KRS 131.140: Powers and duties of department concerning local finance -- Supervision

of local officials in revenue duties.

(1) The department shall requisition the Finance and Administration Cabinet to furnish

to local officials an adequate supply of forms for lis ting property for taxation and

other forms and blanks the state is required by law to provide. The books and

records prescribed for use by property valuation administrators, county clerks,

sheriffs and other county tax collectors shall be designed to promo te economical

operation, adequate control, availability of useful information, and safekeeping.

(2) The department may confer with, advise and direct local officials respecting their

duties relating to taxation, and shall supervise the officials in the per formance of

those duties. The department shall provide to the property valuation administrators

up-to-date appraisal manuals outlining uniform procedures for appraising all types

of real and personal property assessed by them. The property valuation

administrators shall follow the uniform procedures for appraising property outlined

in these manuals. The department shall maintain and make accessible to all property

valuation administrators a statewide commercial real property comparative sales

file. The depa rtment, by authorized agents, may visit local governmental units and

officers for investigational purposes, when necessary.

(3) The Department of Revenue shall conduct a biennial performance audit of each

property valuation administrator's office. This aud it shall include, but shall not be

limited to, an inspection of maps and records, an appraisal study of real property,

and an evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the office. Each property valuation

administrator's office shall provide the department with access to its files, maps and

records during the audit. The department shall prepare a report on assessment equity

and quality for each county based on the performance audit, and shall provide a

copy to the Legislative Research Commission.

(4) The de partment shall arrange for an annual conference of the property valuation

administrators, or the county officers whose duty it is to assess property for

taxation, to give them systematic instruction in the fair and just valuation and

assessment of property, and their duty in connection therewith. The conference shall

continue not more than five (5) days. The officers shall attend and take part in the

conference, unless prevented by illness or other reason satisfactory to the

commissioner. Any officer willfu lly failing to attend the conference may be

removed from office by the Circuit Court of the county where he was elected. If the

officer participates in all sessions of the conference, one -half (1/2) of his actual and

necessary expenses in attending the con ference shall be paid by the state, and the

other half shall be paid by the county from which he attends. Each officer shall

prepare an itemized statement showing his actual and necessary expenses, and if it

is found regular and supported by proper receipt s it shall be approved by the

department before payment.