7/29/1991 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

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BOARD OF SELECTMEN Page 3 1TS MONDAY, JULY 29p 1991 Board of Assessors was a little frustrated last week. The whole thing started with the best of intentions of bringing it to our attention of the possible deficit situation.* Alerting us to how it is and how do you th*n you want to handle it and the three options given by Diane. It is difficult to make any intelligent decision about it what to do. We knew where we are now, but no sense of where it might go states Selectman Gottlieb. !qe were in no position then and no better position now to give any guidance to anybody on what one of those three options we want to go with. I would like to see some information on what the track record has been.. The Board of Assessors with their professional discretion feel they don' t want to make a predict n, I could take for my ovAm benefit to view the rate of approval and denials in the past. We only have half the picture states Selectman Gottlieb. tale know we have a. problem pith no sense of how big it is going to get it could be a significant budget altering. We are back to the problem states selectman La.virence. As members of the Board of Selectmen when people call you and say I have a problem with my tax bill. W don' t have any control over that, when the Final analysis comes around about why we are in deep ak , it falls on ' our shoulder . Even -though we - ask the question of where do they think they are going, we don' t know. Frankly, it really scares me stated Selectman Lawrence. The last week I was thinking about it because I have no 'Idea. They are the ones giving out the abatements. I sounded like it could be a significant budget altering stated Selectman Gottlieb be it fiscal 93 or this year. We would end up with enormous charges requiring through an override or reductions in other areas of spending, The later you get into it to get a feel for it, the totesevere your reaction has to be. I guess my question is states Selectman Lawrence, Madame Chairman is there a possible way that we might meet again with the Assessors and at least get some idea. and I think Any is correct in what is the Basis to giving the abatement at this point? Can we establish a. Pattern? Can we say that 20% of the abatements are going to be granted? You know Peter it tteems like you are implying that these new assessors are the. problem, the problem is . . . states Selectman C afyn. o. . 0 states selectman Lawrence. The problem is the property and we were supposed to ask Mr. Reardon if he reviewed the contract which he had not reviewed when it was given out which was almost unbblievable because I think our Charter says that he is supposed to review every contract before it' s done in the Town. It was not done was it But you had looked at it stated Selectman a. fyn, Did you get a chance to review it No I did not stated Counsel. The problem are not the new assessors states Selectman Caffyn. The problem is in fact the reval that was out of wack. Don' t misunderstand nye states Selectman a.n Lawrence. I am not suggesting that they are, . a what I am suggesting is whether they are