save the county about $2.000 over having the staff do it, in addition to allowing her staff to start work on the next round of valuations, and to address other county duties during this busy time of the year.
Valuation notices will be mailed on or before April 1.  
Citizens wishing to appeal a valuation will have 30 days to schedule an informal hearing, Konrade-Stierlen explained.
She noted that at the state level discussions continue about alternatives to the traditional mailings. There have been discussions about some use of e-mail.
Also being discussed, and actually being tried in some locations around the state, is the change to valuations only being mailed to property owners whose valuation changes during a given year.
In addition to valuations going out, Konrade-Stierlen noted that some annual taxpayer reports are coming due.
Personal property renditions are due to the Appraiser’s Office by Tuesday and oil and gas renditions by April 1, she reported.  “Renditions must be returned on time or penalties will be applied. For assistance in completing the forms, please call 793-1821,” Konrade-Stierlen reported.