16 | Friday, May 25, 2018 | The Record-Courier

Assessor
Dion Etchegoyhen
Place of Residence: Min-
den, 57 years
Occupation: Chief Dep-
uty Appraiser, Douglas
County
Age: 58
Contact information:
Etchegoyhen 775-790-5628
dionetchegoyhen@
gmail.com
www.dionetchegoyhenforassessor.com
Education: Douglas County Schools,
K-12; University of Nevada, Reno, study-
ing Business Administration. Certified in
both personal and real property through
the State of Nevada Department of
Taxation.
Record of Service: I have 20 years ap-
praisal experience with 18 of those years
proudly serving the public in the Douglas
County Assessor’s Office. I am currently
Chief Deputy Appraiser.
I began my appraisal career by working
in the private sector for two years, build-
ing basic skills in field work and apprais-
al. During this time, I completed all my
appraisal education courses required for
state certification in both personal and
real property. I was then hired as a per-
sonal property appraiser in the Douglas
County Assessor’s Office and was trained
by Assessor Barbara Byington. After
only two years, I was promoted to a real
property appraiser position. It has been
my desire the last 18 years to learn all
aspects of appraisal and administration in
the office. I have worked closely with the
level of complexity; classifies property to
determine extent of taxability; subdivision
analysis, collects vacant land sales and in-
terprets information.
• Using the cost, income or comparative
sales approach, as appropriate; calculates
agricultural and historic deferred tax liens;
provides the treasurer’s office with parcel
values after roll close; prepares an ap-
praisal report detailing the process used to
establish the value of the property.
Honors: Former Board Member Family
Support Council
International Association of Assessing
Officers
Nevada Assessor’s Association
IAAO Assessment Administration 400
Raising two beautiful daughters in
Douglas County, and now watching two
grandchildren grow up here
Platform: The State Legislature makes
the laws on assessment for all Nevada
counties. The Assessor is responsible
for the appraisers who discover, list and
determine the taxable values in the entire
county (based on statutes, market condi-
tions, and sales data) and for clerks who
input the data. It is critically important
the Assessor be impartial, fair, and will-
ing to explain to anyone how assessments
were determined.
I am very knowledgeable about Nevada
Assessment Laws and will be profession-
al, courteous, and gracious to the citizens
of this county. You should expect nothing
less. The current Assessor has implement-
ed effective office procedures for staff and
citizens of Douglas County. The current
Assessor takes responsibility for a full-time
Trent Tholen
Place of residence:
Genoa
Occupation: Senior
Appraiser
Age: 37
Contact information:
775-721-5664; trenttho-
len2018@gmail.com;
Tholen www.tholenforassessor.
com
Record of service: Over nine years
dedicated to the Assessor’s Office,
with last year’s performance score at
96.4%. Genoa Town Advisory Board
Member (2013-2016, Chairman in 2015
& 2016). 2011 Leadership Doug-
las County graduate. Member of the
Carson Valley Little League Board of
Directors. Douglas County Technol-
ogy Review Board member. Douglas
County Benefits Committee member.
Douglas County Website Redesign
Committee member. Attack volunteer
firefighter from 2006-2013; current so-
cial member. Affiliate, Nevada Asses-
sors’ Association. Associate member,
Douglas County Republican Women.
Associate member, Sierra Nevada Re-
publican Women. Member, Douglas
County Republican Central Committee.
Education: Attended elementary,
middle, and high school in Douglas
County. 1999 Douglas High School
graduate. 2004 University of Ne-
vada, Reno graduate: Dual major in
management and marketing, minor in
economics. Completed Essential Man-
agement Skills and Advanced Essential
Management Skills courses provided
by Douglas County. Fully certified to
appraise real and personal property in
the state of Nevada. Held Series 7 and
Series 66 licenses as a financial consul-
tant and was certified as an Accredited
Asset Management Specialist.
Platform: It is the duty of the Asses-
sor’s Office to carry out several statuto-
ry requirements. Our main function is
to value properties in Douglas County
for taxation purposes. It is important
to have an Assessor that can lead and
manage a team of employees to fairly
and consistently carry out the duties of
the office, while putting in the effort to
make Douglas County a better organi-
zation and helping to ensure it contin-
ues to be a great place to live. Experi-
ence is what matters, what you do or
have done that builds your talents. I
believe the Assessor needs to be in-
volved in legislative matters. I believe
in the Republican platform of merit
over tenure, that the highest perform-
ers are the ones who should get a posi-
tion. I believe in being good to people
and treating them with respect, and my
actions prove that. I believe govern-
ment serves a purpose, but should do
it responsibly with minimal taxes. I be-
lieve we can create efficiencies through
technology that will lead to cost savings
for the taxpayers.

current and soon-to-be-retired Assessor
Doug Sonnemann. Last year, I applied
for the job of Chief Deputy Appraiser, the
second level of expertise in the Assessor’s
Assessed valuation
position, completing real property apprais-
als--including more complex and difficult
properties--in approximately 80% of the
worktime. The remaining 20% is spent on

Office. A professional panel, including the
current Douglas County Assessor, as well
as representatives from other Douglas
County agencies, chose me unanimously
for the job.
Through these promotions and experi-
ences, I have gained expertise in the fol-
lowing specialized areas of appraisal:
• Personal properties such as aircraft,
hangers, mobile homes, business assets
(computers, office equipment etc.)
• Nevada taxation statutes and admin-
istrative code governing the appraisal of
personal, residential, commercial, indus-
trial and special purpose properties
• Establishing value of residential,
commercial, agricultural, industrial and
historic real properties of the most difficult
cracks $3 billion
administrative and budget duties. This has
proven to be both effective and prudent
practice. I will continue that tradition
of hard work, saving Douglas taxpayers
about $100,000 every year in salary and Staff Reports
benefits.
I grew up in a large family in Minden, Douglas County’s to-
and all my siblings still live in Douglas tal assessed valuation
County. At times, I have worked more is expected to crack $3
than one job to help raise my family. I am million for the first time
fortunate to have learned a few things very since the start of the Great
early on: hard work, the value of the dollar, Recession.
treating people fairly, and being friend- According to the Doug-
ly to all, matter. These long-established las County Assessor’s
traditions I cherish, and I will continue to Office, 80 percent of the
foster the same behavior in the Douglas county’s assessed value is
County Assessor’s Office. in the form of residential
property with a total value
of $2.4 billion.
Commercial and indus-
trial property make up
$194 million while tourist
commercial property is ex-
pected to run $151 billion.
The county has $39.6
million in agricultural
land and $116.2 million in
vacant land.
The sales of homes in
the Carson Valley was up
to its highest level for a
first quarter since 2006.
According to the Assessor’s
Office 175 homes were
sold during the quarter, up
from 163 the year before.
The first quarter is
typically the slowest of
the year, while the quar-
ter ending Sept. 30 has
tended to be busier in the
last few years, according to
numbers from the asses-
sor’s office.
The median price of a
home was up to $380,000,
with the average sales
price at $431,663. Both
those are peak num-
bers, indicated increased
demand.
Sales of homes five years
or older were up slightly in
2017 with 850 of the total
980 sold.
For more information,
visit www.douglascoun-
tynv.gov/45/Assessor

Assessing properties has its challenges, and its perks

by Kelsey Penrose
kpenrose@recordcourier.com
After 30 years, County Asses-
sor Doug Sonnemann is retiring,
and his position is up for grabs.
The County Assessor is in
charge of the assessor’s office,
and makes sure that the depart-
ment functions well, and that
property evaluations are com-
pleted in a timely manner.
The current office, he said, is
filled with wonderful people who
are self-starters and work very
well together, which makes it
easier for the assessor.
In the office never get to see otherwise,” said
there are six ap- Sonnemann. “So its fun to see
praisers, one who how those houses and properties
does personal are developed.”
property, and the Some of the biggest challenges
other five do real the assessor faces is keeping up
property. with legislative changes during
Sonnemann The county sessions every two years, and
is divided into fluctuations in the market.
fifths, and Sonnemann handles In general, the land is based
one chunk alone. on market, while home improve-
This year he has been in charge ments and commercial proper-
of Fish Springs and property at ties are based on a replacement
the lake, which he enjoyed. cost and depreciation.
“I get to go up to the lake The number they come up with
and see some of these gorgeous for the appraisal can’t exceed
houses that people like us will market cost, which is sometimes
a challenge.
“When the market dipped so
badly, we had a horrible time
keeping up with the downward
slope,” said Sonnemann. “ We’re
always a year to two years behind
the market, because we set it
based on tax season. When the
market is going up, it’s fine, be-
cause that means we’re following
the market. But when it goes
down, it’s hard to see how it’s go-
ing to come out, which is where
appeals come in.”
The internet has helped greatly
with the assessor’s office, because
it has cut out a lot of middle
ground. Parcel maps, square
footage, land values, etc. are all
online for the “assessor’s office to
utilize.
I’m not retiring because I
don’t love my job, I do,” said
Sonnemann. “But after thirty
years, I’m looking forward to new
adventures.”
Sonnemann has been a volun-
teer with search and rescue and
the fire department for 25 years,
and he’s looking forward to con-
tinuing his volunteering in mul-
tiple positions around Douglas
County during his well-earned
retirement.