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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-02-08-BASS-min Board of Assessors Meeting Open Session Minutes February 8,2022 A remote participation meeting of the Lexington Board of Assessors was called to order at 5 10 p m on Tuesday,February 8,2022 via Zoom remote meeting services Gregory Johnson,Chairman Edmund C Grant Member and Casimir Groblewski,Member were present as well as Robert F Lent,Director of Assessing,Carolyn Kosnoff,Finance Director,Chns Natale,Assessor's Personal Property Representative of the Real Estate Research Consultants,Inc.,Michael E Golden,Residential Field Manager/Assistant Assessor and Sandra Pentedemos Administrative Assessor Mr Johnson stated the remote participation meeting was being conducted via Zoom as posted,with the agenda on the Town s website Mr Johnson provided directions to the members of the public,watching or listening via the Zoom application regarding the procedure for making a public comment Mr Johnson reminded Board members staff and members of the public about Lexington s Standard of Conduct regarding civil discourse during Town Government meetings Coen Session Public Comment Time None present Mr Lent welcomed Mr Natere,Town Assessor's personal property valuation consultant Mr Natale was invited by Mr Lent to speak to the Board and bnefly describe the policy to each year's determination and collection of the personal property accounts Annually Mr Natale has a multitude of ways for the collection of personal property,much of which is described under Chapter 59 Annually,field inspections are performed,where a group of the personal property field inspectors canvas the businesses in Town RRC performs the annual review of the Businesses Personal Property Form of List Returns(State Tax Form 2),local Business Certificates,liquor licenses and manjuana licenses filed at the Town Clerks searching the Commonwealth of MA Secretary of State Business Corporation Database,and accessing and viewing the mission of many registered business websites The Federal Business Protection Loans program disclosed registered owner businesses and provided a new resource to assets that became part of the personal property new growth captured in fiscal year 2022 New personal property business group accounts such as hair and nail salons,plumbers,builder contractors,landscapers and pavers were reviewed and exemptions were determined either based on the owner's business organization or if the total asset valuations were under the adopted$1,200 minimum of tax dollars Ms Kosnoff suggested that we prepare the review of new accounts and carefully compare the growth valuation changes from old to new each year Mr Natale stated he could run the report on all accounts Mr Lent informed the Board that a small group of new accounts had filed personal property abatement appeals Mr Natale will review the personal property abatements with Mr Lent and Ms Pentedemos to be presented at a later meeting Ms Kosnoff and the Board thanked Mr Natale for the explanations and for his time attending the meeting VOTE Upon a motion duly made and seconded the Board of Assessors voted 3 0 by roll call to adjourn the Open Session of the meeting at 5.25 p m to enter into Executive Session under Purpose 7 in order to deliberate Fiscal Year 2022 Statutory Exemptions,Real Estate Abatement Applications and Personal Property Abatements Further it was declared that an open meeting discussion may have a detrimental effect on the litigation position of the town The Board reconvened Open Session at 7 00 p m Executive Session occurred here details may be viewed in separate Executive Session folder VOTE Upon a motion duly made and seconded,the Board of Assessors voted 3 0 by roil call to approve of the recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2022 Chapter 59 Section 5 Various Clauses of Statutory Exemption Applications (See lists in Executive folder) VOTE Upon a motion duly made and seconded,the Board of Assessors voted 3 0 by roll call to approve of the Fiscal Year 2022 Chapter 59 Section 59 Real Estate Abatement Applications (See list in Executive folder) There were no Fiscal Year 2022 Chapter 59 Section 59,Personal Property Abatement Applications There were no pending Appellate Tax Board actions to discuss No decisions had to be made by the Board The Board approved the Meeting Minutes of April 29,2021 The Board of Assessors cancelled the February 22,2022 Meeting There being no other business a motion was duly made and seconded at 7 05 p.m to adjourn the Meeting Board of As ,i/oliq ' d,- A true record Attest Sandra Pentedemos Administrative Assessor Meeting Secretary