Town Board lays groundwork for temporary appointments to Board of Assessment Review
Town of Webb Assessor Jean Murdock received authorization by the Town Board to prepare and submit a four-year cyclical reassessment plan to the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services.
Murdock had requested the authorization and the board passed it by unanimous vote at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 9.
This plan would be compliant to Real Property Tax Law section 1573 and would be in place for the period of 2012 to 2015. Currently, the Town of Webb is conducting a comprehensive re-evaluation that will be completed in 2012.
According to Robert Moore, creating a four-year cyclical reassessment plan is necessary to secure maintenance aid for current update projects and also helps demonstrate the town’s commitment to keeping assessments up to date based on current market trends, thereby providing an equitable distribution of the tax burden.
In addition to the NYS Office of Real Property Services requiring that a plan be considered and submitted, Moore believes that it is also good practice to keep assessments current. He went on to reiterate that if there is no plan, there is no support from the state. While he does not believe that this reassessment plan is designed to chase the state aid, he does, however, believe that having a set plan would behoove the Town of Webb.
Town of Webb Assessor Jean Murdock explained that in the years 2013 and 2014 the Town of Webb would keep the assessments at one hundred percent of their full market value and then, in the fourth year, the Assessors Office will conduct another re-evaluation.
Jean went on to say, “You might ask why it might be necessary to conduct a re-evaluation in the fourth year if we kept our property at market value.
“Generally, during the second and third years, the properties would be kept at market value by trending, with a complete re-evaluation it is a full mass appraisal with the evaluation of all sales and of all properties.”
One of the other requirements for this plan is that each property is to be reviewed by the Assessor’s Office and that all data collected for the property inventory is revisited at least once every six years.
Currently, the Town of Webb has been able to do that over a four-year period rather than a six-year period and it is the opinion of Jean Murdock, that maintaining a four-year cycle is in the best interest of the community.
Subsequently, Supervisor Moore asked the board again to consider the resolution to submit a four-year cyclical reassessment plan to the NYS Office of Real Property Tax Services, which was made into a motion by Councilwoman Russell, and was followed by a second from Councilman Ross.
Following the discussion, Supervisor Moore opened up the floor to suggest that the Town of Webb Board consider appointing a temporary panel to the Board of Assessment Review whose role would be to participate in administrative hearings during the grievance process that will follow the re-evaluation.
By doing this, he explained, the board can provide a more streamlined and fluid process for community members to address their grievances, which will in turn keep up a level of professionalism that the taxpayers and the town deserve.
Following Supervisor Moore’s statements, Council-man Ross made a motion that authorizes the board to advertise and receive information from interested applicants in order for the town Board to better gauge the applicant interest level.
Those seeking more information about the Town of Webb temporary Board of Assessment Review may send a letter of interest accompanied by a resume to Town Clerk Nanci Russell at PO Box 157, Old Forge, NY 13420.
