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Lawrence County Assessment Office

Charles “JR” Hardester, CPE, MS, Chief Assessor

JR has been a lifelong resident of Lawrence County and has been employed with Lawrence County since 2000. He has served as a Computer Analysis, Deputy Chief Assessor and is currently the Chief Assessor. JR is a licensed Certified Pennsylvania Evaluator (CPE). His duties are to oversee the functions of the Assessment Office and reports directly to the Lawrence County Board of Assessment Appeals as well as the Lawrence County Commissioners.

JR is a member of the Assessors Association of Pennsylvania (AAP) as well as its 56th President. He has been a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) since 2005 and is the current IAAO State Representative for Pennsylvania. He has served as President of the Northwest Chapter of the AAP for two terms and is currently a certified instructor for the AAP’s Site/Market Analysis Class for initial certification for Certified Pennsylvania Evaluators (CPE) License.

JR was also a member of the House Resolution 343 & 343 Task Force and was a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee who was charged with the study of Reassessments and the State Tax Equalization Board. He served as Chair of the Formula Sub-Committee for Blue Ribbon Committee.  JR was also a member of the Local Government Commission Property Assessment Reform Task Force who purpose is to facilitate development and implementation of remedies to address recommendations in recent House Resolution reports related to modernization, efficiency, transparency and fairness of the property assessment process in Pennsylvania. JR was most recently appointed to the Pennsylvania Local Government Commission Property Assessment Reform Task Force as one of the Assessor Association of PA representative in 2016. The accomplishments of this task force can be found at https://www.lgc.state.pa.us/arTaskForce.cfm.

JR was the recipient of the Robert A Hanisits award for achievements in enhancing education in the assessment field in 2014, the Carl W. Naessig Award for Meritorious Service to the Assessment Profession in 2016 and the Presidents of the AAP’s Special Appreciation Award in 2018.

Bruce Peterson, CPE, Senior Appraiser

Bruce has been a lifelong resident of Lawrence County and has been employed with Lawrence County since 2001. He has served as an Appraiser and is currently the Senior Appraiser. Bruce is a licensed Certified Pennsylvania Evaluator (CPE). He is a member of the Assessor’s Association of Pennsylvania (AAP) and well as the Northwest Chapter of the AAP. His duties include but are limited to supervising the other assessors and field listers in the office. His primary role is to value properties for Ad Valorum Tax Purposes.

Bruce does the majority of the valuing for our Commercial/Industrial Properties. The valuing or properties include an onsite inspection which includes obtaining physical dimension of the property as well as documenting changes that have occurred to the property. He is responsible to testify at the Board of Assessment Appeal hearings as well as Court of Common Pleas when needed. Bruce also serves as Secretary to the Lawrence County Board of Assessment Appeals.

Maria Piccione, Field Lister

Maria L. Piccione has been a lifelong resident of Lawrence County. Employed with LC since 2002-served as a Judicial Court Assistant for the Honorable Thomas M. Piccione until his retirement December 2015-Then filled a position in Tax Claim Bureau before coming to the Assessment Office in April 2016. Maria’s primary responsibilities are to administer the homestead program as well of parcel certification. She is also responsible for all the data entry into the CAMA system for all new construction assessed by the Chief Assessor, Senior Appraiser, Professional Appraiser and M.H. Evaluator.

Jennifer Marburger, CPE, Office Manager/ M.H. Evaluator

Jennifer has been a lifelong resident of Lawrence County and has been employed with Lawrence County since 2002. She has served as a Clerk Typist and is currently the Office Manager. Jennifer’s primary roles are scheduling appeal hearings, preparing assessment resolutions for Board of Appeals, maintaining records for all mobile homes and mobile home parks and completing all splits or subdivisions. Jennifer is also responsible for all the finances in the office.

Chuck Masters, Professional Appraiser

Chuck has been a lifelong resident of Lawrence County and has been employed with Lawrence County since 2011. He is currently the Professional Appraiser and a licensed Certified Pennsylvania Evaluator (CPE) He is a member of the Assessor’s Association of Pennsylvania (AAP) and well as the Northwest Chapter of the AAP. His primary role is to value properties for Ad Valorum Tax Purposes. The valuing or properties include an onsite inspection which includes obtaining physical dimension of the property as well as documenting changes that have occurred to the property. He is responsible to testify at the Board of Assessment Appeal hearings as well as Court of Common Pleas when needed. Chuck also maintains the Clean and Green Program for Lawrence County. He is a member of the Assessor’s Association of Pa (AAP’s) Clean and Green Committee.