NOTICE OF THE BOARD OF REVIEW AND OPEN BOOK FOR THE
CITY OF OMRO, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to s. 70.45, Wis. Stats., the assessment roll for the 2023 assessment year will be open for examination starting May 21, 2026 from 10AM-12PM. OPEN BOOK sessions will be conducted by phone. If you would like to set up a phone appointment, please contact Bowmar Appraisal, Inc. at (920) 733-5369 during regular business hours (M-F, 8:30-4:30) no later than 3 days prior to the Board of Review. The 2024 assessment roll, instructional information, and objection forms will be made available. These documents will assist with scheduling a hearing before the Board of Review. Keep in mind that objection forms must be filed with the Clerk of the Board of Review at least 48 hours before the Board of Review is conducted unless the Board of Review chooses to waive this requirement.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the BOARD OF REVIEW for the City of Omro, Winnebago
County shall be held on June 4, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Omro City Hall located at 205 S. Webster Avenue, Omro, WI 54963. Please be advised of the following requirements to appear before the Board of Review and procedural requirements if appearing before the Board:
- No person shall be allowed to appear before the Board of Review, to testify to the Board by telephone or to contest the amount of any assessment of real or personal property if the person has refused a reasonable written request by certified mail of the Assessor to view such property.
- After the first meeting of the Board of Review and before the Board’s final adjournment, no person who is scheduled to appear before the Board of Review may contact, or provide information to, a member of the Board about the person’s objection except at a session of the Board.
-
No person may appear before the Board of Review, testify to the Board by telephone or contest the amount of assessment unless, at least 48 hours before the first meeting of the Board or at least 48 hours before the objection is heard if the objection is allowed because the person has been granted a
waiver of the 48 hour notice of an intent to file a written objection by appearing before the Board during the first two hours of the meeting and showing good cause for failure to meet the 48 hour notice requirement and files a written objection, that the person provides to the Clerk of the Board of Review notice as to whether the person will ask for removal of any Board members and, if so, which member will be removed and the person’s reasonable estimate of the length of time that the hearing will take.
- When appearing before the Board, the person shall specify, in writing, the person’s estimate of the value of the land and of the improvements that are the subject of the person’s objection and specify the information that the person used to arrive at that estimate.
- The Board shall hear upon oath, by telephone, all ill or disabled persons who present to the Board a letter from a physician, surgeon or osteopath that confirms their illness or disability. No other persons may testify by telephone.
- Anyone wishing to file an objection must contact City Clerk Barbara Van Clake to complete and submit the required objection form supplied by the City of Omro, prior to appearing before the Board of Review.
This Notice is hereby posted at the following locations in the City of Omro on the 7th day of May 2026:
- Omro City Hall
- Carter Memorial Library
- US Post Office
Barbara J. Van Clake, City Clerk/Deputy Treasurer
City of Omro, 205 S. Webster Avenue, Omro, WI 54963
What is Open Book?
Open book is the period of time where you may meet with the city’s contracted assessor to examine your property tax assessment and discuss how they arrived at your assessed value. Contact Omro City Hall at (920) 685-7000 to schedule an appointment with the assessor to discuss your property tax assessment. If you wish to dispute your property tax assessment you must attend the Board of Review.
What is the Board of Review?
Ordinarily, the Board of Review consists of municipal officials and functions like a quasi-jurisdictional court in that it hears evidence that is presented. The municipal clerk also functions as the Board of Review clerk. The Board of Review has the duty of correcting any errors in assessment that have been made, inadvertently or otherwise. It is the duty of the Board of Review to carefully examine the roll and correct all apparent errors in descriptions or computations, and to add any property to the roll that the assessor may have omitted. However, the Board of Review must notify the property owners concerned and hold hearings before omitted property can be added to the assessment roll and before any other lawful changes can be made.
Once the assessor has valued the property, posted these values on the assessment roll, and signed the affidavit attached to the assessment roll, the values must be accepted as correct unless the testimony of sworn witnesses and the evidence they present indicate otherwise.
The Board of Review is responsible for raising and lowering any incorrect valuations as well as correcting any errors in the roll. It is important to note that the Board’s function is not one of valuation, but of deciding the validity of the facts presented, under oath, before it. All deliberations must be done in open session and the Board of Review is required to decide each objection by a roll call vote. If the Board of Review votes to change an assessment, it must state on the record the amount of the correct assessment and that the correct assessment is reasonable in light of all relevant evidence received. Notices of the Board’s determinations are to be sent to property owners as the Board completes its work.
Manufacturing assessments are reviewed by the Tax Appeals Commission, rather than the local Board of Review.
How do I appeal to the Board of Review?
To schedule an appointment before the Board of Review, please complete the Notice of Intent to File Objection Form and Objection Form for Real Estate Assessment, and return them both to the City Clerk’s office at least 48-hours prior to the Board of Review.
Visit the State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue to read more on the Board of Review process. State of Wisconsin Board of Review