Clarendon finishing reappraisal
Toolbox
By SANDI SWITZER HERALD CORRESPONDENT - Published: July 4, 2009
CLARENDON – Listers expect to complete the townwide reappraisal later this summer after a three-year effort that included visiting and compiling data on more than 1,300 properties.
Clarendon property owners will receive booklets in the mail detailing the revised assessments soon after the grand list is lodged in early August, according to lister Caroline Bradley.
Two open houses will then be held in order for residents to review the information collected by listers to determine the new property values.
It will also give property owners the opportunity to ask questions about the reappraisal process and to point out any errors, Bradley said.
She estimated open houses reduce the number of grievances by 40 to 60 percent. "I figure we might see maybe 100 to 200 grievances," Bradley indicated.
The last reappraisal was completed in 1989 and the town's common level of appraisal had dropped to 54 percent. "When you go below 80 percent you don't have a choice, the state mandates a reappraisal," Bradley said.
Listers visited every property in town and collected data, measured structures, and photographed building exteriors.
Bradley explained listers also spoke with property owners, when possible, to ask about any defects, good qualities or concerns in the area.
As an example, she suggested property values in some neighborhoods could drop by as much as 30 percent if the proposed wind farm with turbines on Susie's Peak were to proceed.
"That means the rest of the town will have to pick it up," Bradley said.
Booklets to be distributed to property owners later this summer will detail the important dates regarding the grievance process.
"We're looking at the third week of August to start the grievances and we'll hold them as long as we need to," Bradley said.
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