The Fall River County Director of Equalization is accepting applications for a certified assessor. Those without South Dakota CAA certification can apply as an assessor trainee. This position involves performing field inspections of properties, including gathering and listing information, entering data, uploading photos and doing sketches of all properties. Also, assisting with other various day to day office activities. Qualifications include strong computer skills, the ability to read legal descriptions and maps, and experience in customer service and good public relations skills. A background in finance, property appraisal, real estate, or construction is beneficial but not required. The requirements include: a high school diploma (college degree preferred), South Dakota CAA certification or the ability to gain such within one year, and a valid driver’s license. The starting wage is $15.50/hour for a trainee, $17-$18/hour for a certified assessor depending on experience. Benefits include paid health, vision and dental insurance; vacation, sick and personal leave and South Dakota State Retirement. Submit applications to the Fall River County Director of Equalization office, 1029 N. River St, Hot Springs, SD. Closing May 31st or when filled. 

See employment page for application and full description.

Week of May 8th: Assessors have begun their summer reassessment project. They will be beginning with properties in the town of Oral and properties accessed from West Oral Rd, Elm Creek Rd, South Buffalo Gap Rd (from Elm Creek Rd to Oral), Hidden Valley Rd, Fairview Rd, Irrigation Rd, Sage Rd, Ash Rd, Hay Canyon Rd (west 5 miles), Shady Rd (north 2 miles).

Why my property?  Fall River County implemented a 7-year rotation after the county-wide reassessment was completed.  This ensures that every property is physically visited by an assessor at least once every 7 years.  Your neighborhood is one of those scheduled to be visited this year.

What is reassessment?    Reassessment is when the assessor comes to your property to check for any changes, whether improvements or deterioration of buildings.  They will take new exterior photos and walk around the outside of your buildings.  If you are present they may ask you questions about the interior of the building, if you are not present they will leave a doorhanger with contact information so they can converse with you about the property later via phone or email.

When exactly will you be at my property?  We will be posting on our website which streets are being assessed each week, you can check there for updates.

Why don’t you make appointments? The short answer: it takes less time for our assessors to start at one end of the street and do each property than it does to jump from property to property based on appointments.  As we are paid by tax dollars, we consider it most important that we perform this job in a time efficient manner.   The door-to-door method has proven to be three times more efficient than making appointments.

Who is coming? Our assessors will have county identification badges and will be driving a county vehicle. If you are suspicious that someone is falsely claiming to be an assessor, please call our office at 605-745-5136 or Fall River County Dispatch at 605-745-5155.

See Summer Reassessment page for maps of Summer 2023 reassessment area.

The Director of Equalization’s office will soon begin their summer reassessment project. Fall River County is divided into seven areas which are reassessed on a 7-year rotation. The area for this year is in the eastern portion of Fall River County.

Below are some common questions regarding reassessment:

Why my property?  Fall River County implemented a 7-year rotation after the county-wide reassessment was completed.  This ensures that every property is physically visited by an assessor at least once every 7 years.  Your neighborhood is one of those scheduled to be visited this year.

What is reassessment?    Reassessment is when the assessor comes to your property to check for any changes, whether improvements or deterioration of buildings.  They will take new exterior photos and walk around the outside of your buildings.  If you are present they may ask you questions about the interior of the building, if you are not present they will leave a doorhanger with contact information so they can converse with you about the property later via phone or email.

When exactly will you be at my property?  We will be posting on our website which streets are being assessed each week, you can check there for updates.

Why don’t you make appointments? The short answer: it takes less time for our assessors to start at one end of the street and do each property than it does to jump from property to property based on appointments.  As we are paid by tax dollars, we consider it most important that we perform this job in a time efficient manner.   The door-to-door method has proven to be three times more efficient than making appointments.

Who is coming? Our assessors will have county identification badges and will be driving a county vehicle. If you are suspicious that someone is falsely claiming to be as assessor, please call our office at 605-745-5136 or Fall River County Dispatch at 605-745-5155.

Fall River County Treasurer’s Office has an immediate opening. Do you have the qualities to assist the public in a professional manner? See the employment tab for more information.

This tax deed sale took place on May 4th 2023.  All properties were sold.  Money generated from this sale will be divided between the taxing entities (school, county, fire, ambulance, etc) in the same ratio in which the taxes would have been divided.

Due to concerns that some of the public who wish to attend the tax deed sale will not be dug-out from the winter storm by Thursday, the sale has been rescheduled for May 4th, 2023 at 2pm at the Fall River County Courthouse, 2nd floor courtroom.

Fall River County will be holding a tax deed auction on Thursday, April 6th, 2023 at 2pm at the Fall River County Courthouse, 2nd floor courtroom. Bids will only be taken in person. Those wishing to bid must be present or send a representative to bid for them.  Winning bidders must be current on all their property taxes in Fall River County per SDCL 10-25-45.

Information is available on the properties included in this sale in the following documents.

Properties in Hot Springs

1. Parcel #75140-00200-01000, Lots Ten (10) through Sixteen (16) of Block Two (2), Catholican Hot Spring Addition to the Town, now the City of Hot Springs, Fall River, South Dakota
2. Parcel #75140-01100-00100, Lots One (1) and Two (2) in Block Eleven (11). Catholicon Hot Spring Addition to the Town, now City of Hot Springs, Fall River County, South Dakota
3. Parcel #75150-00000-00018, East Fifty Feet (E50’) of Outlot 65, in Catholican Addition to the Town, now City, Hot Springs, Fall River County, South Dakota
4. Parcel #75290-01800-00900, Lots Nineteen (19) through Twenty-Nine (29), Less the S17’ of Lots Nineteen (19) through Twenty-Nine (29) and the E10’ of Lot Eighteen (18) less the S17’, Block Eighteen (18), Fargo-Prentice Addition to the Town, now City, Hot Springs, Fall River, South Dakota
5. Parcel #75390-03700-00400, Lots 4, 5, Block 37, Minnekahta 2^nd Addition to the City of Hot Springs, Fall River County, South Dakota
6. Parcel #75390-03700-00600, Lots 6, 7, Block 37, Minnekahta 2^nd Addition to the City of Hot Springs, Fall River County, South Dakota

Properties in Edgemont

7. Parcel #72100-00300-00100, Lot One (1), Block Three (3) of Birdsell Addition to the Town, now City of Edgemont, Fall River County, South Dakota
8. Parcel #72100-00300-00291, North Twenty-seven Feet (N27’) of Lot Two (2), Block Three (3) of Birdsell Addition to the Town, now City of Edgemont, Fall River County, South Dakota
9. Parcel #72100-00600-00600, Lot Six (6), Block Six (6), in Birdsell Addition, City of Edgemont, Fall River County, South Dakota
10. Parcel #72290-00800-00594, The West half of Lot 5, Block 8 of Stewarts Addition to the Town, now City of Edgemont, Fall River County, South Dakota
11. Parcel #72290-00800-00600, Lot 6, Block 8 of Stewarts Addition to the Town, now City of Edgemont, Fall River County, South Dakota
12. Parcel #72100-01100-00500, Birdsell Addition, Block 11, Lot 5, Fall River County, City of Edgemont, South Dakota
13. Parcel #72100-01100-00600, Birdsell Addition, Block 11, Lot 6, Fall River County, City of Edgemont, South Dakota
14. Parcel #72290-12000-00000, The South 79.3’ of Outlot “E’ Located in the SE1/4 of the NW1/4 of Section 1, Township 9, South of Range 2, East of the Black Hills Meridian, Fall River County, South Dakota

Rural Properties

15. Parcel #47000-01202-02200, Government Lot Three (3) in Section Two (2), Township Twelve South (T12S), Range Two East (R2E), Black Hills Meridian (B.H.M.), Fall River County, South Dakota

There will be a minimum $400 bid on all properties.

This auction is for a tax deed which is a quit claim deed.  If you are unfamiliar with the legal aspects of a quit claim deed including any and all limitations that may be applicable, please do research prior to the auction or contact an attorney.  Fall River County employees cannot give legal advice.

The following payment can be accepted: cash, check, credit card transactions will have a 2.5% fee, debit cards will have a $2.50 fee. There will be an additional $30 fee to file the deed. This is not included in the auction price.

NOTICE TO BE READ BEFORE TAX DEED SALE

All delinquent taxes, penalties and interests are abated and are not the responsibility of the new owner of deed.

All special assessments, except for delinquent municipal special assessments (SDCL 10-25-12), are abated from the property. Only municipal special assessments, delinquent, current and future, stay with the property and are the responsibility of the new owner.  As per SDCL 10-25-12, the property is also subject to any claim that the state may have in the property for taxes, liens, or encumbrances.  It is presumed that existing federal liens remain against the property.   Any information or questions or negotiations on these liens need to be directed to the appropriate form of government, not the County.

The issuance of a tax deed pursuant to SDCL 10-25-12 appears to release all other liens of record against the property, not the person.  Examples are: county liens, mechanic liens, special assessments of all non-municipal governments, judgments and mortgages.

At the conclusion of this sale, Fall River County will issue and file a Quit Claim Deed to the property in the name requested by the purchaser. Fall River County makes no guarantee of absolute fee simple marketable title to the property.  It is recommended by the marketable title standards that the purchaser of a County quit claim deed pursue a QUIET TITLE ACTION in order to acquire marketable title to the property (SDCL Chapter 43-30, title standards 26-01 & 26-02).