How other NH towns handle assessing issues

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Publius please accept this as an article submission

A quick update on assessing issues in Nottingham, NHA petitioned Special Town Meeting was held in Dec. 2007. All issues to be discussed were about a flawed reassessment done by Avitar of some waterfront properties around Pawtuckaway Lake. All issues passed in spite of Selectmen and the DRA shill who came to defend what had happened. (For the long version and details, go to : http://www.pawtuckawaylake.org/ )
The first result was that Avitar was banned by the people from having the assessing contract. Their contract expired on Dec. 31, 2007 and they were not allowed to bid again! Then came the Petition from taxpayers for a ballot question to all taxpayers/voters yesterday. It passes the control of Assessing from the Selectmen to an autonomous "Board of Assessors". This is allowed by a little used RSA. (Only four, now 5 municipalities have these Boards.) Here is the RSA: RSA 41:2-d Petition and Ballot. – Upon written petition of not less than 2 percent of the legal voters of any town, addressed and delivered to the selectmen not later than 35 days before any annual meeting, the following question, as requested in the application, shall be submitted to the voters at the meeting: ""Are you in favor of a 3-man board of assessors to be the legal assessing authority for the town?'' In towns having an official ballot the question shall appear upon the ballot, in accordance with RSA 59:12-a. In towns where no official ballot is used, the vote on this question shall be by special ballot. After the question, squares with the words ""yes'' and ""no'' shall be printed on the ballot in which the voter may mark his choice, in accordance with RSA 59:12-a. IT PASSED! 244 to 221 This gives us an opportunity to scrutinize and elect Assessors who have but one topic on their agenda. One task to be held accountable for.
One issue that Selectmen/Assessors did not take seriously enough! That is proper, fair and equitable assessing in our Town. We also have further articles on the Saturday's Town Meeting agenda.These deal with: 1. Mailing Property cards when changes are made by Town.2. Reducing charges for copies of public records to comply with 91-A "cost to copy".3. Required training for elected Town officials charged with Assessing.4. Required posting of all litigation including BTLA cases on a twice yearly basis.5. To forbid Selectmen/Assessors from forgiveness of interest on late tax bill payment (except for genuine poverty).
One further note, the Selectmen have created an "Assessing Advisory Committee" comprised of 5 community members. This is an admission that something big is wrong after years of denial and of a cozy relationship with Avitar.This move did no deter voters from taking "Assessing" from the Selectmen's duties... Background: Why are the Selectmen irked? I don’t know why for sure. But, the frowns, the exclamations of "oh my God!’, statements of resistance to change, suggestions of a "big government" mentality, inaccurate quotes of what the State Assessing Standards Board has said about Boards of Assessors, a fear by the Selectmen of a independent Board of Assessors providing values on neighbors properties, a fear that the Selectmen would no longer be able to provide tax relief to those they believe are in need, no longer able to provide interest free loans to late payers of property tax bills, and the Selectmen fear that the Board of Assessors would not be comprised of members that proportionally represent all parts of Town.
The Selectmen, me thinks, protest too much, and have no faith that anyone other then they are capable of holding office in fiscally responsible position. We disagree. Another issue for you to consider is your level of confidence in the existing Board of Selectmen/Assessors where one member of the Board will not allow the "professional" company to even drive down their driveway or enter the many buildings on the property to attempt a proper assessment !!!! So the "professionals" (as described many times by the Selectmen) are good enough for the rest of us, but when it comes to leading by example, I see inconsistent behavior with the words put out for public consumption.
The other two Board members are aware of this, but sit in compromised silence.Has this Board forsaken the majority of taxpayers for a few privileged? (Details of this are recorded on property cards maintained as public records.) We see all this as steps in the right direction at a local level while the State Department of Revenue and the Assessing Standards Board continue "to fiddle as Rome burns." I thank you all for encouragement, ideas, and communications.

Comment:Hopefully, with Mr. Paul Sullivan as Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, and the addition of Mr. Bill Friel as the newest addition to the board, they will take another look at the unfair assessment practices of our town. The Atkinson Taxpayers For Fair Evaluations would like to extend an invitation to them, to work with us in accomplishing this goal. The alternative would be to petition the town to set a special town meeting, to vote on warrant articles similar to Nottingham. Our committee is not opposed to HARD WORK.
Our Thanks go out to Mr. Gene Reed for keeping our committee informed as to what is going on in other parts of the State Of New Hampshire. Please note that he is Public Member of the NH Assessing Standards Board.Congratulations to Mr. Friel on his win as our newest member of the Board of Selectmen. Let us all observe his actions, to see if he is indeed the "Breath of Fresh Air" our board needs.
Sincere Regards,
Leon
Atkinson Taxpayers For Fair Evaluations Committee