A. The department of assessments, if and when established, shall be headed by a commissioner of the revenue or supervisor of assessments, who shall exercise the power conferred and perform the duties imposed by § 15.2-826 upon the director of finance.
B. In addition to the powers and duties hereinabove conferred, the governing body of any county which has provided for a department of assessments headed by a supervisor of assessments may, in lieu of the method now prescribed by law, provide for the annual assessments and equalization of assessments of real estate by such department. All real estate shall thereafter be assessed as of January 1 of each year. The board of supervisors shall appoint a board of equalization of real estate assessments composed of not less than three nor more than eleven members. The board of supervisors may provide for terms varying in duration not to exceed four years. Such equalization board shall have the powers and duties provided by and be subject to, the provisions of Article 14 (§ 58.1-3370 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1. Any person aggrieved by any assessment made under the provisions of this section may apply for relief to such board as therein provided. The provisions of this section shall not, however, apply to any real estate assessable under the law by the State Corporation Commission.
C. The board of equalization may sit in panels of at least three members each under the following terms and conditions:
1. The presence of all members in the panel shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.
2. The chairman of the board of equalization shall assign the members to panels and, insofar as practicable, rotate the membership of the panels.
3. The chairman of the board of equalization shall preside over any panel of which he is a member and shall designate the presiding member of the other panels.
4. Each panel shall perform its duties independently of the others.
5. The board of equalization shall sit en banc (i) when there is a dissent in the panel to which the matter was originally assigned and an aggrieved party requests an en banc hearing or (ii) upon its own motion at any time, in any matter in which a majority of the board of equalization determines it is appropriate to do so. The board of equalization sitting en banc shall consider and decide the matter and may affirm, reverse, overrule or modify any previous decision by any panel.