Staff photo by Fritz Busch Springfield native Sarah Lanier, left, takes the Brown County Assessor Oath of Office from Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen Tuesday. Lanier began her new role Oct. 17.

NEW ULM — Springfield native Sarah Lanier took the Brown County Assessor Oath of Office at the county board meeting Tuesday.

A deputy assessor in the Brown County Assessor’s Office since August, Lanier began her new role Oct. 17. She worked as a Cottonwood County Deputy Assessor from July 2024 to August 2025 and was a Cottonwood County Appraiser from July 2020 to July 2024.

“I’m excited to serve the county. I like getting to talk to taxpayers, working with numbers and solving problems. There are always problems to solve and figuring out where the market is going,” said Lanier, who brings a varied background to the position.

She got involved in assessing when she and her family moved back home from Brookings, S.D., where she worked for several years after college graduation.

“I applied for the Cottonwood County appraiser job, got it and enjoyed the work ever since,” said Lanier.

County assessors are responsible for determining the value of properties within their jurisdiction for tax purposes. Duties include evaluating residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial properties to establish market value that is used to calculate property taxes.

They prepare and maintain property tax rolls, ensuring property taxes are fairly assessed based on determined values.

Assessors keep detailed records of property ownership, characteristics, and changes, which are accessible to the public.

They handle appeals from property owners who dispute their property tax valuations and provide guidance on the valuation process.

Lanier earned a bachelor of science in biology and speech communication with minors in health communication and chemistry at South Dakota State University in 2016.

Lanier’s work experience includes working as a donor service representative, trainer and biomedical technician for several years at the Biotest Pharmaceuticals Corporation Biotest Plasma Center in Brookings, S.D.

She worked as a patient care technician at the Sanford Medical Center Orthopedic & Neurology Unit in Sioux Falls. S.D.

She also worked as an assistant at Reiner Brothers Farms of Springfield from 2006 to 2016.

Lanier has been an Accredited Minnesota Assessor since July 2024 and a Certified Minnesota Assessor since October 2021.

Her awards include a 2015 College Honors Award of Excellence and Speech Communication Excellence in Research Award. In 2016, she received the College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Research Presentation Award and Honors College Graduation Medallion.

Lanier said when she isn’t working, she’s often busy caring for her three children, all under age five. Her husband Cameron is an engineer in training at Bolton & Menk, Inc.