To provide voters with clear, fair, and comparable information ahead of the upcoming election, The Waldron News distributed a standardized questionnaire to all candidates seeking the office of Scott County Tax Assessor.

In Arkansas, the County Assessor is responsible for determining the fair market value of all real estate and personal property within the county for taxation purposes. The office maintains property records, applies legal exemptions, and ensures assessments are conducted accurately and uniformly in accordance with state law. The assessor does not set tax rates but establishes the property values upon which taxes are based.

Because of the technical and data-driven nature of this role, questions were designed to address experience in property valuation, record management, public service, transparency, and communication with taxpayers.

Each candidate received:

Word limits were established to ensure fairness in print space and allow readers to compare responses side-by-side.

All responses are published verbatim as submitted. No edits were made to wording, grammar, or content.

Participation was voluntary.

KIM LANE
Assessor
Republican
Waldron
Scott County Title and Dalton’s Assisted Living (CNA)

SHERI THOMPSON
My name is Sheri Thompson. I am seeking the office of Scott County Assessor as a Republican Candidate. I am a lifelong resident of Scott County. I am currently retired from the Scott County Courthouse. I have been married to my husband, Scott, for 39 years. We have three adult children who we proudly raised in Scott County. We now have 8 grandkids and two son-in-laws. We are members of the Bates Baptist Church. We are proud supporters of Waldron Public School and love attending events such as ballgames, FFA fundraisers, and choir concerts. I enjoy attending 4H with my grandchildren and supporting the youth of the Scott County Fair. I am thankful to be from Scott County where people help people.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
Sarah Hope Wilson
Scott County Tax Assessor
Independent
Waldron Resident
Deputy Tax Assessor

KIM LANE
I have a degree in Business Admin. and Office Technolgy I have previously worked in many fields from Meat plants, Nursing Homes, Arkansas Valley Electric, previously deputy clerk in the Assessor office, Scott County Title Corp. since 2021 to present and Dalton’s place present.

SHERI THOMPSON
I am well prepared to serve as County Assessor based on my extensive experience in county government, property assessment, and public service. I previously served as County Assessor for two consecutive two-year terms, where I was responsible for overseeing property valuations, maintaining accurate assessment records, and ensuring fair and consistent assessments in compliance with state law.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
For the past 2 years I have been working in the Tax Assessors office. In that time, I have trained in many aspects of the field including Personal Property, Real Estate, Business Property and Geo Mapping.

KIM LANE
I’m seeking office at this point in my life cause I feel that I have the knowledge and know how to help the residents of Scott County have a good understanding of their assessments and property records

SHERI THOMPSON
I am seeking the office of County Assessor because I feel called to serve Scott County again and care deeply about the people who live here. I understand how important this role is to families, farmers, and local businesses, and I believe experience, honesty, and fairness matter more than ever. Property assessments affect everyone, and they must be handled carefully and transparently.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
Now is the perfect time to serve as tax assessor. My children are older (17&22) and as they become more independent, I can focus on being a civil servant of Scott County. I have plenty of years of work ahead of me and I plan to spend those years giving 110%. Starting with creating better working relationships with other offices that play an important role in the process.

KIM LANE
To determine value of property for tax purpose and to ensure property values are correct and accurately applied. Fairness and accuracy should be measured by transparency, timely matter and respect

SHERI THOMPSON
The primary responsibility of the County Assessor is to determine the fair market value of all property in the county in an accurate, consistent, and equal manner. The assessor does not set tax rates, but ensures property values reflect what property would sell for under normal market conditions, following state law. Fairness requires transparency, listening to property owners, clearly explaining assessments, and correcting mistakes when they are found.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
The primary responsibility of the tax assessor is to ensure that the tax burden is distributed fairly among all property owners based on the current value of their property. This is accomplished by keeping detailed, up to date public records of property ownership and transactions. Fairness and Accuracy are measured by using appraisal software that ensures rates are the same across the board.

KIM LANE
Focus and improve communications in the office with the coustomer
Review and get records accurate and up to date
To help the citizens of Scott County address problems and get them Corrected
To make sure homestead credits are up to date
To make it an office people will feel respected and helped.

SHERI THOMPSON
First, I want the assessor’s office to be known for putting our citizens first.
I would review current property records and valuation data to make sure everything is accurate and up to date.
Also, I would make sure all exemptions and classifications-such as homestead, agricultural, and other legal exemptions are being applied correctly.
I would focus on staff support and training to make sure the office runs efficiently and smoothly.
Lastly, I also believe the office should be open, helpful, and transparent.

Making myself accessible to all taxpayers for any questions to provide clear explanations and educate the public.

KIM LANE
I would handle the situation by having the property owner come to the office so we could sit down and go over the problem and see if we could work it out and come to an agreement so the owner feels helped and treated fairly

SHERI THOMPSON
When a property owner disputes an assessment, I would listen carefully and respectfully to their concerns, ensuring they understand how the value was determined. As a resident of Scott County, I care deeply about the people I serve. I would review the property record, valuation data, and comparable sales to confirm the assessment follows state law and is consistent with similar properties. If an error is found, it would be corrected promptly. If the assessment is accurate, I would clearly explain the data and methods used and outline the appeal process. Transparency, consistency, and open communication are essential to maintaining public trust.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
If a property owner feels that their property was assessed unfairly or inaccurately, I would first encourage them to come into the office and allow me to review our records with them to ensure that there are no errors in our data. If they still believe they are being assessed incorrectly, they may make an appointment with the Board of Equalization and present evidence to support their claim. The board will then make the final decision.

SECTION 7 (75 words maximum)

KIM LANE
Been involved in different jobs that deals with the knowledge of land and growing up in scott county where you know the people

SHERI THOMPSON
I have been part of the Scott County community for many years, not only through my work in county government but also by raising my family here and being involved in local life. My husband and I share the same hopes and concerns as other families. Through my work, I’ve helped people with taxes, court matters, and property questions, learning that property ownership represents more than numbers—it is their home, farm, business, and future.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
Having been a resident of Scott County for 20 years I understand the importance this land holds. There is a pride in ownership that cannot be measured by data, systems, or technology. It’s not just dirt and acreage, its family, tradition, and often it is legacy and I intend to honor that.

SECTION 8 (75 words maximum)

KIM LANE
My approach is to sit down and have all resources available on paper so it can be seen and explained in language they can understand.

SHERI THOMPSON
My approach is to explain complex assessment or valuation information in a way that is clear and easy to understand. I listen carefully to questions and take the time to break down technical data into everyday language, often using examples that relate to the property owner’s situation. I focus on being transparent, patient, and approachable so people feel respected, informed, and confident that their property is being assessed fairly and accurately.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
Property descriptions and valuations can sometimes feel like another language. I think it’s important to take the time to explain your assessment to you, using core concepts and relatable analogies. A little time and patience can go along way.

SECTION 9 (50 words maximum)

KIM LANE
The resident should be able to engage with the office many ways whether it’s email, phone or in person. Transparency plays a big role in trust, from clear communication viewing data, explaining decisions and updates to Accountability

SHERI THOMPSON
Residents should feel welcome to ask questions, review their property information, and reach out whenever they have concerns. Transparency is key—by clearly explaining how assessments are determined and addressing questions openly, the assessor’s office builds trust, ensures fairness, and helps property owners feel confident that their assessments are accurate and consistent.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
I encourage residents to come sit with me, look at our assessments for your property, property lines, acreage, structures etc. I want residents to feel comfortable calling me or popping in and trusting me when I say, you will be taxed according to what the law requires and nothing more.

SECTION 10 (75 words maximum)

KIM LANE
There have been many times that I have faced criticism, I learned to ask questions to understand how I could make or do better. I have learned to approach work with a understanding, patience, fairness and honesty and to continually strive to do better

SHERI THOMPSON
Working in county government, you will face criticism and there will be mistakes made. Past mistakes and criticism have taught me that it is important to approach every assessment with transparency, patience, and a commitment to ensuring property owners feel respected, informed, and confident that their property is valued fairly.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that I never stop learning. At the start of my time in the assessor’s office I made plenty of mistakes that I then had to go back and correct. It was a good lesson about taking your time and getting it right the first time.

SECTION 11 (75 words maximum)

KIM LANE
To ensure fairness that everyone is heard, listened to and treated equally. Consistency by getting regular Training, current information and value on properties. Ethical aspect Honesty, Fairness, Integrity, Transparency, Accountability, Respect for the law and Making people feel like they have be heard and respected

SHERI THOMPSON
I will ensure fairness, consistency, and ethical conduct by following state laws, established valuation methods, and uniform procedures for all properties. I will carefully review data, maintain accurate records, and apply the same standards to similar properties. Transparency and open communication are key—I will make sure property owners understand how assessments are determined and have the opportunity to ask questions. By combining professionalism, accountability, and respect for the public, I will maintain trust and uphold the integrity of the assessor’s office.

SARAH HOPE WILSON
One of the MOST important things to me is public trust. During my time in office, all taxpayers will be treated fairly and with respect. No matter who you are, where you’re from, how much or how little you have, when you walk through my office door, you are a tax paying resident of Scott County, and you will be treated the same as the one before you and the one after you.