I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself; I am Rhonda Chaffin, Putnam County Assessor of Property.

Being a native of Putnam County, I attended and graduated from Baxter Elementary and Upperman High School.

My parents are Jerry and Nella Dean Hutchison of Baxter.

My grandparents are Vallie Dunn of the Boiling Springs Community and the late Willie Dunn and the late Howard and Margaret Hutchison from the Martins Creek community.

I have two children Danielle, 16, a sophomore at Cookeville High School and Wes 13, 7th grader at Avery Trace Middle School and one sister Shelly Christian and her children Sam and Tori Cass who attend Cornerstone Middle School.

I have served as your Assessor since February 1999 when appointed by the Putnam County Commission to fill the term of Byron Looper.

I had at that time 8 years experience in the Assessors office.

Since that time my staff and I have updated the appraisal and the technology systems making the office more efficient and less expensive, while bringing the office into compliance with state auditors.

The appraisal systems are now computerized and all field staff use laptops with the GIS and GPS systems for accurate appraisals.

The GIS (mapping) system was implemented in 2000 making excellent copies and records not only for the taxpayers but also for all Putnam County Emergency Services.

The GIS committee (Assessor, E911, City of Cookeville) has installed servers and computer systems to download our GIS mapping information to use for faster services.

The GIS system enables the Assessor’s office to place the accurate buildings on the correct parcels.

All property appraisals and maps are available on the Assessors web site. The web site is updated once weekly for up-to-date information and is available 24/7.

I was awarded the Middle Tennessee Assessor of the Year Award in 1999-2000 and 2004-2005.

Selected as the Cookeville Jaycees 1999 Outstanding Young Career Woman. Graduated from the Cookeville City Citizens Police Academy and the Cookeville City Fire Academy.

I have completed the University of Tennessee County Officials Certificate Training Program, member of the Putnam County GIS Committee, Leadership Putnam Class of 2000, served on the Tennessee Assessors Association Executive Board since 2000, and have served as President of the Middle Tennessee Assessors.

My family and I ask for your vote in August.
__________________________________________________________

UCDAILYNEWS encourages all local candidates to submit their profiles to info@ucdailynews.com