Rhonda Chaffin, property assessor of Putnam County, has
announced in earlier this year her bid for re-election. Following the February primary she is a candidate in the August County Elections.

Chaffin is concluding her second term as Putnam property assessor,
having first been elected in 2000.

She was appointed Feb. 9, 1999, as interim assessor by the Putnam
County Commission following the arrest of the serving property assessor, Byron Looper. She had at that time 10 years experience in the assessor’s office, eight of which were as deputy assessor for the former assessor, Bill Rippetoe.

When Chaffin took over the office in 1999, its condition was described as “a shambles.” During the two years under Looper (1996-1998), the office had incurred the highest rate in the state for re-apprasial errors, placing the county in “non-compliance” status.

In the face of Y2K and state auditors, Chaffin and her office staff brought the office back into state compliance, she pointed out.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished,” Chaffin said. “I truly believe we have the finest staff in the state, simply by virtue of what we’ve faced and overcome.”

Since her election to the office, new construction in the county and personal property have been correctly appraised, she said, adding more than 1.8 billion to the county’s appraised value.

This appraisal has kept individual property rates, set by the county commission at a low $2.52.

Referring to other accomplishments during her administration, Chaffin said, “The most significant thing is that we’ve upgraded almost every way of doing the business of appraisals technology-wise.

“All of the field staff use laptop computers now that contain all property record cards and GIS mapping which means on-site appraisals are faster and more accurate. We used to have to carry 10 to 12 large books weighing about six pounds each. Now, when assessment changes are made, we just upgrade software instead of having to reprint those books several times a year.

“It’s all less expensive and more efficient,” she said. Chaffin added, “I also like how we’ve been able to put appraisal, parcel, and map information on the Internet.

It gives the people of Putnam County a great deal of information about their property that they can access at work or home.”

A native of Baxter, Chaffin is the daughter of Jerry H. and
Nella Dean (Dunn) Hutchinson. Her grandparents are Vallie Dunn and the
late Willie Dunn; and the late Howard and Margaret Hutchinson.

Her father is self employed and her mother worked at Wilson Sporting
Goods for more than 40 years. Rhonda has a sister, Shelly Hutchinson
Christian.

Chaffin has two children, Laura Danielle, 16, who attends Cookeville
High School; and Wesley Ray, 13, who attends Avery Trace Middle
School. She attends Cookeville First Assembly Church.

Chaffin has served as president of the Tennessee Association of
Assessing Officers and has served on their executive board since
2000.

She also served as the president of the Middle Tennessee
Association of Assessing Officers from 1999 to 2001.

She holds the ‘Certified Public Administrator’ designation
from the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service,
and received the Middle Tennessee Assessor of the Year
Award for 2000 and 2005. In 1999 she received the Cookeville
Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Career Woman award.