May 10, 2014
Meeting began at 9:55
Members Present:
Stanley Ross, Chairman
Robert Lazzarini, Board Member
Donald Hopkins, Board Member
Donald Clawson, Principal Assessor
Linda Hamill, Clerk
1. The Board discussed the Real Estate Tax Abatement requests currently on file. The Board has 7 requests for abatement on file.
The Board has 90 days to process these requests. The date for voting will expire on May 2. Chairman Ross had stated at the last meeting that the Board would like to wait for good weather to go out and inspect each property. These requests will be deemed denied until the Board can make the inspections.
2. At today’s meeting the Board discussed each property and each abatement request. Beginning with 5’s Enuf at 9 Heron Pond Park, the Board discussed requesting their own new appraisal for this property in the meantime this request is deemed denied until this appraisal is completed. The next request is for Sandra and Melissa Preston at 17 Main Road, followed by SusanTannenbaum at 124 Pixley Road, the next property is owned by Robert and Catherine Rogers at 21 Main Road and finally Victor Mulholland at 79 Hupi Road. This discussion concluded at 10:35, all forms will be mailed to property owners as deemed denied. The Board members will begin their inspections and property owners will be notified as necessary.
3. The Board discussed updating the Town map for the Southern Berkshire Registry of Deeds. Donald Hopkins will come to the office hours on Wednesday and begin this process. Wanda Beckwith will come here to pick up the maps and return them to us when the Registry has completed the update.
4. The Board discussed the ongoing work being done on the revaluation of the town. As stated at the February 15, 2014 Board meeting, the Board has a new state reviewer. His name is Joseph Barbieri. Mr. Barbieri has experience working with the small towns that we have here in Southern Berkshire County. He has visited the office a couple of times and met with Don Clawson. One of his recommendations is that Duane Adams of Mayflower Inc. assist with the reval. Duane met with Don Clawson and Stan Ross on Wednesday, May 07, 2014 to begin his work and will return on June 5th at noon. Duane will be making some changes to our files and will try to get the Marshall and Swift values into our Patriot system, which the State requires. He was very
impressed with the amount of work that Don Clawson has already completed.
5. The Board discussed the recent BCAA meeting which the instrumentation that interfaces with the assessor’s software (AssessPro) was demonstrated. All Board members present were enthusiastic about purchasing the instruments that include a laser pointer, an iPod, and a special version of AssessPro.
6. Bob Lazzarini suggested that we upgrade the Cartographic Associates website maps to include a number of filters (or layers) that can be selected by the viewer to reveal only the elements desired. These elements might include the Town divisions, the neighborhoods, the public roads, the private roads, public land should include not-for-profits, etc.
Meeting adjourned at 11:45.
Submitted by,
Linda Hamill
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