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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-04-15-BASS-min.pdf MEETING, MAY 14, 1940 Messrs Steeves, Cann, Burnham,Shanahan,Em.ery,Spencer and Miss Ready were present. Commitment of Water Liens amounting to $69.03 were signed by the Board. Commitment of Unapportioned Water Betterment Assessment for $90.00 was signed by the Board. Commitment of Water Betterment Assessments amounting to $534.98 was signed by the Board. A 1938 Apportioned Street Betterment Assessment Abatement in the name of Palmyra P. Cabeceiras was signed by the Board. Amounts abated $ 16.34 R Committed Interest $1.98. The property was foreclosed by the Town. A1939 Apportioned Water Assessment Abatement in the name of Nicholas F'akkell was signed by, the Board. Amounts abated $13.50 Committed Interest n4.86. The property was foreclosed by the Town. The 1940 Poll Tax Warrant for the Tax Collector was signed by the Board at this meeting. Amount of the Warrant being for ,the sum of $7,262.00. A 1939 Apportioned Street Betterment Assessment Abatement in the name of Palmyra P. Cabeceiras was signed by the Board. Amounts abated $16.34 7 Committed Interest $.96. The property was foreclosed by the Town. Department bills were signed by the Board. Motor Vehicle Excise Warrant amounting to $25,590.59 was signed by the Board. Warrant and excise bills dated June 5, 1940. The Tax Collector submitted a list of uncollected 1938 and 1939 real estate taxes, giving the reasons why the taxes were uncollectable. Total of the (12) taxes abated for 1938 being for $169.49 Total of the (11 ) taxes abated for 1939 being for 174.38. Several of these parcels were authorized to be taken out of taxation by Commissioner Long in 1937, ' also some of the parcels were foreclosed by the town. • The Board was informed of Cornelius Lyons' circumstances and the Board voted to abate his outstanding 1938 real estate tax bill. Amount of tax abated being X74.80; abated under Clause 18, Sec. 5. Chap. 59. Letter from Mr. J. Joseph Hurley of 9 Vine Brook Road to the Board was read and the Board voted to abate the outstanding 1938 real estate tax assessed to Mr. and Mrs. Hurley. Abatement granted under Clause 18, Sec. 5, Chap. 59, Gen.Laws. Letter from Mrs Marion R. Coughlin of 52 Dexter Road advising the t Board that the $500 valuation reduction on her 1939 assessment was satisfactory and that she had advised the Appelate Tax Board to with- draw her appeal. • rt ;. A letter from Mr. prank W.'Friend .of 39• Clarke Street addressed • to the Board was readThe letter was dated March 7th, and on Ma.r.l6th the- balance :of Mr. s' .1939: real, estate tax'mas, paid,, so the; Board did not have to take: any action::•on..Mr: •Frien.dls request for help on the balance due on his 1939 real estate tax. _ Letter' dated: Ma.roh;' 27th from •Maria .Amaru: (by Josephine- Mirabelli- daughter) irabelli-daughter) `was read in which she• accepted the compromise abate .ent granted on Mrs' Amaruts' 1939 real estate tax bill. The Board was informed that there were several letters in; the basket from individual real estate owners asking the Board to re-assess their .properties for 1940. ; These requests came in after the Board had .finished- doing their re-assessment work and new 1940 valuation. work. .Tho =Board 'suggested: that -these- letters 'be ,ackn©w1edged ,arid that the..•parties be:informed to ft 1:e-.the state approved form -of abatement ,with. the Assessors after ;they receive" their ;1940 real estate tax b1l1s.>. Two letters from Win- S, Collette, Agent for Mrs. Lulu M. Blake were read i' and discussed. Letters dated:-March; 6th,, 1940. One l..etter Re: Cecelia-Scott •lot. near:'Hastings Park.- .`Mr. Spencer told .the.. Board and Mr. Couette. art this: meeting that,he had 'advised`'--Mr. Blake years ,ago to. give up paying taxes on that small parcel of land that he had taken from the Town.,:by:tax title . Blake said ;leave it •alone 'I will *have some fun• wi th it," so the tax was assessed every year. ' • ' Mr Win Couette came" before the Board in regard` to'••:the 'Castle - Property. Hesaid he had to write >theletter, that the.;Board had''.just heard` read.,-at airs Blake is 'request' in ,spite :of what, the Board had` done . , last year for her on the. 1..939 abatement. ; He said the buildings are apparently worthless and she finds it a . heavy burden to carry the -property' at the assessment that is on `it,' namely: House- 620,000 ' Barn' 6;500 5.,•3/4A, 12,000: n 35,500 Total Assessment He, said if the assess ritint: Oil the house wa`s c"itt away down they could carry the ;property` awhilse longer. He- said Mrs. Blake could not carry the property:much in excess' sof the i�iand-valuati:on.; Mr. Couette said they had. 'received a fairly good offer -for the barn; • party to "t.urn it` into , a house: if the .deal goes : thru.. It was mentioned that ,.the- castle,-:cou1Q..'b.e:'us:ed_as '.a college, a hospital or as an apartment house except for the Strict: zoning :town, laws. It was stated that the Planning Board might welcome a. Private Sohool, anyway •it }wouldi be •up t o7 the Town Meeting:Members to 'approve or .disapprove.,,any other use for:: the:,cas,tle,•:then,,Las a -re,sidenee. , • • Mr. ,Copette , said...the ,,Blake. family has been,.good tax payers and have done a lot of go od for the Town of Lexington. • - .,He told;the- $pard.- that•he had the. -Castle props rty .practically sold ls,st -falls but some neighbors :got to ;the :wife of the man; interest- ed and whatever they told the wife .;made the buyer6 change his,-,mind and no ,sale resulted. He"' said "the' valuationQ given to thin party by the Board last fall was a very fair one. The Board asked Mr. Couette'.if .the castle was.worth 615;000.' He ,;; ,said :the castle was an; obsolete` house and that Mr.„.Blake paid around 515,'000` for the `building” and 2' acres of. land. 'Castle was •vacant 'six years before Mr. Blake purchased it. He said a new heat'ing 'system • and many other repairs and improvements will be necessary now to make the castle livable. ��kyy La 1 Mr. Couette said the castle was Mrs. Blake 's home for 1 29 years and she is reluctant to tear it down, but if the assessment is not greatly reduced or a sale made, then they will have to let the wreckers tear it down. He said the "lower field" assessed for $8500 would have to have a drainage system put in before it could be cut into house lots, considerable money would have to be spent, but he thought about 18 house lots could be cut, each lot to . have 12,500 sq ft area. The Board told Mr. Couette that they could not take the total assessment off the castle. As long as the building stood they would have to assess it. . Mr.. Emery asked Mr. Couette what Mrs. Blake would like to have the place assessed for and he said if the castle and barn were assessed for $6000 or $6500 it would be of material assistance, assess buildings at their true values, land assess- ment to remain as now assessed. Mr. Couette asked the Board if they would for 1940 abate all above the $15,000 assessment, that being what they done in 1939, and which was very much appreciated. Mr. Couette saidthey had received an offer of $25,000 including the buildings and 12 acres of land. He said they also had received an offer of $15,000. He said Mrs. Blake would sell the castle and 6 acres of land for $20,000 or thereabout. The Boardtold Mr. Couette that the agreement they made in regard to the 1939 tax abatement and valuation reduction was ;I for t hat year only, as they were informed that if the property was not sold within a reasonable time that the castle would be demo`fished. Mr. Couette thanked the Board for allowing him to appear before them and telling them again the story of the Castle property. Mr. Couette also spoke about "Follen Hill Development". He said the average assessment of 10¢ per sq ft was to much, he said they cannot get 10a foot for land in that develop- ment. � Thelots they have sold range from 40' to 70' per sq ft. areas run from 12,000 to 36,000 and up. Market running from $7000 to il0,000, on houses. �! Mr. Couette said Mr. Lane paid 61500 for his lot and that it is now assessed for $2165. The Board said Mr. Lane spent more than $350 for grading the lot. Said there are 25 acres in 1st piece and 85 acres in the other piece. Said they had spent around $5000 for road exten- sions. Mr. Couette said bank property located on Sunnyknoll Avenue. and Percy Road is assessed at 10ft per sq ft, and he feels that the land in this new section should not be assessed as high as 100' per sq ft. Lot sold to Mr. Faulkner three years ago for $1500, land assessed at 100' per sq ft. Mr. Couette said on account of market conditions these lots cannot stand an assessment of 100' per sq ft. , he said lots have been sold for $650,700,1000,900,1250, 1450 and 1500. Several houses. have already been started in this new development. I' P The Board remarked about the beautiful view from this new land development area, and they felt that lOO per sq ft was a fair assessment for the land, good high and dry lots in one of the best developments in the town, near to the state highways. Letter from Mr. Stephen D. Klyce of 159 shade Street was read to the Board. The Assessors agreed to go and look at the vacant land that Mr. Klyce was interested in buying, and then let him know their decision on the matter. The Board was informed that no reply to our letter of March 9th, to Mr. T. Gregory Sullivan informing him of the decisions of the Board on Mr. Sullivan' s letter dated January 27, 1940 had been received. Copy of letter of March 9th and all correspondence on this mat- ter has been filed away. The Board at a previous meeting voted to abate the balance due on Mrs Alice C. Mellow' s 1939 real estate tax, but before the abatement slips were put thru the Home Owners Loan Corporation, mortgagee, sent a check to the Town of Lexington paying the balance due on Mrs Mellow's 1938 and 1939 real estate taxes. Mr. Wallace, representative from the H. O.L.C. found bout this check payment and he said the Assessors could help Mrs. Mellow out in 1940 by abating the balance due on her tax bill after the $2000 widows exemption was voted. Mrs. Mellow, widow, has been receiving the `'02000 exemption under Clause 17 for the past few years. Mr. Wallace told Mr. Spencer that he was trying to get the payments down as low as possible so that Mrs . Mellow can carry the place. Young son working at a gas station and a daughter to get thru high school in June. )001) or Se. r: ary of the Board.