Summary
This document consists of a single written public comment submitted to the Leelanau Township Board ahead of its January 14, 2025 meeting, addressing agenda item 7.D. concerning whether to advertise the township assessor position. No board decisions or votes are recorded in this document.
Public Comments
Marian Kromkowski submitted a written letter, as she could not attend in person, expressing support for advertising the township assessor position (agenda item 7.D.). She described a prolonged dispute over the taxable value of parcel 45-008-133-014-00 (Pine Holler, LLC), which had been increased by $108,300. She stated the Board of Review (BOR) agreed in March that the value should not have increased. Kromkowski said Assessor Ms. Brow objected to the BOR's action, calling it "illegal," refused to submit the BOR form, and instead presented the township supervisor with a form showing the original higher value. Kromkowski said she identified a clerical/math error on that form in April, but Ms. Brow attributed it to what the "computer generated" and said it could not be changed.
Kromkowski hired attorney Robert Parker, who communicated with Ms. Brow multiple times and received inconsistent explanations; Parker reportedly called Brow's explanation "incomprehensible." At a July BOR meeting, Kromkowski again prevailed, with Ms. Brow conceding the issue was a "clerical error." Kromkowski expressed frustration over the cost and time required to resolve the matter and raised concern about how many other tax bills may have been miscalculated due to reliance on computer-generated figures. No board response to the letter is documented.
Other Business
The letter references agenda item 7.D., regarding a decision on whether to advertise the township assessor position, but no outcome or board discussion is included in this document.
Financial Summary
- Disputed taxable value increase: $108,300, for parcel 45-008-133-014-00 (Pine Holler, LLC).
- Board of Review ruled twice (March and July) that the taxable value should not have increased.
- Kromkowski incurred legal expenses hiring attorney Robert Parker to resolve the matter, though no dollar amount for those costs is stated.
Action Items
- Township Board to consider action item 7.D.: whether to advertise the township assessor position, as recommended by resident Marian Kromkowski.
- Underlying conflict involves repeated disputes between Kromkowski and Assessor Ms. Brow over tax assessment errors, including a pattern of inconsistent explanations and a conceded clerical error, which the board may need to address given Kromkowski's concern about potential broader assessment errors.