1984-11-26 to 1985-02-04 STM-min

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40 6 (S pecial Town Meeting - No 26, 1984.) Article 2. As of today, according to Mr. Marshall, the owners will try to obtain (Cont.) a purchase agreement form from the interested purchasers. If there is no signed commitment from the owners by December 10, 1984, the Selectmen will move to postpone this article. Mr. Marshall asks that the meeting vote for the postponement to December 10, 1984 to see if the town can reach a deal. 8:20 P.M. Mr. Eddison's motion to postpone Article 2 to December 10, 1984 at 8 P.M. was declared adopted by voice vote. 8:20 P.M. (See Page 411, 413 and 420) Article 3. Presented by Margery M. Battin. COMPUTER ASSESSMENT SYSTEM MOTION: That the sum of $60,000 be appropriated for the purchase of (As a computer- assisted assessment system for the Assessors' Office, and adopted) to raise such amount, $17,251.04 be transferred from the appropriation voted under Article 33 of the Warrant for the 1979 Annual Town Meeting and $42,748.96 be transferred. from the Excess and Deficiency Account. 8:21 P.M. Mrs. Battin explained that this appropriation would be for a one time expense for the purchase of software for the Assessors' Department. When bids were received for the town computer system, as authorized at the 1984 Annual Town Meeting, there was only one bidder with a program for the Assessors' Department, but, it was not felt that this particular bidder was the best for the over -all project. This reguest is being made at this special town meeting rather than at the 1984 Annual Town Meeting as the clock is ticking, time is going by and the spring would be too late to get the project in motion. 8:28 P.M. Town Manager Robert M. Hutchinson, Jr. was recognized and he hoped that everyone had picked up the "Fact Sheet" on the back table as it answered some of the questions that had been raised at last week's Town Meeting Members Association Information Meeting. IIe added that this system, as requested at this time, would be for residential property and the town may have to come back in the spring for more money for commercial and industrial property. Revaluation is mandated by law and, if the town does not do a revaluation every three years, the state will come in and order the town to revalue. It will be cheaper if the town can do this itself. Mr. Hutchinson expressed thanks and appreciation to David Gilbert, Chairman of the Data Processing Committee and to Michael J. O'Sullivan, a member of the Appropriation Committee, for all their help and assistance. 8:34 P.M. David Gilbert, Chairman of the Data Processing Committee, gave an overview of the procedures and finalization of the town's computer system that was recently awarded to Data National. He said that of the eleven vendors bidding on the town system, only one vendor had a package for the Assessors Department. And, as stated by Mrs. Battin, this vendor's package was not the best of the lot. 8:37 P.M. In response to a question raised by William T. Spencer, Mrs. Battin said that the Assessors say that the law does not require them to go house to house for revaluation. 8:39 P.M. William J. Dailey, Jr., Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, voiced the approval of his committee on this article. 8:40 P.M. In answer to Frank Sandy, Mr. Hutchinson stated that the maintenance cost would be approximately $300. per month. 8:52 P.M. Daniel L. McCabe, Chairman of the Capital Expenditures Committee, said that although his committee is upset with the procedures that have gone on, they would reluctantly support the article. 8:53 P.M. Although Frederick C. Frick does not disapprove of computerizing the Assessors' Department, he said that he does not feel that we should rush into it. He added that he does not feel that we should be pushed by the idea of the state taking over the reassessment process. He asked that the meeting vote this article down. 8:55 P.M.