PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth's interim city assessor said a "desperate need of staff" and a lack of funding are contributing to a backlog in property assessments, according to an email obtained by 13News Now.
Janey Culpepper took over the interim position in March after city council members voted to sever ties with former City Assessor, Patrick Doris.
In her July email to a city council member and Mayor Shannon Glover, Culpepper said she took on a big task when entering the office, saying, "I was and still am in desperate need of staff, pay increases, equipment, and vehicles to name just a few. I hate to say, but as of the past several years this office appears to have been set up for failure."
She said her short-staffed team is expected to appraise more than 37,000 parcels, equating to approximately 4,000 commercial parcels for one person.
"We currently have over 500 commercial parcels being reviewed, some dating back to 2016, that have building permits that have not been worked and if you add in COVID there are probably numerous parcels with undocumented property changes that need to be reviewed and added to the tax rolls as discovered," Culpepper wrote.
Culpepper called her department's budget "extremely concerning." She said her concern is that the city has conservatively $40 to $60 million of value "uncaptured."
Culpepper added she expressed concern to interim city manager, Mimi Terry, and said Terry told her not to worry, that there were plenty of funds available and "nothing of this department would be denied." However, in that email, Culpepper said Terry did not follow through on any of her promises.
She added she feels the budget needs to be adjusted to accurately reflect the minimal needs of the Assessor’s Office.
Terry responded through email, saying she's provided Culpepper with what she has asked for, including new cars for her office's transportation needs.
"The proposed budget was adopted in May and your focus was on getting the appraisals done and my focus was on getting the budget adopted and getting the city operations back on track," Terry responded in an email to Culpepper.
Terry called Culpepper's hiring practices, "concerning," saying, "I believe you have been over-promised by councilmembers as if you don't have to follow the hiring process or city processes."
Terry said city council members approved additional staffing for the City Assessor's office last year and will have to vote again if more positions are needed for 2024. She also brought up the fact that both she and Culpepper are in interim positions, which could mean the people they hire could leave if the city council votes to replace them.
Terry ended her email by saying, "I will continue to be professional and I will assist you but I will not be directed by you; by any means."
13News Now reached out to Mimi Terry for comment regarding these emails and the funding concerns. She said: "Staffing shortages are not just a concern for the Assessor's office, this is a national concern for businesses and localities, in recruiting qualified individuals."
We reached out to Culpepper multiple times to learn more about her concerns, but we have not heard back.