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Meeting Minutes
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Board of Assessors
Date: 2013 -10 -15 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location:
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: General Business
Attendees: Members - Present:
Francis Golden, Fred A. McGrane & Robert J. Quinn, Jr.
Members - Not Present:
None.
Others Present:
Victor Santaniello & Robert LeLacheur _
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Robert J. Quinn, Jr.
Topics of Discussion:
CALL to ORDER:
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 7 PM. The Board last met on July 9, 2013.
This meeting was originally posted for October 8, 2013 but was cancelled due to the lack of
a quorum.
1. APPOINTMENTS: -
Reading Town Manager Bob LeLacheur dropped by. He informed the Board that he has
discussed the existing cost sharing agreement relative to Mr. Santaniello's services with
Stephen Maio, Wakefield's Town Administrator. LeLacheur said that he and Maio are both
very pleased with the way the cost sharing arrangement has worked to date and would now
like to extend it for one additional year, through December 31, 2014. The Board voiced no
objections to the proposed extension.
Melrose has not shown any interest in participating in an expanded cost sharing
arrangement with Reading and Wakefield.
Mr. LeLacheur announced that the traditional "preview" of the Tax Classification Hearing has
been rescheduled from October 22nd to the Board of Selectmen's meeting on November
5th. The actual Tax Classification Hearing will most likely be held on November 26th. In
any event, the Tax Classification Hearing must be held no later than December 10th in order
to get the FY 2014 tax bills out on time. LeLacheur feels that the Selectmen will probably
vote to keep the status quo, including the retention of a single tax rate.
Page I 1
Mr. Santaniello reported that he had submitted Wakefield's information to
MADOR about two weeks ago. He expects to submit Reading's residential
information to MADOR tomorrow and Reading's commercial & industrial
information to MADOR sometime next week.
Mr. LeLacheur briefly updated the Board on some of the construction
activity going on around town, after which he left the meeting.
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGN:
A copy of the draft minutes for the Board's June 11, 2013 meeting was
circulated on July 15, 2013. No changes were proposed. A motion by Mr.
McGrane seconded by Mr. Quinn to approve these minutes as written was
approved by a vote of 3 -0 -0.
3. TOWN APPRAISER'S REPORT:
Mr. Santaniello reported that the Residential portion of the FY 2014
revaluation has been completed. The Board reviewed and discussed Patriot
Properties' "Analysis Report" and the Santaniello's accompanying
"Statistical Overview" at length. It appears that all of the statistical metrics
for residential properties fall well within MADOR's guidelines.
The Commercial & Industrial portion of the FY 2014 revaluation is expected
to be completed next week. Mr. Santaniello explained that sketches and data
imported from the CAMA system had to be manually verified and /or
corrected. The calculation of certain land values also had to be revised. The
Board reviewed and discussed a Patriots Properties' report which compared
the proposed FY 2014 values to the FY 2013 actual values.
Personal property will be assessed at $44.1 million, including $5.3 million of
new growth.
FY 2014 impact notices will only be mailed to property owners with out -of-
town addresses. Property owners having Reading addresses will be noticed
through the local media outlets and the Town Website. Timing is dependent
upon MADOR approval.
Assessing division staff will be made available to meet informally with
property owners who wish to discuss their new assessments on a first come,
first served basis. Details (where, when etc.) will be announced.
An informal hearing at the ATB is scheduled for November 13th. At issue are
the FY 2013 assessments of four small parcels owned by a single owner.
Reading will be represented by either Pat Sullivan or Victor Santaniello.
4. OTHER SIGNINGS:
The Board signed routine Motor Vehicle Excise Tax abatements totaling
$2,590.37 and denied a property tax exemption request due to the applicant's
ineligibility.
McGrane & Quinn also signed the time sensitive 2013 Motor Vehicle Excise
Tax Commitment List #5 (totaling $99,471.64) and various Motor Vehicle
Tax Abatements (totaling $13,484.60) on October 1St. The tax abatements
were for the months of July, August & September 2013.
Quinn & McGrane also signed the time sensitive 2013 Motor Vehicle Excise
Tax Commitment List #4 (totaling $112,628.67) and letters to two property
owners notifying them of the PILOT payments due the Town for the third
and fourth quarters of FY 2014 (all totaling $29,877.75) on August 19th &
20th.
5. NEW BUSINESS:
17 Sanborn Lane:
This 4 family residence was assessed at $495,000 for FY 2013. The current
owners purchased the property on July 26, 2012 for $380,000. The Board
had approved Mr. Santaniello's recommendation that the assessed value be
reduced to $428,000 at its previous meeting when one of its members was
absent. However, Mr. Santaniello thought it advisable that the full Board
reaffirm its previous action.
A motion by Mr. McGrane seconded by Mr. Quinn to reaffirm the $67,000
abatement was approved by a vote of 3 -0 -0.
6. OTHER BUSINESS:
None.
7. CORRESPONDENCE:
July 15, 2013 e-mail from Joanne Fitzpatrick to BOA Chairman Frank
Golden et al, transmitting the draft minutes for the Board's June 11, 2013.
August 21, 2013 e-mail from Joanne Fitzpatrick to BOA Chairman Frank
Golden et al, transmitting the signed PILOT letters for the Q3 and Q4 and
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Commitment # 4.
September 30, 2013 e-mail from Joanne Fitzpatrick to BOA Chairman
Frank Golden et al, containing time sensitive signing request relative to
certain Motor Vehicle Excise Tax documents.
8. NEXT MEETING:
The next meeting will be held on November 5, 2013. The primary purpose of
this meeting will be to preview the annual Tax Classification Hearing for the
Board of Selectmen.
ADJOURNMENT:
A motion by Mr. Golden, seconded by Mr. McGrane to adjourn at 8:25 PM
was approved by a vote of 3 -0 -0.
ADJOURNED: 8:25 P.M. ATTEST:
ROBERT J. QUINN, JR.- SECRETARY