My name is Gaylon E. Freeman. I am the current LeFlore County Assessor and am running for re-election for my second term of office. I would appreciate your vote on June 28th.
My background includes teaching for over 30 years, being a principal for three years and a coach for 10 years. In addition, I was elected and served two years as the Mayor of Pocola and also served ten years on Pocola’s Board of Trustees. I am a graduate of Leadership LeFlore County 2019. My faith also plays an important role in my life. I have gone on more than 200 mission trips to foreign countries, including Mexico, Panama, and Australia.
Working in the Assessor’s Office requires passing state exams for certification. During my first term as Assessor, I passed all of the required classes, and was one of few who accomplished this in less than five months, receiving all my certifications by March of 2019. But I didn’t stop there.
In July of 2020 I started the journey to complete the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) designation of Assessment Administration Specialist, which is 185.5 hours of training over and above the Oklahoma requirements. I am a member of the Oklahoma Chapter of IAAO and designated as a Professional Member, having completed the coursework in Fundamentals of Real Property Appraisal, Income Approach to Valuation, Fundamentals of Mass Appraisal, Assessment Administration, Tax Policy, Standards of Professional Practice and Ethics and a Case Study in preparation for a four-hour test regarding scenarios often present in the Assessor’s office, while also preparing for an eight-hour Master Exam qualifying me for the AAS designation. This has been a rewarding experience personally, but more importantly it allows me to better serve the taxpayers of LeFlore County.
The Assessor’s Office has accomplished much since I first came to office. We settled a multi-million-dollar dispute with AES. We upgraded our fleet of vehicles and still managed to save the taxpayers money with the purchases. We upgraded the computer systems in our office in order to run an all-new Computer Aided Mass Appraisal software system which went “live” on March 12, 2021. We increased the use of technology in the visual inspection of properties, using iPads with property identification software, laser-measuring instruments, Garmin and Apple mapping software, with each vehicle also having an office iPhone to provide better communication in the field with the office. This has led to greater productivity in our office.
Before March 10 of each year, every taxpayer in LeFlore County whose change of assessed value (CAV) increases more than $1 is to receive a notice in the mail of their right to protest the assessed values. Prior to my tenure, the LeFlore County Assessors’ office had never mailed any CAVs unless the change was over $5,000. When I was new to the office, I followed that pattern, but after studying the issues and consequences, in March of 2020 that level was dropped to $2,500 and dropped again to the $1,000 level this past year. I lobbied with the Assessors’ Association and with our Legislative Representatives and Senators of LeFlore County, the Lt. Governor Pinnell and State Senator Nathan Dahm, on behalf of the office, to change the statute to reflect the cost of doing business in today’s money, not based on the value of a dollar when the legislation originally passed.
Because of several rule changes made to the Agricultural Exemption Card qualifications, the Assessor’s Office must now follow Trending Guidelines or face disqualification from the office. This is why many items on a farmer’s or business’ personal property values increased in the last year alone!
I have spent many late hours studying the more than 3,000 pages of statutes and laws governing the office, preparing reports after meeting taxpayers, and solving software issues during the day, hiring qualified staff, networking with 76 other county assessors, following Oklahoma Tax Commission Ad Valorem Division Rules and Guidelines.
I recently received and “A” rating from OK2A – Oklahoma Second Amendment organization and on May 19, was asked by Notie H. Lansford, Jr. Professor & Extension Economist Program Leader, County Training Program Department of Agriculture Economy Stillwater, OK. to serve on their Advisory Board. I have 15 hours of training through this office for Budget Process 1 & 2 and Overview of County Government.
I am a Certified Financial Counselor through Lampo Group of Brentwood, TN. the parent company for the Dave Ramsey Solutions organization where I have led over 20 classes helping people with $12,000 yearly income to millionaires to get out of debt and build wealth for the future.
As you can see, the responsibilities and duties of this office are varied and sometimes complex. That is why it is absolutely vital that we elect someone who already has the necessary training, knowledge, experience and work ethic to properly and equitably do the job for each and every taxpayer. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your County Assessor these past 3.5 years and humbly ask for your vote for Gaylon E. Freeman on June 28th. Thank you
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