Board of Assessment Appeals

Meeting date: 
Thursday, March 8, 2018

MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS MARCH 8, 2018 REGULAR MEETING

 

SUBJECT TO APPROVAL

 

The Board of Assessment Appeals met in the Main Meeting Room, and relocated to the Probate Court conference room at about 5:55 PM to make room for the 6:00 PM Culture Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.  Present were member Sean Brittell and board chair Lori Fernand, assessor David Gardner, as clerk for the board, and appellants.

 

The meeting began at 3:35 PM with the board members hearing the appeal of Jerome Michaelson on his Volkswagen.  The members left the room briefly to view the car.

 

The board heard the appeal of David Bahre, owner of 82 Great Pond Road, who said that he agreed with the previous assessment as reflecting current value.  He noted that it was for sale for $249,000 and the price has been reduced to $239,000.

 

Sean Brittell made and Lori Fernand seconded a motion to reduce the assessment on Mr. Michaelson’s Volkswagen by 35% for both the 2016 supplemental motor vehicle list and the October 1, 2017 motor vehicle list.  The motion was approved 2-0.

 

The board met with Pradeep Bajaj on his property at 12 Massaco Street.  He presented his comparisons on Massaco Street and Seminary Road assessments, and discussed his property.

 

Sean Britell made and Lori Fernand seconded a motion to set the market value of 82 Great Pond Road at $239,484, and it passed 2-0.

 

Sean Brittell left briefly just before 4:30 PM and at 4:30 PM Lori Fernand began to hear the appeal of Katherine Ryan (Barron) on her property at 2 Joseph Drive.  She discussed her home and a nearby sale and its upgrades compared to her property’s condition.

 

Vivian and Willard Gombert met with Mr. Brittell concerning her property at 2 The Butterchurn and presented selected sales and assessment comparisons from the immediate neighborhood. 

 

Ms. Fernand met with Pamela and Gary Basch on 22 Tanager Circle, which they reported is assessed higher than any of the other 20 units on Tanager Circle.

 

Mr. Brittell left briefly at about 5:00 PM. 

 

Ms. Fernand met with Jacquie and Suzanne Battos on Suzanne Battos’s property at 15 August Road.  They discussed the condition of the house and presented sales and property photos.

 

Mr. Brittell met with Peter Batchelar on his unit at 23 White Water Turn.

Mr. Brittell met with Mary Bauer on her property at 10 Amy Lane.

 

Ms. Fernand left at about 5:26 PM and at about 5:32 PM she met with Matthew Beizer on his property at 25 Blue Ridge Drive.

 

Sean Brittell met with Veronica Goncharov and Eugene Berman on their property at 127 Old Canal Way.

 

The board convened briefly and on Lori Fernand’s motion and Sean Brittell’s second the board voted 2-0 to reduce the value of 12 Massaco Street by $20,000.

 

At about 5:50 PM, the board paused to relocate to Room 103 and at 6:03 Sean Brittell met with Philip and Elizabeth Bornstein on 7 Westborough Drive.  They presented an appraisal with a $420,000 value.  The revaluation’s appraisal was $442, 960.

 

Lori Fernand met with Arnold and Janet Brandyberry on their home at 114 Old Canal Way.  They presented sales and a written explanation from the homeowners’ association on the costs associated with maintaining the property including the public easement along the canal and effect of the $170 monthly HOA fee in a comparison of effective tax rates with other properties not so burdened.  They also discussed sales in their neighborhood.

 

Sean Brittell met with Judith Bryson at about 6:23 PM on her property at 14 Stratton Forest Way and at 6:34 with the owner of 15 Pondside Lane, Stephen Bryant.

 

At 6:40 PM, Ms. Fernand met with Hugh Caldwell on his home at 15 Browngate Lane.

 

Sean Brittell met with Beverly Carolan on 211 Great Pond Road.

 

Sean Brittel made and Lori Fernand seconded motions to:

 

Set the market value of 211 Great Pond Road at $550,000;

Reduce the assessment of 15 August Road to 180,000. 

Set the market value of 2 Joseph Drive at $428,083.

All three motions passed 2-0.

 

The board adjourned at 7:45 PM.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

David M. Gardner

Assessor

(as clerk for the board)