Scotts Bluff County commissioners approved a contract Monday with LinkMac Assessment to carry out a long‑overdue commercial property reappraisal, the county assessor told the board.

County Assessor Robert said the contract, negotiated with LinkMac owner Brian Hill, will cost about $395,055 and is designed to complete statutorily required reviews of commercial and industrial properties, unimproved commercial lots and feedlots. “We are required to do a review of the commercial properties once every six years. We’re overdue,” Robert told the commissioners.

The nut graf: the contract splits work and payments across two fiscal years. The consultant will begin field and data work in May, with some valuations applied to 2026 and others to 2027; the county will pay roughly half (about $200,000) in the current fiscal year and the remainder when the project is complete.

Robert said he negotiated operational terms, timeframes and quality‑control steps with LinkMac and sought input from NERMA (the county’s risk pool) and the Property Assessment Division. “He comes very highly recommended,” Robert said of owner Brian Hill, adding he had spoken with references and that Hill had previously worked for the state revenue department.

Commissioners asked about use of county staff. Robert said LinkMac will perform physical reviews and handle most data entry into the county’s MIPS system; county staff will perform limited data entry and quality control. The contract includes up to 10 days of representation at Board of Equalization hearings or state review proceedings.

Before LinkMac begins, Robert said the chair’s signature will be required to send the agreement to the tax commissioner for final approval. Commissioners approved the contract by unanimous vote. Robert said the timeline is approximate and that the consultant may finish earlier; because the work spans years, the second payment will fall in a later fiscal year.

Ending: The board’s vote authorizes the negotiated contract subject to the tax commissioner’s review; the assessor will manage implementation and report back during the project.