Board of Assessors

Minutes of the Board of Assessors Meeting of February 19, 2015 A meeting of the Board of Assessors was held on Thursday, February 19, 2015 in Room 208, 2nd floor of City Hall. The meeting was called to order at 8:15 AM by Acting Chair Daniel Gagnon. Members Present: Daniel Gagnon Robert Earley Assessing Staff Present: Andrew LeMay Douglas Dame Gary Turgiss Louise Brown Greg Turgiss Cheryl Walley Minutes of the Meeting: The minutes for the meeting held on February 5, 2015 were approved. Abatement Requests Presented: A complete list is available in the Assessor’s Office. Commercial Appraiser Doug Dame referenced the paperwork the members had received regarding a settlement offer for a 2013 BTLA appeal of an abatement filed on the property located at 369 Amherst Street by the lessee, Sullivan Tire, as the aggrieved party. The settlement agreement also includes tax year 2014. Mr. Dame explained that although the offer was accepted verbally by the taxpayer, we have not yet received the filing for tax year 2014 or the signed settlement agreement from them. We have been advised it is in the mail. He said he is recommending the offer be approved by the members pending receipt of the signed settlement agreement and the 2014 abatement. After some discussion regarding the property and the proposed assessment for 2013 and 2014, the following motion was made: MOTION BY Robert Earley to approve the settlement offer as presented for the 2013 and 2014 abatements on the property located at 369 Amherst Street pending receipt of the signed settlement agreement and a properly filed 2014 abatement. SECONDED BY Daniel Gagnon. MOTION CARRIED. Residential Appraiser Greg Turgiss presented an abatement filed for the property located at 28 Conant Road, stating that he is recommending this be abated for the 2014 tax year and also for prior years of 2010 through 1 of 2 2013 “for good cause shown” as newly revised RSA 76:16 allows. The property has been vacant since 2006 and it is now in very poor condition and uninhabitable. Due to it being vacant for so long, there are no utilities and the building has several issues such as burst pipes, rot, etc. The structure is not worth repairing and will be razed. Based on the information provided and a property inspection, it is recommended the assessment be adjusted back to the 2010 tax year to reflect a vacant residential buildable lot less demolition costs, as it is that year the pipes burst and the condition of the house would have deteriorated to an uninhabitable state. Mr. Robert Earley asked if the city plans on taking it for back taxes owed and Mr. Turgiss said no it is the process of being sold. Mr. Earley asked if it is likely a house will be built back on the lot and Mr. Turgiss said yes that would be likely. Mr. Daniel Gagnon asked what type of utilities the property has accessible to it and he was told city water and sewer and oil heat. The members approved the abatement. Appointments: None. Staff Items: None. MOTION BY Robert Earley to adjourn at 8:24 AM SECONDED BY Daniel Gagnon. MOTION CARRIED. Transcribed by: Cheryl Walley Department Coordinator 2 of 2