Hearings on appeal
(1) At the hearing upon a petition, the assessor or the assessor's authorized representative shall be present and shall produce information to support the basis and amount of the assessor's valuation of the property. The board shall hear and consider all testimony and examine all exhibits produced or introduced by either the petitioner or the assessor, with no presumption in favor of any pending valuation, and may subpoena witnesses to testify. The costs of producing the petitioner's witnesses shall be paid by the petitioner, and the costs of producing the assessor's witnesses shall be paid by the county. On the basis of the testimony produced and the exhibits introduced, the board shall grant or deny the petition, in whole or in part, and shall notify the petitioner and the assessor in writing. If the board denies the petition, in whole or in part, such written notice shall inform the petitioner of the right to appeal within the thirty-day period following the denial to the district court or the board of assessment appeals pursuant to the provisions of section 39-8-108 (1) or within the thirty-day period following the denial to submit the case to arbitration pursuant to the provisions of section 39-8-108.5. Such notice shall state that, if the appeal is to the board of assessment appeals, the hearing before the board of assessment appeals shall be the last hearing at which testimony, exhibits, or any other type of evidence may be introduced by either party and that, if there is an appeal to the court of appeals pursuant to section 39-8-108 (2), the record from the hearing before the board of assessment appeals and no new evidence shall be the basis for the court's decision. The phone number and address of the board of assessment appeals shall also be included on the notice. The notice shall also state, in general terms, how to pursue arbitration and that, if a taxpayer submits the case to arbitration, the decision reached under such process shall be final and not subject to review. If a referee heard the case, the board shall, at the written request of any taxpayer or any agent of such taxpayer within seven working days after receipt of said request, make available to the taxpayer or agent the referee's findings and recommendations. At the board's election, the board may either mail, fax, or send by electronic transmission such findings and recommendations to the address, phone number, or electronic address supplied by said taxpayer or agent. Upon receipt of such request, the board shall notify the taxpayer or agent of the estimated cost of providing such findings and recommendations, payment of which shall be made prior to providing such findings and recommendations. Upon providing such findings and recommendations, the board may include a bill for the reasonable cost above the estimated cost and up to the statutory maximum which shall be due and payable upon receipt by the taxpayer or agent.
(2) (a) The county board of equalization shall continue its hearings from time to time until all petitions have been heard, but all such hearings shall be concluded and decisions rendered thereon by the close of business on August 5 of that year; except that, in a county that uses an alternate protest and appeal procedure pursuant to section 39-5-122.7, all such hearings shall be concluded and decisions rendered thereon by the close of business on November 1 of that year. Except as authorized in subsection (2)(b) of this section, any decision shall be mailed to the petitioner within five business days of the date on which such decision is rendered.