HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-04-07 Board of Assessors MinutesRECEIVD
TOWN CLERK
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OF READI
16 LOWELL STREE10 APR I ~ A 9: 0
READING, MA 01867-2693
FAX: 781-942-9037 BOARD OF ASSESSORS
781-942-9027
MINUTES
APRIL 7, 2010
MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.
IN ATTENDANCE
MR ROBERT I. NORDSTRAND, MR FRED A. MCGRANE, MR RALPH
A. COLORUSSO, MS PATRICIA SULLIVAN & MR WILLIAM
BOATWRIGHT. MR MICHAEL FLYNN JOINED THE MEETING AT
7:55 PM AND LEFT AT 8:07PM.
1. APPOINTMENTS - NONE NOTED.
2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING/S
MARCH 30, 2010 -APPROVED 3-0 AS AMENDED
3. SIGNINGS WERE COMPLETED.
4. OLD BUSINESS
A) MR BOATWRIGHT BRIEFED THE BOARD WITH HIS
CONVERSATION WITH ATTORNEY MARK WITKIN
REGARDING THE FORMER ADDISON WESLEY SITE.
MINUTES CONT.
APRIL 7, 2010
PAGE 2
5. NEW BUSINESS
A) MR BOATWRIGHT REPORTED THAT HE MET WITH
MR SCOTT SANTANGELO FROM THE DOR,
PURSUANT TO THE CERTIFICATION OF THE
ASSESSMENTS.
B) MR BOATWRIGHT, MR NORDSTRAND AND MS
SULLIVAN WILL BE MEETING WITH THE DOR
TOMORROW (4/8). DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON THE
ISSUE OF LAND VALUE AND LAND SCHEDULES IN
THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
6. GENERAL BUSINESS
A) FOLLOWING THE RESULTS OF THE APRIL 6TH ELECTION,
THE MEETING COMMENCED WITH MR NORDSTRAND
REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD BE "REA E L- W, - `
MORE SPECIFICALLY, HE NOMINATED MR COLORUSSO
TO SERVE AS THE CHAIRMAN AND THAT MR
NORDSTRAND SERVE AS VICE-CHAIRMAN. MR
COLORUSSO RESPECTFULLY DECLINED THE OFFER TO
SERVE AS CHAIRMAN BY NOTING THE FOLLOWING: 1)
HE HAS RECENTLY BEEN WORKING VERY LONG HOURS
AND READILY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE STRUGGLES
TO GET TO THE MEETINGS BY 7:00 PM. HE FURTHER
NOTED THAT HE DOES NO FORESEE HIS WORK
SCHEDULE GETTING ANY LIGHTER; AND 2) GIVEN THE
CURRENT ISSUES BEFORE THE BOARD, HE FEELS THAT
MR NORDSTRAND (BEING RETIRED) HAS MORE TIME
DURING THE DAY TO BE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH
THE STAFF AT THE TOWN ASSESSOR'S OFFICE TO
ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. IT IS FOR THOSE REASONS
THAT HE REPECTFULLY DECLINED THE INVITATION TO
SERVE AS CHAIRMAN.
MINUTES CONT.
APRIL 7, 2010
PAGE 3
6. GENERAL BUSINESS CONT.
D)
B) MR MCGRANE LET IT BE KNOWN THAT HE IS STILL
VERY MUCH IN A "LEARNING MODE" AND, AS SUCH, IS
VERY CONTENT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS
SECRETARY/CLERK.
C) FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR MCGRANE, BOTH
MESSRS. NORDSTRAND AND COLORUSSO STATED THAT
THE ISSUES BEFORE THE BOARD OVER THE PREVIOUS
SIX MONTHS (FINDING A REPLACEMENT TO FILL FRANK
GOLDEN'S VACATED SEAT ON THE BOARD,
INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES FOR THE TOWN
ASSESSOR'S POSITION, DEALING WITH THE DOR'S
RECERTIFICATION OF THE FORTHCOMING TRIENNIAL
REASSESSMENT, ETC.) HAVE BEEN VERY SIGNIFICANT
AND TIME CONSUMING. MR MCGRANE APPRECIATED
THOSE COMMENTS AS HE NOTED THAT AT TIMES, HE
HAS FELT A LITTLE OVERWHELMED A--S-SINCE
BEING APPOINTED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD IN
DECEMBER.
PER MR BOATWRIGHT, MIKE FLYNN SHOULD COMPLETE HIS
ASSESSMENTS (COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES
PLUS ALL MULTI-FAMILIES) BY THE END OF JULY. MR
BOATWRIGHT ALSO REPORTED THAT HE, PAT SULLIVAN AND
BOB LELACHUER HAD MET WITH FORMER TOWN ASSESSOR
DEBORAH JACKSON TO DISCUSS AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE
VARIOUS CHANGES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGNATIONS
WV+H THE TOWN OF READING.
E) MS SULLIVAN PRESENTED A PROPOSAL FOR ABATEMENT #55,
VOTED 3-0 TO FOR APPROVAL.
t
MINUTES CONT.
APRIL 7, 2010
PAGE 4
6. GENERAL BUSINESS CONT.
F) MS SULLIVAN PRESENTED A PROPOSAL FOR ABATEMENT #56.
SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION ENSUED BEFORE IT WAS VOTED TO
ABATE TO $290,000.
G) MS SULLIVAN STATED THAT A PROPOSAL FOR ABATEMENT
#89. WITHDRAWN THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGED THE
WITHDRAWAL.
7. CORRESPONDENCE NONE NOTED.
8. NEXT MEETING/S
TUESDAY, APRIL 13T" T 7: 0
ADJOURNED: 9:29 PM ATTEST:
F ED A. M GRANE
SECRETARY PRO TEM