The village of Vicksburg will ask for an investigation of errors made by a former Schoolcraft Township assessor which may have cost the village an amount Village Manager Jim Mallery pegged at “six figures.” Part of the village is in the township.
In a prepared statement at an early February village council meeting, Mallery offered an update of online discussions with Township officials, making clear his contempt for the situation. Meetings with township board members began in late October and continued through early December. “regarding significant concerns with Schoolcraft Township’s assessment rolls as they relate to properties located in the village of Vicksburg,” Mallery said.
“On Dec. 15, 2025, Schoolcraft Township officials provided a written response to the village of Vicksburg,” Mallery said. “Within that correspondence, township officials acknowledged that egregious errors were made by a professional assessor previously retained by Schoolcraft Township. In response to the village’s concerns that these errors had been identified many months prior to the village’s inquiry, township officials further stated (they) recognize the importance of transparency and regret that this matter was not brought to (Vicksburg’s) attention earlier.”
Vicksburg requested a comprehensive, independent, third-party audit of Schoolcraft Township’s assessing records and related communications for a period of six years,” he added. “This is the same time frame during which township officials acknowledge assessment errors occurred.
“Schoolcraft Township subsequently provided materials to the village,” adding that the village filed a freedom of information act request to obtain the materials. ”However, the information submitted is incomplete and does not constitute the full set of assessment records, historical documentation or internal communications necessary to evaluate the scope, cause and financial impact of the acknowledged errors,” he added. “As a result, the village finds the township’s response unacceptable and insufficient to restore confidence in the accuracy of the assessment rolls.”
“Due to the township’s position and failure to provide complete documentation,” Mallery said, the village will ask that the Michigan State Tax Commission “ conduct an investigation for potential disciplinary action against Schoolcraft Township and/or its former assessor, covering a period of at least six years,” he said. “The village is further requesting that the state tax commission conduct an independent audit of Schoolcraft Township’s assessing practices for properties located within the village, and/or the state assume the responsibilities for the assessing function and tax rolls for the village of Vicksburg.”
The village “will be in the position to fully evaluate and consider all options available to us” after an audit, Mallery said. “By the township officials’ own written documentation, they have underassessed the village by millions of dollars. What this means specifically is general-fund tax revenue to the village of Vicksburg (that) by their own admission, is well into six figures.
“Unfortunately, due to the lack of transparency and only judging the actions, or lack thereof of the township supervisor, by failing to communicate and failing to provide the necessary information to the village, we have been forced to ask the state to become involved,” Mallery said. “The village finds it deeply unfortunate that Schoolcraft Township officials – specifically the township supervisor – did not notify the village at the time in what they’ve categorized were egregious errors that they discovered despite the direct and material impact on village revenues, and our ability to provide services to our nearly 4,100 residents, approximately 3,000 who reside and pay taxes to Schoolcraft Township, as well.”
