Cleveland County Tax Roll Correction Board Regular Meeting – May 28, 2026
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Cleveland County Tax Roll Correction Board Regular Meeting – May 28, 2026
The Cleveland County Tax Roll Correction Board met on May 28, 2026, at 9:30 AM in Norman, Oklahoma. Chairman Jacob McHughes, Vice-Chair Chuck Thompson, and Member Douglas Warr were present. The board unanimously approved routine items and then discussed a disputed 100% disabled veteran property-tax exemption tied to a surviving spouse’s petition, ultimately tabling the petition to preserve the exemption while the petitioner seeks additional federal and state documentation.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the regular meeting held on April 30, 2026, by a 3-0 roll-call vote.
- Approved all submitted Tax Roll Correction petitions except petition #39948, by a 3-0 roll-call vote, after Member Douglas Warr moved to pull that petition for separate discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No separate public comments were offered during the designated public-comment period.
- Stephanie Harris testified at length during discussion of her petition, describing her late husband’s 100% service-connected disability rating and her history of receiving state-issued exemption letters since 2009/2012.
Discussion Items
- Petition #39948 – Stephanie Harris: The Assessor’s Office removed the Harris property’s 100% disabled veteran exemption after receiving a letter from the state agency official Lisa Alavero’s office stating the rating had been “erroneously awarded” and was not service-connected, making the home taxable retroactive to 2025.
- Harris stated that the federal VA validated the 100% service-connected rating and that she had annual award letters from the state agency confirming the exemption. She said the state office told her verbally she was not exempt, but sent the contrary letter to the county and not to her; she also said her October 12, 2024, inquiry to Congressman Frank Lucas’s office was not acted on.
- Assessor’s office staff member Shannon explained that the office relies on letters it receives and that a current award letter with a barcode is required for a new exemption; a benefit-summary letter is not sufficient.
- Board legal counsel Robin said the definition of disability is not defined in Title 68 and that the board may need to determine which agency’s documentation controls. Counsel requested time to research state and federal administrative rules.
- Board members suggested Harris contact Senator Lankford and her state senator/representative to get the state agency to “shake hands” with the federal documentation.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to table petition #39948 for further review passed 3-0, keeping the property’s exemption in effect pending further action.
- Harris was directed to obtain a current federal award letter and matching documentation from the state, and to seek assistance from state and federal legislators.
- Legal counsel agreed to research whether the board may lawfully rely on federal VA documentation if the state agency disagrees.
Meeting Transcript
Yeah, Linda said she was gonna come here, but she had to hurry up. You know what I'm saying? Okay, Chuck, we ready to go? Okay, we'll call the meeting to order of the tax role corrections board. We'll call, please. Here. Here. Here. Notice of the meeting was properly posted on May twenty-seventh, twenty twenty-six. Um item number one under approval of minutes. Uh discussion possible action approve the minutes of the regular meeting held on April thirtieth, twenty twenty-six. We have a motion that motion and a second. Roll call, please. Yes. Yes. Yes. Very good, Linda. We're waiting. We've got uh Mr. Thompson and Mr. War here that are working on their computer or their pads here for a second. Yes, with I mean, um usually it goes to the next thing here. But it's Rebecca, are we okay? Can we can we do verbal votes from Chuck? Would you guys just want to do verbal votes with me? Yes, sir. Doug, are you gonna do that? Yes, sir. Rebecca, if you don't mind, uh just enter manually for all three of us, and then we'll go through. So item number two uh two is you don't even have to go in, uh, Chuck, she'll get it all. So public comment though. Uh no public comment, correct, Linda? Uh item number two is discussion possible action regarding complaint of a runny's assessment and petition for correction. All right. Okay. So you'd submit a correction. I'm kind of jumping. What's the name? I'm sorry. Uh the last name is on Foster. I was just going to let you know that we're going to approve what you submitted. So sometimes people want to get up and comment on it, but we're going to approve what you submit. Uh, actual submitted. So let you know that we had a Miss Harris that was planning on attending today. Stephanie Harris, is she here? I think Linda, you did she not contact you that she was planning on so um from you, Doug, to go ahead and approve. Well, I'd like to have Miss Harris um here. She comes. I'd like to have her the option. So what I'd like to do is make a I'd like to make a motion to pull one petition.
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