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Uh, good afternoon. Welcome to board of assessors meeting Wednesday, June 24th here at 4:30 at 382 North Main, second floor. Accordance with MGL chapter 30th, section 20, we're required to tape this meeting and we tape our own meeting and

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LCAT is here. Video and audio tape are meeting and no one from the public is here as of yet. in attendance uh uh Hayden Smith, Marilyn Gandini,

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Marty Gretchen, and director Kerianne and assistant Miss Lefty. So, review of the minutes from May of 26. >> Mr. Chairman, I have reviewed our minutes from the meeting of May 20th. I

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find them to be in order and move that they be put into record. >> Great. No discussion. We get a a second. >> Yes, I second that. I reviewed them also. >> All those in favor? >> I >> I >> start off uh warrants

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fiscal 27 preliminary real estate warrant amount of 28,358,56021. What is that for? >> This is for the preliminary taxes that will be issued um at the end of the month.

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They will be due on August 1st and then another one will be issued at the end of September, beginning of October, which will be due November 1st. >> Um, and with that, the fiscal 27 preliminary real estate CPA warrant an

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amount of 224,48164. >> And these taxes are based on half of what was paid in the previous fiscal year. >> Okay. Fiscal 23 preliminary personal property warrant an amount of 1,58,51026 fiscal 26 supplemental number two real

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estate warning amount of 20,4830. What is that for? That is for any homes that received their certificate of occupancy between January 1st and June 30th >> of last year >> of 2026.

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uh fiscal 20 supplemental number two CPA warrant amount of 1888.99 and the number above that we got a few reports uh motor vehicle excise abatements from

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242526 for May and amount of 7,98963 three cents. And we have the LA3 sales report for the month of May, which we just went over pretty good.

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Um, >> hopefully a lot of sales, >> lot of arms length sales for May. Couple high-end ones coming up next for June.

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>> A lot of pending sales. Lot of inventory, too, by the way. >> Yeah, just kicked on. Some are actually sitting. Uh, we had a million dollar sale. Oh, closed already. That was a quick

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closing. Wow. Any questions? Further questions? Hayden Marilyn? >> Nope. >> All right. Move on to building permits. >> How many new dwellings?

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>> Uh, in the month of May, we have two new dwellings, which brings our total up to seven for the year. >> And they were uh single family, no condos, right. >> Correct. Good size houses though. Three, >> two and a half bedrooms.

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>> Yeah, I think the second one uh I think they paid a lot for that lot last year, too. >> All right. Need more. >> I was just going to say that lot was split off from another >> Oh, was

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>> parcel this year. So it'll be a new lot for 28. >> So two parcels are from a house lot. >> It was one big lot and then they separated off this one lot for this >> house. >> All righty.

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Um that's it. Roof, siding, windows. We're all done with the building report. No further questions, I believe. Go right to the director report and carry on. Okay. So, the fiscal year 2027

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preliminary tax file was completed at the beginning of this month. Um, the preliminary the fiscal 27 preliminary first quarter tax bills will be sent prior to July 1st with a due date of August 3rd. Typically, these are due on the 1st, but because the first is on a

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Saturday this year, they will be due Monday, August 3rd. And if a taxpayer has not received their tax bill, they should reach out to the collector's office. Um personal property as part of the inspection process all new businesses will be visited for personal

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property asset inspection. Um we do have the 27 telephone, telegraph and pipeline valuations. We will which we will discuss in a little while. Um and we will also required by the do is a 50/50 blend utility valuations and this is

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completed by our consultant and once he has completed these valuations he will be bring that to us at a later meeting. Cyclical inspections are complete. Um we visited over 500 foam 500 homes

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>> and we reviewed along with a photo. Um, and this was done in the month of May. >> Wow. >> Um, and we are in the process of updating our camera system with all the new information. >> How many did did they attempt to get into?

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>> I do not know. I haven't gotten that far. >> Wow. Cuz I actually Melissa might know more. >> I thought they sent out letters to 500 people. >> Yeah, we did. >> And it says here over 500 were visited. >> Right. So whether that's that's 500 homes that they visited, but it doesn't

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necessarily mean they got into all 500 homes. >> Yeah, I got you. >> Yeah. >> Um building permits. Um prior to setting our values for 2027, we must visit all open building permits

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and that is already completed. >> Wow. >> Um so we're in the process of updating our camera system again to determine our new growth. and the building or I'm sorry, our data collector visited about 200 building permits and the direct myself and

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Melissa will be reviewing the other permits that we have. Um, I also just wanted to mention some upcoming and past educational seminars that we have been doing. Uh Thursday, June 4th, we had a SWAT person in our office for a couple hours while we attended the Hampton

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Hampshire County Assessors Association and that was regarding exemptions and seminar and veteran workoff programs. And this past week I was out in Plymouth for a conference and that was about defending your values at the ATV. They

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had solar and battery pilot information and income approach to value and much much more. But it was very informative and I am happy I went. >> Why uh how was the income approach? Because >> I was going to ask about that too >> because you you know when I've been to

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the ATB even for high-end stuff they still go right to market value. They always ignore. So more >> so what do they say about >> more so they keep looking at the commercial businesses and whatnot as well just more discussed commercial and industrial properties as far as using

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the income >> approach >> because they you know with the um uh behind us shopping center behind us you know for payment purposes you have all the income but they just still went by market

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data >> right >> oh hopefully we won't have one like that for very a long time and we won't have to how they >> because they do appraisals on it and >> the person who did it you know he had shopping centers that you know that he

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used and they use market value and then income is everywhere but they still go to market value at on our card and at the ATB. >> Well, usually when you can look at the income and the market it should be pretty close. Well, I mean I >> So that's where you do have to look at

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both sides of it. >> I'm just wondering how, you know, >> just curious. That's so >> um and also we have the annual summer school coming up August 3rd to August 7th in Southbridge. We will definitely be sending Melissa as she has two more classes to complete before she receives

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her MAA. >> Wow. >> Um nice. >> So yeah, >> that's going to go right to her head, too. >> And we Yeah. So, possibly sending Chris depending on what else will be happening. >> He's doing good.

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>> Great. >> All right. I think I have one other question. >> So, we we hit the permits harder because we try to get there and see what it is by July 1st. >> Yes, >> that we usually do. Okay. And Melissa and I will be out and about on Monday

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and Tuesday to verify all the new homes and where they are as of as of June 30th. >> You know, we had some abatements and they're saying, "Oh, this is where we were on June 20th." No, that's July 10th. Okay. >> Right. So that's why Melissa, we're going to be going out taking pictures,

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interior pictures as well if we can so we can get all that data. >> Good. >> Great. So >> great job on director report update. Moving on open session fiscal 27 omitted

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and revised assessment report. >> So this is just something that we need to file with the state yearly if we had any omitted and revised properties. >> We had none. >> And we had none. >> That makes it easy.

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And this is the same for >> same thing >> amended LA >> 13 and then fiscal 20 farmland valuation advisory commission recommended the values that comes from the state isn't

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it? Yes, that is from the farmland valuation advisory commission. Um they are the recommended values for fiscal year 27. Um previously the town has adopted the average rating

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under the productivity based on the dominant soil rating in town. So just looking for the board to vote on whether we do below average, average or above average. But again, we have historically voted for the average. >> Yeah. I'm going to vote now. >> Yes.

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>> And make a recommendation to vote average for the farmland. >> Did you say it's based on soil testing? >> Yes. >> Do we have soil testing? >> So, it's >> we don't do it. >> No, we don't.

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>> So, what are we basing it on? Just >> that's what it's historically been. >> Okay. What would it take to do soil testing? Would it would there be any reason? >> I do not know >> to do it. I mean, if we wanted I have no problem voting average and maintaining the status quo and I don't think this

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necessarily affects our town super much, but just as a matter of doing the right way. I would be curious to know more information for next year for you if you would like. >> I did a >> I'm not trying to be difficult. I'm just thinking like >> No, absolutely. If we're going to if

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we're going to make a decision on it, why don't we >> just have No, but probably only one time they need to get done. >> Yeah, because they did an appraisal uh treehouse bought property in Woodstock, Connecticut, where they now have their

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stuff and grow crops. And where they had bought it, them and one other place in Connecticut had the highest soil rating. Just two two properties. >> Oh wow. And I was wondering like I wonder who does that, you know, like >> uh

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>> and actually somebody in the western side of the state is on the commission. So I'd be more than happy to reach out to her to find out >> and maybe we don't have to incur any cost but if somebody else has done it in town or something we could even ask like hey did you get soil testing rate there are

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>> we want to stay average or maybe we go below it I don't know you know >> in the other communities I have been in they've pretty much have all adopted the average. I wonder if like >> I can understand why. I mean, >> yeah, >> it's easy. The average >> is above average in this area. >> I don't know.

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>> It's not on an individual basis though or it is it's for the whole town or it's for per property. >> The whole town. >> The whole town. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> So, you would just test one area or multiple areas in town? I mean, I guess >> Yeah. Like I I know someone on the

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commission, so I will definitely be more than happy to reach out to her to find out exactly how the soil rating is determined. >> But on this farmland thing, they also have >> stuff for animals. >> When we're first doing it, there was a

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caution on two-legged and four-legged. >> Yeah. Well, I saw the breakdown of all the animals. Now, is that just for farms though? Is that just for under certain categories like classifications? Like I have chickens at one of my house. Do I get assess a piece? We used to discuss

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it like yearly and I forget why it has the chickens but we but the horses are >> I think way back when >> this says horses miniature horses but now it's just horses goes down to sheep goats pigs and goats >> chickens ducks geese turkeys

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>> you must have adopted >> um ostrich >> the exemption to exempt >> chickens are $2 >> but that's I don't have that anymore they used to have to list of Meadow Brooks. >> So, are we going to adopt that or are we

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going to table it? >> We can. I'm happy to adopt the average, but if you're saying that maybe for next year, >> we'll adopt the average, but look into it. >> Yeah. >> Okay, >> that'd be great. >> So, >> good call by Hayden. Why not? But I

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don't know how they do. Like I said, Connecticut, two locations. That's why they're there. And they were going to build >> remember years ago >> just it just got warm enough >> a residential house and I don't want to say a lot where it was but the people

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were buying it and they tested the soil and they found arsenic in the soil so they >> and it was from old lumber or something. So they Yeah, >> I I'll definitely reach out. >> We could and we could have stuff in the soil like they told the rail trail. I remember walking that recently turkey

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farm >> pictures of the the stuff they were doing. I mean, who knows what's in >> Yeah. What was that called? Ningham was where the big turkey >> turkey farm had methane gas because he used to Yeah. He used to let everybody >> bury their stuff. >> Yeah. Some person didn't build there.

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What? What? What's it become >> when all the animals >> Oh, there >> there's a name they rot and they're on there and they give out some kind of >> But it also has what's called methane or something else. >> Decompose. >> Yeah.

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No. >> Isn't what isn't that what they do? They decompose. >> No, it's like called not radon, but it's a name for like something with soil because of all the deceased animals. The soil has X in it, and I'm just

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forgetting what it is. I'll look it up. >> Okay. >> Not decomposed. Um, telephone valuations. >> Uh, this is for information. Um, I did include all that for everybody

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what their new telephone and pipeline. I don't know if you mind me combining both or if you want me to do it separately. Um, but if the board does not agree with the new valuations that were gi set by the division of local services, then

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they have until July 15th in order to file an appeal. >> So, this is more so for sure information purposes. >> Roy looks at those, doesn't he? Yes. >> Typically. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And then we grab the new growth from them. And

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>> did the fee go up or down or stay the same? >> Um, there was new growth >> for all the telephone valuations and the pipeline. There was some new growth >> and pro proposed valuations.

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>> Um, our consultant has not reached out to me as of yet. He just grabbed the information the beginning of the month. So I have not heard of anything yet from him, but he was going to work on that. >> That's for all the valuation. Nothing to do with the pipeline before that. I just want to make

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>> that is correct. >> Okay. I'll start looking at stuff too. >> Great. And uh we have a gentleman coming open session, right?

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>> In executive session. Yes, that's executive. >> All right. Um I think that's it for open session. >> Yes. >> Any fur? Okay. >> Yeah, I agree. >> Uh make a recommendation uh to go into

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executive session for uh one appointment and motor vehicle excite to boat abatements, a real estate exemption abatement. Uh all those in take a roll call vote. Aiden Smith, >> yes. Gadini, >> yes.

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>> Martin Gian, yes.