Commission appoints Brad Eldridge as new County Appraiser

The Board of County Commissioners appointed Brad Eldridge as County Appraiser during its Oct. 18 business meeting. Eldridge, of Lawrence, has been serving in an interim position since longtime County Appraiser Steven Miles retired on June 23.

By Kansas statute, the County Appraiser’s Office is responsible for determining the value of all taxable property in Douglas County, which includes residential, commercial, and personal property like boats, recreational vehicles and planes. The Appraiser’s Office manages and values approximately 50,000 personal and real property accounts each year.

County Commission Chair Patrick Kelly said Eldridge has both the experience and expertise to serve the Douglas County community as the next County Appraiser. “Brad is committed to Douglas County, having worked in the Appraiser’s Office since 2009. His dedication to working with the public and other Douglas County employees is an asset and will strengthen our community.”

Eldridge has 25 years of experience as a real estate appraiser, including 14 years overseeing commercial real estate values for Douglas County. He is a certified general appraiser for the State of Kansas, and he has a MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute, which is the highest designation in the appraisal industry.

He holds the Certified Assessment Evaluator designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers, where he serves as a senior national instructor. He also serves as a workshop developer, instructor and senior consultant for Florida-based TEAM Consulting LLC, an agency that provides consulting services in assessment administration.

Eldridge writes and teaches classes for aspiring county appraisers who are seeking to meet their requirements and certifications. In 2021, he co-authored the Residential and Commercial Property Case Study exams that are used for the Kansas Registered Mass Appraiser (RMA) designation. The designation is one of the required designations for County Appraiser eligibility in the state of Kansas.

He has been an active member of the Kansas County Appraisers Association for many years. He currently helps with public relations and its newsletter in addition to serving on the Affordable Housing Committee, Orion CAMA (Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal) Enhancement Committee and Special Projects/Ratio Studies/Geospatial Committee.

While serving in the Douglas County Appraiser’s Office, Eldridge created data storage solutions for all commercial property types, which include industrial, retail office and apartments. He developed analysis tools and spreadsheets for commercial property valuation that integrates the County’s appraisal software, and he established market summary narratives for all commercial property types.

“Brad Eldridge is an imminently qualified appraiser and manager,” County Administrator Sarah Plinsky said. “Douglas County is fortunate to have someone with Brad’s qualifications to lead our experienced appraisal team. I look forward to our continued growth and excellence.”

Eldridge’s goals as County Appraiser include public engagement, integration of technology and effective leadership. He oversees 13 full-time employees, one part-time employee and an annual budget of about $1 million. “As a leader, I feel it is important to create a positive work environment with a culture of teamwork as well as promote professional development,” he said. “We have a talented team of dedicated folks who work hard to meet the demands of a rigid tax calendar.”

Eldridge received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baker University in 1998 and has completed more than 70 appraisal courses.

The County Appraiser serves a four-year term that is appointed by the County Commission. Eldridge will fill the unexpired term of Miles, which ends in June 2025. He will then be considered for reappointment.