Meierotto named next county assessor

We just need to educate people. Just because those go up doesn't necessarily mean that your taxes will go up.”

- Patti Meierotto, Lee County Assessor appointee

LEE COUNTY - The Lee County Conference board unanimously selected Patti Meierotto to succeed Kandie White as the next Lee County Assessor.

Meierotto has been in the assessor's office since  1994 and said this is just the natural progression of her  career.

Meierotto and assessor staffer Megan Kirchner were the two names put forward by the county's examining committee out of their Nov. 29 meeting.

"The examining committee found both candidates to be acceptable for the position but the examining board recommended to the conference board that Patti Meierotto be offered the position," said Lee County Board Chairman Matt Pflug at the conference board meeting Thursday night.

Pflug said the recommendation came with Meierotto's years of experience, interviews, and recommendations.

Meierotto said she started as a real estate clerk and acquired additional education and has been promoted under three different assessors.

"This is just the next step in my career," she said.

Meierotto will take office the first week of January and said she's kinda jumping into a fire.

She said there's information out about an upcoming large increase to property tax assessments.

"We just need to educate people," she said. "Just because those go up doesn't necessarily mean that your taxes will go up," she said.

"But we're all feeling it at home. Prices are going up and taxes may have to go up, too."

She said the staff will be down to four when current assessor White retires at year's end. She said they will be advertising for a position soon.

Meierotto said she'd also like to look at technology upgrades for the office to take advantage of new software.