Town of Pittsfield
Board of Civil Authority
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
6:00 pm
Town Office
Present: Mike Wuerthele, Dave Larkin, Matt Corron, Pam Mutrie, Arline Drugonis, Patty Haskins, Martha Beyersdorf, Buffy Stevens, Wendy Reese, Jen Wall Howard
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 pm by Clerk Patty Haskins
Agenda Modifications: 7. Table until after #16, 7a. Conducting Effective Board of Civil Authoirty Hearings for Property Assessment Appeals handout, 14a. Valuation Methods discussion
Agenda
1. Reorganize – elect chair
2. Review new applicants for voter checklist
3. Removal of voters from voter checklist
4. Update checklist total
5. Review checklist for purging
6. List of voters to be challenged
7. Name of appellant and schedule of appeal – table until after #16
7a. Conducting Effective Board of Civil Authority Hearings for Property Assessment Appeals handout
8. Rules of Procedure – adopt and sign
9. Informational handout for appeal hearings
10. Are You Appealing? Handout
11. Notes from mock BCA hearing
12. Appeal hearing procedure – sample
13. Hearing schedule – dates available
14. Inspection schedule – dates available
14a. Valuation Methods discussion
15. Division of jobs – Appeal Minutes (Patty), Inspection Report, Final Decision
16. BCA Oaths
7. Name of appellant and schedule of appeal
17. Questions, discussion
18. Other business
19. Adjourn
1. Reorganize – elect chair. The Board decided to have Patty run this meeting and to table the election of the chair until the end of the meeting.
2. Review new applicants for voter checklist. Patty reviewed the list of five new applicants that had been added since the last election and sent to the Board in a letter dated June 11.
3. Removal of voters from voter checklist. Patty reviewed the list of twenty five voters that had been challenged in 2011 as sent to the Board in a letter dated June 11. Arline made a motion to remove the 2011 challenged voters that have not replied or voted in the last two general elections. Motion carried.
4. Update checklist total. With five new voters added and twenty five removed, the new voter checklist total is 343.
5. Review checklist for purging. The Board reviewed the voter checklist name by name.
6. List of voters to be challenged. Arline Drugonis made a motion to challenge the forty voters listed below. Seconded by Jen Howard. Motion passed.
Barrows, Thelma J. Groby, Claire M. Payette, Evelyn
Bates, David W. Gunter, Edna Peck, Donald J.
Berry, Kendall L. Gunter, Howard L. Peck, Patricia L.
Bilunas, John P. Haskins, Tanner L. Peyton, Cathryn A.
Coffey, Daniel A. Hopkins, Harlan W. Roma, Elizabeth R.
Colton, Hannah E. Hunt, Rebekah E. Saunders, Amy J.
Cotter, Anthony P. Jackson, Casey T. Slack, Cody
Coughenour, Ronald L. Jarecki, Shawn Stratton, Nathaniel T.
Crayhon, Joseph P. Laukhuf, Chase Wayne Taylor, Ann N.
Dougherty, Iris R. Lee, Angelique Taylor, Donald R.
Dougherty, Mary Anne Lincoln, Alice Unwin, Tyler T.
Dougherty, Maximilian Merrill, Brian M. Walker, Brian F.
Gans, Glenn M. Merrill, Del’Rae L.M.
Gans, Tara T. Molalley, Anna B.
7. Name of appellant and schedule of appeal. Tabled until after #16.
7a. Conducting Effective Board of Civil Authority Hearings for Property Assessment Appeals handout. Patty reviewed the handout with the Board.
8. Rules of Procedure – adopt and sign. Board reviewed the Rules of Procedure. Jen Howard made a motion to adopt the Rules of Procedure. Seconded by Arline Drugonis. Motion passed.
9. Informational handout for appeal hearings. Patty asked the Board to review the handout before the hearing.
10. Are You Appealing? Handout. Patty asked the Board to review the handout prior to the hearing and stated that the previous three items will also be sent to the appellant prior to the hearing.
11. Notes from mock BCA hearing. For review
12. Appeal hearing procedure – sample. Patty explained that the Appeal hearing procedure is what is used at the hearing by the chair to run the meeting. It follows the Rules of Procedure.
13. Hearing schedule – dates available. The Board would like Patty to schedule the hearing for July 8, 2015 at 6 pm. Patty will contact the appellant. An alternate date is July 15 at 6 pm.
14. Inspection schedule – dates available. The Board will request that the appellant allow inspection of the property immediately following the hearing. The Board will then return to the meeting room, complete the inspection report and the decision.
14a.Valuation Methods discussion. Martha Beyersdorf explained the Cost Approach valuation method that the Board of Listers uses to value residential properties in town. The Board discussed the Equalization Study done by the State of Vermont yearly, the Common Level of Appraisal and Fair Market Value.
15. Division of jobs – Appeal Minutes (Patty), Inspection Report, Final Decision. As Clerk of the BCA Patty will do the minutes for this organizational meeting and the minutes of the hearing. Jen Howard volunteered to write up the Inspection report and David Larkin volunteered to create the decision.
16. BCA Oaths. Every board member present took the BCA Oath and signed the certificate of oath.
7. Name of appellant and schedule of appeal – tabled until after item #16. Patty reported that a timely request for appeal was received on June 10, 2015. The appellant is Ann Kuendig, Parcel ID 32-0250-000, 250 Tweed River Drive. No other requests have been received. No discussion.
17. Questions, discussion. No questions or discussion
1. Reorganize – elect chair. Dave Larkin made a motion to elect Jen Howard as chair for the Board of Civil Authority. Seconded by Arline. Motion carried.
18. Other business. No other business discussed.
19. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8 pm.
Recorded by:
Patricia S. Haskins
Town Clerk & Treasurer
Board of Civil Authority
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
6:00 pm
Town Office
Present: Mike Wuerthele, Dave Larkin, Matt Corron, Pam Mutrie, Arline Drugonis, Patty Haskins, Martha Beyersdorf, Buffy Stevens, Wendy Reese, Jen Wall Howard
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 pm by Clerk Patty Haskins
Agenda Modifications: 7. Table until after #16, 7a. Conducting Effective Board of Civil Authoirty Hearings for Property Assessment Appeals handout, 14a. Valuation Methods discussion
Agenda
1. Reorganize – elect chair
2. Review new applicants for voter checklist
3. Removal of voters from voter checklist
4. Update checklist total
5. Review checklist for purging
6. List of voters to be challenged
7. Name of appellant and schedule of appeal – table until after #16
7a. Conducting Effective Board of Civil Authority Hearings for Property Assessment Appeals handout
8. Rules of Procedure – adopt and sign
9. Informational handout for appeal hearings
10. Are You Appealing? Handout
11. Notes from mock BCA hearing
12. Appeal hearing procedure – sample
13. Hearing schedule – dates available
14. Inspection schedule – dates available
14a. Valuation Methods discussion
15. Division of jobs – Appeal Minutes (Patty), Inspection Report, Final Decision
16. BCA Oaths
7. Name of appellant and schedule of appeal
17. Questions, discussion
18. Other business
19. Adjourn
1. Reorganize – elect chair. The Board decided to have Patty run this meeting and to table the election of the chair until the end of the meeting.
2. Review new applicants for voter checklist. Patty reviewed the list of five new applicants that had been added since the last election and sent to the Board in a letter dated June 11.
3. Removal of voters from voter checklist. Patty reviewed the list of twenty five voters that had been challenged in 2011 as sent to the Board in a letter dated June 11. Arline made a motion to remove the 2011 challenged voters that have not replied or voted in the last two general elections. Motion carried.
4. Update checklist total. With five new voters added and twenty five removed, the new voter checklist total is 343.
5. Review checklist for purging. The Board reviewed the voter checklist name by name.
6. List of voters to be challenged. Arline Drugonis made a motion to challenge the forty voters listed below. Seconded by Jen Howard. Motion passed.
Barrows, Thelma J. Groby, Claire M. Payette, Evelyn
Bates, David W. Gunter, Edna Peck, Donald J.
Berry, Kendall L. Gunter, Howard L. Peck, Patricia L.
Bilunas, John P. Haskins, Tanner L. Peyton, Cathryn A.
Coffey, Daniel A. Hopkins, Harlan W. Roma, Elizabeth R.
Colton, Hannah E. Hunt, Rebekah E. Saunders, Amy J.
Cotter, Anthony P. Jackson, Casey T. Slack, Cody
Coughenour, Ronald L. Jarecki, Shawn Stratton, Nathaniel T.
Crayhon, Joseph P. Laukhuf, Chase Wayne Taylor, Ann N.
Dougherty, Iris R. Lee, Angelique Taylor, Donald R.
Dougherty, Mary Anne Lincoln, Alice Unwin, Tyler T.
Dougherty, Maximilian Merrill, Brian M. Walker, Brian F.
Gans, Glenn M. Merrill, Del’Rae L.M.
Gans, Tara T. Molalley, Anna B.
7. Name of appellant and schedule of appeal. Tabled until after #16.
7a. Conducting Effective Board of Civil Authority Hearings for Property Assessment Appeals handout. Patty reviewed the handout with the Board.
8. Rules of Procedure – adopt and sign. Board reviewed the Rules of Procedure. Jen Howard made a motion to adopt the Rules of Procedure. Seconded by Arline Drugonis. Motion passed.
9. Informational handout for appeal hearings. Patty asked the Board to review the handout before the hearing.
10. Are You Appealing? Handout. Patty asked the Board to review the handout prior to the hearing and stated that the previous three items will also be sent to the appellant prior to the hearing.
11. Notes from mock BCA hearing. For review
12. Appeal hearing procedure – sample. Patty explained that the Appeal hearing procedure is what is used at the hearing by the chair to run the meeting. It follows the Rules of Procedure.
13. Hearing schedule – dates available. The Board would like Patty to schedule the hearing for July 8, 2015 at 6 pm. Patty will contact the appellant. An alternate date is July 15 at 6 pm.
14. Inspection schedule – dates available. The Board will request that the appellant allow inspection of the property immediately following the hearing. The Board will then return to the meeting room, complete the inspection report and the decision.
14a.Valuation Methods discussion. Martha Beyersdorf explained the Cost Approach valuation method that the Board of Listers uses to value residential properties in town. The Board discussed the Equalization Study done by the State of Vermont yearly, the Common Level of Appraisal and Fair Market Value.
15. Division of jobs – Appeal Minutes (Patty), Inspection Report, Final Decision. As Clerk of the BCA Patty will do the minutes for this organizational meeting and the minutes of the hearing. Jen Howard volunteered to write up the Inspection report and David Larkin volunteered to create the decision.
16. BCA Oaths. Every board member present took the BCA Oath and signed the certificate of oath.
7. Name of appellant and schedule of appeal – tabled until after item #16. Patty reported that a timely request for appeal was received on June 10, 2015. The appellant is Ann Kuendig, Parcel ID 32-0250-000, 250 Tweed River Drive. No other requests have been received. No discussion.
17. Questions, discussion. No questions or discussion
1. Reorganize – elect chair. Dave Larkin made a motion to elect Jen Howard as chair for the Board of Civil Authority. Seconded by Arline. Motion carried.
18. Other business. No other business discussed.
19. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8 pm.
Recorded by:
Patricia S. Haskins
Town Clerk & Treasurer