1. Wisconsin Real
Property Listers
Association
From Addressographs
to GIS: The Adaptation
of Real Property Listing
and Property Valuation
to Technology

2. Acknowledgements
• James Wallen, Brown Co. • Pam Hollnagel, La Crosse Co.
• Roxanne Moore, Burnett Co., • Krista Paulson, Lafayette Co.
Retired • Marge Johnson, Lincoln Co.
• Cheryl Zellmer, Dane Co • Ruth Winter, Menominee Co.
• David Addison, Dodge Co. • Jeremy Erickson, Monroe Co.
• Holly Hansen, Door Co • Cindy Wisinski, Portage Co.
• Pat Harmann, Racine co
• Lauree Kratcha, Jackson Co.
• Ann Burton Sauk Co.
• Al Brokmeier, Kenosha Co.
• Nick Gamroth, Trempealeau
Co.

3. Origins
Elected Local Assessors
Elected Local Assessors with County
Boards Appointed Perform Equalization
State Board of Equalization
1868 County Boards Given
Responsibility for Assessments

4. Statewide Commission 1899 Appointed. Tax
Administration must be Performed by Non-elected
Professionals
Three Person Commission Appointed to Direct
Assessments
Equalization Added
Commission Eventually Becomes the Department of
Revenue

5. Origins
• A parcel of land located in Government Lot
One(1) of Section Twenty-four(24) Township
Thirty-nine(39) North, of Range fourteen (14)
West, described as follows: Beginning at
the point which is 710 feet East and 33 feet
South of the Northwest corner of said
Section 24, being the northeast corner of a
parcel of land described in Volume 91 of
Deeds, page 112, as recorded in the office of
the Register of Deeds, thence running East
and parallel with the North line of said
Section a distance of 647 feet, thence South
parallel with the West line of said Section 24,
a distance of 850 feet, thence West parallel
with the North line of said Section 300 feet,
more or less to the shore of Bass Lake,
thence Northerly and Northwesterly along the
shore of Bass Lake to a point South of the
Point of beginning, being the Southeast
corner of above referenced Volume 91 page
112, thence North parallel with the West line
of said section 24 to the point of the
beginning.

6. Origins
The Assessor The Town Clerk The Treasurer
•Enter each parcel on • Created Tax Roll •Billed and collected
the assessment roll in •Applied mil rate to taxes using the hand
regular order by each parcel written tax roll.
government •Total tax roll and •Wrote certificates on
subdivisions with deliver to local delinquencies
“such certainty as Treasurer •Tax Deeds on
would be sufficient •Shortened legal delinquent land
between grantor and descriptions. became impossible
grantee in a no one knew what
conveyance of land was being taxed
property.”
•Elected
•Not certified
•Shortened legal
description

7. Origins
•Works
Progress
Administration
•Wisconsin
State
Legislature

8. Valuation
Listing
Discovery

9. Co. Treasurer GIS
Maintains parcel
Generates tax bills,
maps
supplies addresses
County GIS RPL DOR
Assessor Combines legal
Property values descriptions, Manufacturing values
ownership and
values
Register of Deeds
Deeds, CSMs,
subdivisions and
condominiums

10. Discovery & Listing

11. One record in the
parcel attribute
database consists
of…

12. Document Types used in Discovery
Warranty Deed
Quit Claim Deed
Personal Representative Deed
Trustee Deed
HT-110 (Termination of Decedent’s Property)
Land Contract
Sheriff’s Deed
Condominium Deed
Tax Deed
Transfer on Death Deed
Parcel splits usually involve some kind of map or plat such as CSM’s, plat of surveys, condo plats,
subdivision plats, right of way plats, or transportation project plats
Real Estate Transfer Returns are used to discover the tax bill mailing addresses

13. The best way to summarize the work that a Real Property Lister does is
as follows:
A property lister is not a lawyer, but they have to know real estate law.
A property lister is not a land surveyor, but they have to know how to
measure land.
A property lister is not a cartographer, but they have to know how to
make a map.
A property lister is not a title examiner, but they have to know how to
examine title.
A property lister is not a clerk, but they have to know how to develop and
apply mill rates for taxation.
A property lister is not a register of deeds, but they have to be able to
read and interpret deeds.
A property lister is not an assessor, but they have to be well versed in
assessment practices.
A property lister is not a zoning administrator, but they have to
understand zoning ordinances.
A property lister is not a planner, but they have to understand planning
and land division ordinances.
A property lister is not a conservationist, but they have to understand
conservation programs.
A property lister is not a GIS analyst, but they have to be able to analyze
geographic information.
etc.

14. Real Property
Listers and
Property
Values
Discovery
Taxation
and Listing
Board of
Valuation
Review
Open Book

15. Successes and
Changes

16. Assessors
Successes
– Electronic records
– Electronic transfer

17. Register of Deeds
and County
Treasurer
• Successes
– Document imaging
– Computerized tracts
– Growing interaction with
ROD/Co. Treasurer/RPL
software
– Cooperative development
of eRETR

18. Geographic
Information
Systems
• Successes
– Cost savings
– Significantly improved
parcel mapping
– Greater data access
– Greater time for research

19. Geographic
Information
Systems • Also Brought Past Unknown
Title Issues to Light
– Bad legal's in old deeds
showed up as gaps and
overlaps on digital parcel map
– Potential building and property
boundary encroachments
suddenly became visibly
apparent when accurate
parcel mapping was laid over
the top of orthophotography
– Poor quality of our old
floodplain mapping became
obvious

20. Department
of
Revenue
• Successes
– Tighter integration with
DOR
– eRETR
– SOA submittal
– Work and Final Roll
submittal

21. Challenges

22. Challenges
• Software

23. Challenges
• Assessment practices
– Industry consolidation
– Low bidding
• Typical Cost: Approximately
– $15.00 per parcel
– $5.00 or less per parcel
– Public looks to county
RPL
– By passing county

24. Challenges
• Title/Legal
– Decline of abstracting
– Error Corrections
– Recording Locations
• Lis Pendens/ Foreclosures

25. Challenges
• Relocation
RPL Locations 1960
RPL
2%
Clerk ROD
12% 4%
Treasurer
80%

26. RPL Locations 1998 RPL Locations 2012
Zoning Assessor Clerk Assessor Admin
1.36% Zoning 7%
1.36% 5.47% 1%
Land Info 1% Clerk
9.58% 3%
Treasurer
36.98% Planning Treasurer Land Info
10.95% 42% 22%
RPL
ROD ROD RPL
23.28%
9.58% 8% 7%
Planning
9%
Surveyor
1.36%

27. Challenges
• Electronic data
– Greater links to DOR
• Access to
– County website
– Split information
– Permits
• Custodianship of data
– Public record requests

28. In addition to listing title information and assessed value
information, property listers have to distribute their
databases at different intervals throughout the year.
Work Roll
Assessment Roll
Tax Roll

29. Challenges
• Input regarding direction
of Land Records
– 59.72(3m)(a) Creates a
County Land Council
• Provides for broad
community input

30. Challenges
• 88 % have a RPL on the
Council
• Meeting frequency

31. Kewaunee County
Land Council
• Meets once a year in January
• Reviews the county’s land
records modernization plan
• LIO director gets input
regarding what projects
should be done in the next
year
• Day to day decisions are
made by LIO Director in
consultation with County
Administrator and Finance
Committee

32. Washington
County Land
• Meets multiple times a year, at
Council
least quarterly
• Reviews the county’s land
records modernization plan
• LIO director gets input regarding
what projects should be done in
the next year
• Make recommendation
regarding expenditures of
retained fees

33. Possible
Solutions
– Download pages
• Assessment Rolls
• GIS data
• Other commonly requested
reports
– Access records
• Assist RPL
– County Land Information
Council
• RPL should be on Council per
59.72(3m)(a)
– 70.09 update
– Web based services?

34. Questions or Comments