Assessors Meeting

Wednesday, December 7, 2022, 5:15 pm until 7:15 pm
Town Hall Office Meeting Space
A meeting of the Board of Assessors

Meeting conducted In-Person - Join via Zoom Meeting

Topic: Board of Assessor's Meeting 5:15, 1st and 3rd Wednesdays
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88906379783?pwd=NprQEoFPnwkvxxp7vmo5sazjy7jXOT.1

Meeting ID: 889 0637 9783
Passcode: boa23

Meeting of Board of Assessors

Members: (Quorum)

• Present: Lee Whitcomb, Chair, at 5:15 PM
• Present: Russell French, at 5:15 PM
• Present: Roxanne Parent, at 5:15 PM

Also Present:

• Laurie Lucier
• Veronique Blanchard

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 5:16 PM

Meeting closed: 7:20 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • No minutes to approve.

1. Review minutes from last meeting

   • Approve minutes

     MOTION, moved by Russell French, seconded by Roxanne Parent: to approve minutes for previous meeting as written.

     Pass: Aye: Roxanne Parent, Russell French. Abstain: Lee Whitcomb.

2. Education and Training

   • Training Requirements - Discuss RP's projected timeline to complete her minimum required training so she will be able to vote and sign documents.

     General Discussion...
     RP has accessed the Gateway program today and will begin her courses shortly.

3. New mail and invoices

   • Invoices

     General Discussion...
     Reviewed three invoices for payment: CAI Technologies, WB Mason and Mohawk Office Equipment. All approved, signed and to be forwarded to the accountant for payment on the next warrant.

   • Mail

     General Discussion...
     Notice that Roy Bishop is available anytime after December 11th to perform independent valuations of the board members homes. Lee will follow-up to discuss scheduling.
     
     Information received from Al Averill regarding the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. He is working under the NRCS / American Farmland Trust initiative to ensure all applicable lands may be considered for NRCS farmland preservation funding into the future. More information will be discussed at the upcoming Selectboard meeting on December 19, 2022.
     
     MAOO newsletter regarding solar. Agrivoltaic - farmland use under solar arrays.

4. Recent sales, new listings, and new permits

   • New Listings

     General Discussion...
     Three new listings since last meeting:
     
     1733 Roaring Brook Road
     482 Newhall Road
     37 & 39 Fisher Place Road

   • New Permits

     General Discussion...
     28 new building permits reviewed by the board

   • New Sales

     General Discussion...
     Since last meeting there has been one real estate transfer to a trust and one sale (46 Larch Meadow Drive). There was also two surveys (same property) recorded.

5. MVE abatement applications

   • Review MVE abatement applications

     MOTION, moved by Lee Whitcomb, seconded by Russell French: to approve 5 motor vehicle excise abatement applications.

     Pass: Aye: Russell French, Lee Whitcomb. Abstain: Roxanne Parent.

6. Motor Vehicle Warrant

   • Approve warrant

     General Discussion...
     Motor Vehicle Excise Warrant number 6 reviewed and signed by Lee and Russ. Originals to be sent over to tax collector with copies for accountant and assessors files.

7. Chapter applications

   • Review final batch of chapter applications

     MOTION, moved by Lee Whitcomb, seconded by Russell French: to approve final 10 chapter land applications.

     Pass: Aye: Russell French, Lee Whitcomb. Abstain: Roxanne Parent.

8. Abatement applications

   • Review abatement applications

     General Discussion...
     Five additional ''automatic'' abatements approved. Abatement certificates and summaries all signed by Lee and Russ. Originals to go to the tax collector with copies to the accountant and assessors files.
     
     Carla Harlow arrived at 6:08 pm to discuss the abatement application she submitted to the board. Her application and questions were discussed and a site visit will be scheduled.

     MOTION, moved by Lee Whitcomb, seconded by Russell French: FOUR motions to approve abatement applications for bill nos. 219, 120, 943, and 230.

     Pass: Aye: Russell French, Lee Whitcomb. Abstain: Roxanne Parent.

9. Plan Site Visits

   • Begin scheduling site visits

     General Discussion...
     Lee will begin working on setting up site visits for those who applied for abatements.

10. Other Business

    • Any other business that arises after posting

      General Discussion...
      Lee will continue working on a presentation explaining ''how to understand your property card''
      
      Office will be closed the last week of December as Laurie is taking some vacation time.

11. Public comments

12. Meeting Wrap-up

    • Next Meetings:
      1. Wed, Dec 21, at 5:15 PM "Assessors Meeting" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space
      2. Wed, Jan 4, at 5:15 PM "Assessors Meeting - CANCELED" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space
      3. Wed, Jan 11, at 5:15 PM "Board of Assessor's Meeting" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes approved on Thursday, Dec 22, 2022