Special Bd. of Aldermen — 11/26/2018 Page 11
Mayor Donchess
Yes, when a full measure and list is done it is not just residential, it is commercial as well. That cost $1.5 million
dollars in 1992, what is that, almost 30 years ago or 28 or 27 years ago or whatever it is. That cost $1.5 million
dollars in 1990 or 1991 dollars. The technology has improved so that the cost is lower, they use like lasers and
stuff like this, they can measure from the outside the dimensions of things without actually going in, especially in
commercial buildings. So the relative cost is actually a little lower but it is still $1.3 million, $1.4 million, $1.5
million.
Alderman Jette
Thank you. | have several if you don’t mind. | looked at the charter and the ordinances and they don’t say a
whole lot about assessing and the State law doesn’t seem to say a whole lot about it either, maybe I’m missing
something. The charter just says that the “Mayor with consent of the Aldermen shall appoint 3 assessors and a
treasurer and collector of taxes” and it says “each assessor shall prior to his appointment have demonstrated
knowledge of property appraisal or assessment and of the laws governing the assessment and collection of
property taxes”. When | look at your organizational chart, | don’t see the Board of Assessors listed at all and I’m
wondering what is their function and to the people that we have there, do they meet this qualification? Aren’t
they supposed to be in charge of this department? Where do they fit into this scheme of assessing and
collecting property taxes?
Attorney Bolton
| can help with that. The Board of Assessors has supervisory authority over the Department but it is the Board
of Aldermen that can determine what the staff is going to be and that is in the charter, there is a separate
section of the charter from the section 42 that you were looking at Attorney Jette which talks more about the
Board of Assessors and the assistants that can be hired by the Board of Aldermen to assist them in producing
the assessment. There are ordinances that further define that and also define that as we sit here, that
assessing is part of the Financial Services Divisions and reports currently to the CFO. Obviously the idea of
reinstituting the Administrative Services Division if the Board chooses to go that route will change that, but for
the day to day administrative functions there is a hierarchy. The ultimate decision on what property values are
assessed each year and the decision as to whether to grant or deny applications for abatement is made by the
Board of Assessors.
The three current members of the Board of Assessors, the Chairman has about 50 years’ experience in the
Assessing Field; he was formally the professional assessor in Merrimack; prior to that he worked for a Mass
Appraisal Firm, for many years. Another one of the members is a real estate broker and accordingly has
knowledge in the real estate field and values of property and the third member has prior experience managing
properties, both | believe commercial and residential properties and has experience in the real estate field in
that way. So | think they all meet those general qualifications.
Alderman Jette
So may | follow up? It sounds like they probably do but on the organizational chart, why aren’t they somewhere,
why aren’t they at the top?
Attorney Bolton
| didn’t do the organizational chart.
Alderman Jette
| Know you didn’t.
