HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-03-26 Board of Assessors Minutes%cur -x-, &mr
TOWN OF READING
16 LOWELL STREET
READING, MA 01867 -2693
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
TEL.: 781 - 942 -9027
FAX: 781 - 942 -9037
MR. FRED A. MCGRANE, MR. RALPH A. COLORUSSO, MR.
ROBERT J. QUINN AND MR. WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT.
1. APPOINTMENTS: - NONE NOTED.
2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING /S:
REVIEW OF MARCH 20, 2012 MINUTES DEFERRED UNTIL
NEXT MEETING.
3. TOWN APPRAISER'S REPORT:
ALL PENDING ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS FOR WHICH
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT HAS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY
ARE COMPLETE AND READY FOR THE BOARD'S REVIEW.
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT ALSO ADVISED THAT THE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR HIS POSITION WILL APPEAR IN
TONIGHT'S READING CHRONICLE AND SELECTED OTHER
MEDIA.
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MINUTES
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MARCH 26, 2012
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MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:00 P.M.
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IN ATTENDANCE:
MR. FRED A. MCGRANE, MR. RALPH A. COLORUSSO, MR.
ROBERT J. QUINN AND MR. WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT.
1. APPOINTMENTS: - NONE NOTED.
2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING /S:
REVIEW OF MARCH 20, 2012 MINUTES DEFERRED UNTIL
NEXT MEETING.
3. TOWN APPRAISER'S REPORT:
ALL PENDING ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS FOR WHICH
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT HAS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY
ARE COMPLETE AND READY FOR THE BOARD'S REVIEW.
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT ALSO ADVISED THAT THE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR HIS POSITION WILL APPEAR IN
TONIGHT'S READING CHRONICLE AND SELECTED OTHER
MEDIA.
MINUTES CONTINUED
4. SIGNINGS: - NONE NOTED.
5. NEW BUSINESS: - NONE NOTED.
6. GENERAL BUSINESS: -
AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT HAS
DECIDED TO RESIGN HIS POSITION AS READING'S
APPRAISER, EFFECTIVE MARCH 30, 2012.
FRED A. MCGRANE BEGAN BY THANKING WILLIAM
BOATWRIGHT FOR HIS OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE
TOWN AND THIS BOARD FOR THE LAST 2+ YEARS. HE WILL
BE SORELY MISSED.
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT CONFIRMED THAT HE IS LEAVING
READING IN ORDER TO ACCEPT A MORE FINANCIALLY
REWARDING POSITION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. HE TOLD
THE BOARD THAT HE ENJOYED HIS TIME HERE AND
WOULD LIKELY HAVE CONTINUED ON, HAD THIS
PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITY NOT PRESENTED ITSELF.
AS TO A POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR, WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT
SEES THE CURRENT TREND AS FAVORING APPLICANTS -
POSSESSING STRONGER STATISTICAL AND COMPUTER
SKILLS OVER THOSE WITH MORE TRADITIONAL
VALUATION BACKGROUNDS.
NO APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED TO DATE,
HOWEVER, WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT HAS BEEN
INFORMALLY CONTACTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL HOLDING A
SIMILAR POSITION IN ANOTHER TOWN. WILLIAM
BOATWRIGHT EXPECTS THAT THIS PERSON WILL BE
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION IN DUE COURSE.
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT HAS ALSO ENCOURAGED THE
ASSISTANT APPRAISER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT PLANS TO WRITE HER A LETTER
OF RECOMMENDATION, WHICH MAY ALSO SERVE AS AN
INTERIM REVIEW.
MINUTES CONTINUED
6. GENERAL BUSINESS: (CON'T)
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT NOTED THAT STAFFING WAS AN
ISSUE AT TIMES. HE RECOMMENDED THAT THE
DEPARTMENT MAINTAIN A STAFF OF 2.6 FTE. THE 0.6
REPRESENTS A PART -TIME SEASONAL APPRAISER, WHO
PREFERABLY SHOULD BE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT.
SOME POSSIBLE "VENDORS" WERE THEN DISCUSSED.
FRED A. MCGRANE NOTED THAT THE PROCESSING OF
ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS SEEMS TO BE WELL UNDER
CONTROL AND PROCEEDED TO IDENTIFY FOUR KEY
ISSUES THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE BOARD
IN THE COMING WEEKS (LISTED IN NO PARTICULAR
ORDER):
• CYCLICAL INSPECTIONS
• SYSTEM CONVERSION (CAMA TO PATRIOT
PROPERTIES)
• VALUATION OF CERTAIN LAND BEING
DEVELOPED
• FINDING BILL'S REPLACEMENT
VENDOR PROPOSALS FOR REAL PROPERTY DATA
VERIFICATION SERVICES ARE DUE THIS WEEK (3/29).
WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT RECOMMENDS THAT AN OUTSIDE
CONSULTANT BE HIRED TO OVERSEE THE WINNING
BIDDER'S FIELDWORK. SOME POSSIBLE CONSULTANTS
WERE THEN DISCUSSED.
FRED A. MCGRANE THEN ASKED WILLIAM BOATWRIGHT:
HOW COULD THE BOARD IMPROVE? WILLIAM
BOATWRIGHT'S ONLY SUGGESSTION WAS THAT THE
BOARD. STEP BACK SOMEWHAT FROM DAY TO DAY
MATTERS.
MINUTES CONTINUED
7. CORRESPONDENCE: - NONE NOTED.
8. NEXT MEETING(S):
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012 @ 7:00 P.M.
8a: Anticipated Topics:
MEET WITH CLAUSE 18 APPLICANT @ 8PM.
REVIEW ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS.
REVIEW 3/20/12 MINUTES.
REVIEW OVERLAY ACCOUNT.
ADJOURNED: 7:20 P.M. ATTEST:
ROBERT J. QU N- SECRETARY