Reassessments coming for Schuylkill County property owners
Vision Government Solutions, the Massachusetts-based company hired in December 2022 to do a countywide reassessment, is in the process of updating assessed values for all 92,000-plus parcels and will mail them to each property owner in April. Residents will have the chance to appeal valuations in the coming months.
Tim Barr, Vision's project director, hosted an informational meeting on Wednesday explaining the process, including how to file informal reviews once the initial values are sent. About 60 people attended the meeting in the auditorium of D.H.H. Lengel Middle School; it was one of five such sessions held across the county.
Barr, who has been conducting property reassessment work in Pennsylvania for 40 years, said the purpose of reassessment is to ensure tax fairness. That means that two homes with similar valuations, as set by the current conditions and market values, should be taxed at the same rates.
'At the end of the day, it's about similar properties paying the same taxes,' Barr said.
The reassessment is required as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by the Community Justice Project on behalf of Schuylkill County property owners. The nonprofit contends the county's current tax assessments violate state law.
The last countywide reassessment was conducted in 1996.
'Without tax reform in Harrisburg, the basis for funding local government is still tied to the real estate tax,' Barr said. 'We'd all like to see that change, but in the meantime, we want the assessments to be as fair as we can make it.'
Barr explained that the valuation of each residence often depends on factors such as its age, location, topography and renovations, as well as the state of its surrounding properties and area.
'Historically, we've seen location and type make a difference,' he said.
For commercial properties, access to parking could be a factor.
'A lot of commercial businesses are surrounding these plazas and stuff since that's what the market has evolved to,' Barr said, 'since the days when we would walk down the street to our local store.'
Taxes will not be affected until 2026, when the valuations take effect.
Project phases
Barr said the data collection began in 2023.
Tentative valuations will be mailed to property owners in April. During this phase, through May, people can request informal reviews — online or by calling 800-525-9876 — if they disagree with the preliminary values. This will give them a chance to ask specific parcel-related questions about data collected.
'When we mail these values … this is the most important thing I want you to think about: Is that a reasonable price for this property?' Barr said. '… If it's in the ballpark, we're good, you're done, you don't have to do anything at all, and it'll take effect for next year.
'If, however, your response is, 'They're out of their mind if they think they're going to be able to sell it for that,' then the first thing I want you to do is to look at your data.'
Barr encouraged people to share more details about their property — not just a physical description, but other factors that might affect its value.
Notices sent in the informal review period will also include an estimate of what the county tax would be for each property in 2026, Barr said. Even though values will have gone up, because millage rates must go down, the actual taxes may decrease, increase or stay the same, noted Barr.
Once that phase of the project is done, the county will then mail official change-of-assessment notices to each property owner by July 1.
If they wish to do so, owners will have 40 days from the mailing date to file a formal appeal, for which the county will schedule hearings through October. Hearings will be conducted before a three-member appeals board, and the property owner must provide supporting evidence to prove their assessed value does not reflect the market value.
'In an appeal, you have to have an opinion of value,' Barr said.
Barr said that Vision has trained data collectors to record all information on physical characteristics of properties. The appraisal process, meanwhile, is done by licensed professionals in Pennsylvania.
Vision is responsible for exterior physical inspections of every property to determine any changes that may affect the property's value. The data also takes into account the property's location and other properties surrounding it, whether residential or commercial. Barr said the physical evaluation of properties is based on existing county records.
'We're going to put the true numbers of what we think the properties are worth on your parcels,' Barr said. 'I'm not going to go soft on it. And they'll be as uniform as we can get it by looking at the market.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Foxconn, Softbank to establish joint data center equipment factory
This story was originally published on Manufacturing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Manufacturing Dive newsletter. Apple product maker Foxconn and Japan-based conglomerate Softbank will establish a joint data center equipment manufacturing facility in Lordstown, Ohio, Foxconn Chairman Young Liu announced Monday, according to a transcript obtained by local station WFMJ. 'For the data center equipment part, we and SoftBank will each hold 50%,' Liu said. 'As for the equipment itself and the site, those will be 100% owned by SoftBank.' Foxconn announced earlier this month that it had sold the facility to an undisclosed buyer for $375 million and aims to further develop its artificial intelligence business in the United States, according to various media reports. Last week, Bloomberg reported that Softbank bought the Lordstown facility as it looks to accelerate its plans to jumpstart its $500 billion Stargate Project. The four-year project, announced in January, aims to build new AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the U.S., according to the Jan. 21 press release. Software developer Oracle and tech company MGX are also involved in the project as investors. SoftBank will take on the financial responsibility, while OpenAI will oversee operations. Additionally, Oracle, Nvidia, and OpenAI will collaborate to build and operate the Stargate computing system, according to OpenAI's press release. The buildout is currently underway and started in Texas, with plans to establish more campuses in the U.S. as the companies finalized agreements. The project's progress has been 'going slower than usual,' Softbank SVP and CFO Yoshimitsu Goto said during an Aug. 7 earnings call. One reason, at the time of the call, is the selection of a site to house the project. 'There are a lot of stakeholders,' Goto said. 'To build consensus, we need to have a lot of discussions and also technical issues and construction issues. There are a lot of things that we need to look at.' However, the joint facility plans with Softbank have been moving 'for some time,' more than 'half a year ago,' Liu said on Monday. 'We know that this cooperation project, first of all, requires electricity and land,' Liu added. 'Timing is also very important — if we wait too long, it won't work. Considering all these factors together, we feel that Ohio is a very suitable location. SoftBank feels the same way.' The joint project aligns with Foxconn's shift to AI as demand continues to grow in the U.S., rotating CEO Kathy Yang said during an Aug. 14 earnings call. 'We will utilize our Ohio campus to expand into the manufacturing of cloud and networking products,' Yang said regarding the Lordstown facility. 'This investment will further strengthen Hon Hai Precision Industry's position in the global AI industry and demonstrate our strong partnerships and comprehensive global presence.' The 'overwhelming' customer demand for AI servers had led the company to invest in expanding production at its server manufacturing facilities in Texas and Wisconsin over the next year or two, Yang added. Foxconn also aims to expand production capacity for liquid cooling and testing. Additionally, the company plans to increase production capacity for its cloud and networking-related products at its facilities in California and Ohio, Yang said. 'The U.S. is a vital part of our footprint, enabling us to better serve the rapidly growing demand from our customers for AI and data solutions across the world,' Foxconn Chief Product Officer Jerry Hsiao said in his keynote address at Taiwan Expo USA in Dallas last week. 'Foxconn invests heavily in [research and development] to innovate in areas like cooling technologies, energy efficiency, and modular server design, helping to advance the capabilities of AI infrastructure.' Earlier this year, Foxconn launched its own AI large language model, designed to support various manufacturing-related functions, including data analysis and decision support. Then in May, the Apple product maker expanded its partnership with Nvidia to build an AI Blackwell Supercomputer factory through Foxconn's subsidiary, Big Innovation Co. Foxconn previously acquired the Ohio facility from electric vehicle maker Lordstown Motors in May 2022. The electronics manufacturer initially planned to produce EV battery packs in Lordstown and Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. The plans changed as Lordstown Motors filed for bankruptcy and sued the electronics manufacturer in June 2023. Also in the same year, Foxconn began selling some of its Mount Pleasant land, with Microsoft as one of the buyers. Elsewhere in the U.S., Foxconn has more than 40 operational sites across 12 states and employs more than 6,500 people, according to an Aug. 14 press release. Recommended Reading Foxconn launches own AI model Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
iSpecimen's $6M Valuation Doesn't Reflect the Business-Let Alone the $200M Treasury (NASDAQ: ISPC)
WOBURN, MA / / August 20, 2025 / A share price of $1.11. A $6.1 million market cap. Just 5.54 million shares outstanding. And a newly announced $200 million digital treasury. On paper, the disconnect between price and intrinsic value, let alone inherent potential, is hard to miss. But the real takeaway isn't just the contrast. It's what that contrast says about iSpecimen Inc. (NASDAQ:ISPC): a company with a functioning platform, measurable revenue, and real-world utility that remains miscategorized and underpriced by the market.(ISPC Share count and price data on 8/20/2025) The digital treasury announcement deserved headlines. It's rare for any microcap, especially in life sciences, to unveil a capital strategy of that scale. But the attention came with a surprising market reaction. Following the news, ISPC shares moved lower. That drop wasn't tied to any breakdown in the business. It was likely due to timing. The news hit after-hours, when retail investors had little access and institutions hadn't yet responded. What the market saw was the number. What it didn't see was the system behind it. Solving the Bottleneck in Life Sciences iSpecimen is not a clinical-stage biotech, nor is it speculative software. It operates a fully functional digital marketplace for human biospecimens-vital inputs for both preclinical and clinical research. The platform allows researchers to efficiently source high-quality, well-characterized specimens with full traceability and regulatory compliance. Blood, plasma, tissue, and genomically sequenced material are the raw materials of discovery, yet sourcing them has long been a fragmented, manual, and inefficient process. iSpecimen fixes that. Its proprietary, cloud-based platform lets researchers search, filter, and request exactly what they need based on disease state, demographic, clinical history, or processing requirements. On the other end, hospitals and labs can monetize excess inventory. iSpecimen handles compliance, logistics, and invoicing. The result is a streamlined transaction that unlocks value for both sides. This isn't a roadmap or beta test. The platform is live, and it's producing revenue. In 2024, the company posted $9.29 million in revenue. That number didn't come from grants or one-time licensing. It came from platform activity, repeated use, and institutional adoption. The Treasury is Not a Gimmick - It's a Strategic Asset The $200 million digital treasury that sparked attention isn't accounted for as cash on the balance sheet. But that doesn't mean it lacks financial weight. It is a capital preservation and liquidity strategy built to support long-term operations. Built on Solana, it features insured custody, cold storage, and a risk-managed structure that removes reliance on traditional capital markets. This isn't a distraction. It's financial insulation. It allows iSpecimen to grow without falling into the trap of repeated, dilutive financing. That kind of flexibility, especially for a microcap, is rare. But while the market focused on that headline, it missed the infrastructure behind it. iSpecimen's core business is still the real story. Expanding Reach Across Critical Therapeutic Areas Behind the scenes, the company is scaling its footprint across several high-value segments of medicine. In cancer research, it's now working with U.S.-based oncology centers and a genomic sequencing partner to deliver hard-to-source biospecimens for precision studies. In women's health, iSpecimen has access to over 600,000 patients through multi-state partnerships, unlocking samples across reproductive, hormone, and breast health. And in early 2025, the company proactively secured sourcing for human metapneumovirus (hMPV), anticipating potential waves of global research interest. Each of these initiatives adds operational depth to a platform that was already delivering. None of it would matter if the core system didn't work. But it does, and the results are increasingly visible. When the Market Doesn't Know Where to Look The mispricing here may stem from the fact that iSpecimen doesn't fit cleanly into a familiar category. It's not chasing regulatory approval, so it doesn't trade on FDA calendars. It's not a SaaS company, though its platform behaves like one. Instead, it sits between logistics, life sciences, and digital infrastructure - and that ambiguity often delays recognition. But that's also where value hides. iSpecimen runs an asset-light, transaction-based model. It doesn't need to build labs or develop its own trial pipeline. It monetizes what already exists by organizing and standardizing the connections between researchers and providers. That model is scalable across disease areas, institutions, and even global geographies. This Isn't a Bet. It's a Repricing in Progress The treasury may have been the headline, but it isn't the whole story. It's simply a structural advantage layered onto a business that is already performing. The marketplace, the revenue, the partnerships, and the platform all existed before the $200 million plan was announced. Thus, ISPC isn't a company hoping for validation. It's a company that already has it - just not from the market yet. At $1.11, the share price reflects none of that. But that doesn't mean the value isn't there. It just means the recognition hasn't arrived yet. When it does, the most temporary number in this entire story might be the one investors are staring at right now. *Reprinted with permission from Hawk Point Media Group, LLC. About iSpecimen iSpecimen (NASDAQ: ISPC) offers an online marketplace for human biospecimens, connecting scientists in commercial and non-profit organizations with healthcare providers that have access to patients and specimens needed for medical discovery. Proprietary, cloud-based technology enables scientists to intuitively search for specimens and patients across a federated partner network of hospitals, labs, biobanks, blood centers and other healthcare organizations. For more information, please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are characterized by future or conditional verbs such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate" and "continue" or similar words. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss future expectations and plans, which contain projections of future results of operations or financial condition or state other forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to the risk factors contained in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. New risks and uncertainties arise over time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict those events or how they may affect the Company. If a change to the events and circumstances reflected in the Company's forward-looking statements occurs, the Company's business, financial condition and operating results may vary materially from those expressed in the Company's forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For further information, please contact:Investor Contactsinfo@ For this content only: info@ Disclaimers: This presentation has been created by Hawk Point Media Group, Llc. (HPM) and is responsible for the production and distribution of this content. This presentation should be considered and explicitly regarded as sponsored content. Hawk Point Media Group, LLC. has been compensated five thousand dollars to create this content as part of a more extensive digital marketing program by IR Agency, Inc. Accordingly, this content may be reused and syndicated beyond the channels used by Hawk Point Media, LLC. This disclaimer and the link to the broader disclosures must be part of all reproductions. That compensation creates a conflict of interest because the content presented may only provide a favorable viewpoint of the company featured. The contributors do NOT buy and sell securities before and after any article, report, or publication. HPM holds ZERO shares and has never owned stock in iSpecimen Inc. The information in this video, article, and related newsletters is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, investment advice or recommendations. Hawk Point Media Group, Llc. strongly urges you to conduct a complete and independent investigation of the respective companies and consider all pertinent risks. Readers are advised to review SEC periodic reports: Forms 10-Q, 10K, Form 8-K, insider reports, Forms 3, 4, 5 Schedule 13D. Never take opinions, articles presented, or content provided as the sole reason to invest in any featured company. Investors must always perform their own due diligence before investing in any publicly traded company and understand the risks involved, including losing their entire investment. SOURCE: iSpecimen, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Sign in to access your portfolio
CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
These little robots are changing the way solar farms are built, saving time and money
Private renewable energy projects are still moving forward despite a pullback in government support, and new technology is making that construction more efficient. Solar farms, for example, take meticulous planning and surveying, involve long hours and require significant labor. Now, robots are taking on the job. CivDot is a four-wheeled robot that can mark up to 3,000 layout points per day and is accurate within 8 millimeters. The machine can ride over rugged terrain and work through rough weather. It is the brainchild of California-based Civ Robotics. "Our secret sauce and our core technology is actually in the navigation and the geospatial -- being able to literally mark coordinates within less than a quarter inch, which is very, very difficult in an uneven terrain, outdoor surfaces, and out in the desert," said Tom Yeshurun, CEO of Civ Robotics. The data for manual surveying is uploaded into the Civ software, then the operator chooses the area they want to mark and presses go. The robot does the rest, saving both time and money. "The manual surveying equipment, if you use that in the field and you have three crews, they will need three land surveying handheld receivers. That alone is already equal to how much we lease our machines in the field, and all the labor savings is just another benefit," Yeshurun said. Civ Robotics has more than 100 of these robots in the field that are primarily being used by renewable energy companies, but they are also used in oil and gas. It is currently working with Bechtel Corporation on several solar projects. "These were usually pretty highly paid field engineers that we would send out there, and they might be able to do 250 or 350 pile marks a day. With the CivDot robot, we're able to do about 1250 a day," said Kelley Brown, vice president at Bechtel. Brown said the company has used the robot in thick and muddy terrain in Texas and out in the deserts of Nevada. "And so you have to think about things like the tires, or you may have to think about clearance. Are you trying to get over existing brush and such, across the solar field? So that's one thing that we contemplate. I think the other is, you know, this runs on batteries, so you've got to contemplate battery swaps," she added. Civ Robotics is backed by Alleycorp, FF Venture Capital, Bobcat Company, Newfund Capital, Trimble Ventures, and Converge. Total VC funding to date is $12.5 million. There are other robotics solutions for markings, but the competition is mostly doing work on highways and soccer fields. Yeshurun said those rivals can't handle the terrains that the solar industry faces as it expands into new territories.
