MY THE CITY OF NASHUA “The Gate City
Administrative Services Division
Date: November 8, 2019
To: Mayor Jim Donchess
Board of Aldermen
Board of Assessors
From: Kim Kleiner, Administrative Services Director
Re: R-19-190 Relative to the Transfer of $95,700 from Contingency to Assessing for the Funding
of a Chief Assessor Position for the remainder of FY2020
On March Ist, the city eliminated the Chief Assessor position and funding was removed from the
proposed FY2020 budget, R-19-123. On April 30", at a Special Board of Aldermen meeting, an
improvement plan was introduced. This past September, an update on our progress was delivered
to the board. During the September 24 meeting we discussed progress in 5 key areas of
improvement: Transparency, Customer Service, Efficiency & Data Collection, Procedures &
Communication, and Software Program Applications.
We are proud of the accomplishments of the Assessing staff, they have worked as a team,
constantly identifying further advancements. Last April, many Aldermen inquired as to the need
of the Chief Assessor position. The administration needed to develop strong management
procedures while also evaluating the department’s strengths and deficiencies prior to making a
recommendation.
We recommend the hiring of a Chief Assessor who has a thorough knowledge of property
assessment laws, regulations and ordinances; strong knowledge of the principles and practices of
public administration, as applied to a municipal assessment department; experience in property
‘appraisal and assessment; and the ability to present ideas and instructions clearly and effectively,
orally and in writing, to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, and the
general public. The ideal candidate will have knowledge in city wide revaluations, valuing of
utilities, and the ability to defend values at the state and local level.
The hiring of a Chief Assessor will not only provide oversight on the day to day operations of the
department, but provide mentoring and forward thinking for continued growth within the office.
