The Normal Township Board has picked a new township assessor.
The board appointed Kent DePew, who has 30 years of experience in assessor offices. He has been deputy assessor in Normal for 21 years and also was a deputy assessor in Bloomington. DePew also has experience as an independent fee appraiser.
He replaces Rob Cranston who passed away while in office.
Following Cranston's death, the township accepted applications. Cranston was a Republican and his successor, until the next election, has to belong to that party. There are education requirements and certification prerequisites to be eligible to serve as assessor.
The assessor is an elected official responsible for identifying, appraising, and determining market values of most property within the township. The information is used to calculate property taxes.
There were two applicants for the opening, said Normal Township Supervisor Jess Ray. The next township election will be held on April 1, 2025.
At that time, the following offices will be up for election: supervisor, clerk, four trustees, assessor or multi-assessor, highway commissioner and collector, where applicable. Not all townships have all those offices. All except the assessors and collectors, will take office on the third Monday May 19, 2025. Assessors and collectors do not take office until Jan. 1 the following year.
Normal Township had more than 300 property tax appeals this year. Cranston worked until shortly before his passing, and staff, including DePew, shepherded the rest of the appeals through hearings at the McLean County Board of Review.
