Linn County Assessor Jerry Witt was nominated by his peers and selected to receive the “Outstanding Member” Award at the Iowa State Association of Assessor’s (ISAA) Annual Conference and School of Instruction held in Des Moines earlier this month. The recipient of this award is selected based on leadership qualities, professionalism, and contributions to the Association and the Assessor profession.
“It is truly an honor to receive the Outstanding Member Award, especially with so many members that I believe are outstanding and deserving of this award too,” Witt said.
Witt was instrumental in the creation of the Association’s strategic plan and other ISAA improvements such as the development of a mass appraisal report template. He has completed the International Association of Assessing Officers instructor training and has devoted time to both developing educational courses and instructing for Assessors’ offices across Iowa. He completed all of this while leading the Linn County Assessor's Office to become the first in the state to receive the International Association of Assessing Officers’ Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration. Witt served as the ISAA president in 2018 and has served on many ISAA committees.
Following his graduation from Coe College, Witt worked as a fee appraiser and realtor. In 2008, he was appointed to the position of Tama County Assessor where he worked until 2018 when he was appointed as the Linn County Assessor. Witt has earned the professional designations of Iowa Certified Assessor (ICA), Residential Evaluation Specialist (RES), and Assessment Administration Specialist (AAS) as well as being a licensed appraiser.
Iowa Assessor Duties
Iowa law requires property values to be reassessed every odd-numbered year. In reassessment years, assessors have the statutory responsibility to reassess all property in their jurisdiction and to notify property owners of the change in their property’s value. The Linn County Assessor’s Office assesses real property in Linn County, Iowa, with the exception of property in the City of Cedar Rapids, which has its own Assessor’s Office.