HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-06-21 Board of Assessors MinutesTOWN OF :READING
16 LOWELL STREET
READING, MA 01867-2693
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
TEL.: 781-942-9027
FAX: 781-942-9037
MINUTES
JUNE 21, 2011
d
MEETING CONVENED AT 7:00 P.M.
IN ATTENDANCE:
MR. RALPH A. COLORUSSO, MR. ROBERT I. NORDSTRAND,
MR. BILL BOATWRIGHT AND MS. PAT SULLIVAN, FOR A
SHORT TIME.
1. APPOINTMENTS: -NONE.
2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING/S:
JUNE 14,2011- WERE TABLED
3. TOWN APPRAISER'S REPORT:
PAT AND BILL TALKED ABOUT A MISSING LINK BETWEEN
THE TOWN ACCOUNTING SYSTEM, MUNIS, AND CAMA
SYSTEM, WHICH IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS FIXING. PAT
LEFT THE. MEETING AROUND 7:20 PM.
MR. BOATWRIGHT INFORMED THE BOARD THAT THE
STAFF MEMBERS WERE GOING FORWARD WITH SALE
VERIFICATIONS INSPECTIONS AND PERMIT INSPECTIONS.
HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE FEWER SALES
THEN EXPECTED.
4. SIGNINGS: -WERE COMPLETED
MINUTES CONTINUED
5. NEW BUSINESS:
THE BOARD DICUSSED THE FACT THAT THERE WERE A
LOW NUMBER OF SALES AVAILABLE FOR CALENDAR YEAR
2010 AND CONCLUDED THAT THERE MAY BE A NEED TO
USE TWO YEARS OF SALES FOR THE SALES ANALYSIS.
6. GENERAL BUSINESS:
MR. COLORUSSO OPENED A DISCUSSION OF THE
ASSESSORS' OVERLAY AND OVERLAY SURPLUS ACCOUNTS.
HE NOTED THAT THE OVERLAYS FOR FY 2010 AND/OR 2011
COULD END WITH NEGATIVE BALANCES WHEN ALL
PENDING APPELLATE TAX BOARD CASES FOR THOSE
YEARS ARE DECIDED OR SETTLED. WE SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO DEAL WITH SUCH A PROBLEM.
MR. NORDSTRAND AGREED WITH RALPH AND NOTED THAT
IT APPEARS THAT THE FY 2011 WAS SET WITHOUT IMPUT
FROM THE ASSESSORS, EVEN THOUGH STATE LAW
REQUIRES THAT THE ASSESSORS CALCULATE THE
OVERLAY EACH YEAR BEFORE THE TAX RATE IS SET. HE
ALSO FEELS THAT ONCE THE ASSESSORS HAVE DIGESTED
THE CONTENTS OF THE "DOR" INFORMATIONAL
GUIDELINE THE BOARD SHOULD SEND A MEMO TO THE
TOWN MANAGER AND THE ASSISSTANT TOWN MANAGER,
TOWN TREASURER AND OTHERS SO EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS MATTER.
VACATION TIMES AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION TIME
FOR THE STAFF FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS DISCUSSED
AND NOTED.
7. CORRESPONDENCE: NONE NOTED.
8. NEXT MEETING:
TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 @ 7:00 PM
TUESDAY, JULY 19, 20"' J 7:00
ADJOURNED: 8:15 PM ATTEST: A!~-(
ROBERT NORDSTRAND AND RALPH COLORUSSO
JOINT - SECRETARIES-PRO TEMPORE