Perry County reassessment bids remain disputed as equalization date nears

Perry County assessor Mendy Lassaline placed the “Opening of Cyclical Reassessment Bid” on the Perry County Board of Commissioners agenda for a Feb. 2 meeting at the Perry County Courthouse meeting room, 2219 Payne Street in Tell City. The countywide reassessment was set to equalize property values effective Jan. 1, 2026, so the bidding fight sat at the center of how future tax values would be set.

County records show commissioners had already reviewed proposals from several organizations and sent bidders a list of questions before that meeting. The questions focused on implementation, including whether a bidder would have a dedicated person for Perry County and how quickly that person could respond to a community or prospect need for information or answers. In one response, TPMA answered, “Yes, we have three full-time employees dedicated to Perry County.” The response was signed by Tom DeBaun, senior director, and Zachary Rice, director. A separate agenda item named Jonathan Blake of RJL Solutions, showing the county was dealing with more than one firm as it worked through the reassessment contract.

The details matter because reassessment drives the numbers that sit behind property tax bills. Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance says the budget order contains the certified net assessed value, tax rate and levy for each taxing unit in a county, and assessed values on a Form 11 are the starting point for calculating annual property tax payments. Perry County’s 2026 budget order shows the assessor delivered the ratio study to DLGF on Feb. 25, 2025, DLGF approved it March 10, the county auditor certified net assessed values Aug. 1, 2025, and DLGF certified the budget order on Jan. 14, 2026.

The commissioners deciding how to move forward are Randy Cole, Rebecca Thorn and Pam Jamniczky. The county website identifies the Board of Commissioners as the legislative body of Perry County and the county executive, which puts the reassessment vendor decision squarely in public hands. With the county already in the equalization cycle, the unresolved bid process affects more than a contract award: it shapes when the work is finished, how consistent the valuation process looks to property owners, and how much confidence residents place in the numbers that eventually drive their bills.