DUNBARTON BOARD OF ASSESSORS
MINUTES OF MEETING
Present: Timothy Terragni, Chariman, Bryan
Clark, John R. Swindlehurst
Linda L. Peters,
Recording Secretary
Minutes of the
Current use penalties: John R. Swindlehurst made the motion to set
the assessed value of new subdivided lots at $ 100,000. Bryan Clark seconded. Motion passed.
Current use penalties were assessed
as follows (assessment only- documents will be prepared for signature for next
meeting). The assessment for each was
calculated at 10% of the sale price:
·
E3-02-53
–
·
E3-02-48
–
·
E3-06-04
–
·
B7-01-07
– Audet to Dipietro $ 10,000
·
B7-01-08
– Audet to Dipietro $ 10,000
Discussion of
three lots for Dan Terrell: Has a
house on one lot and is building on second lot.
When second lot is finished, he’ll be selling first lot with the house
on it. Two lots were taken out of
current use. Assessment based on a penalty recently assessed on a similar-sized
lot
·
F2-3-12
(4.54 acres) – $ 8,300
·
F3-1-11
(3.43 acres) – $ 8,300
·
F2-3-11
(2.28 acres) – Existing house lot
already taken out of current use
Eric Hodgman, Lot E4-3-4: This lot is in current use and a barn was
built on the land. There was a lengthy
discussion on the fairest way to assess the penalty on this lot because it is a
barn, not a homesite. The barn is
approximately 200 feet from the road.
Compton French felt that it should be two separate, contiguous lots out
of current use because it is far enough away from the original acre. Tim Terragni will call Eric and ask him to
include this new information (acre encompassing the barn and the road) on the
current use questionnaire that had recently been mailed to all property owners
with land in current use. John Swindlehurst suggested that the value the acre
of land and the road (minus normal adjustments) be set at $21,000. The Board agreed and assessed a current
use penalty of $2,100. Tim would
like to see this incorporated into the existing house.
Rite
Way Builders / Rick Martin,
Jon Mooar came to the Board with questions
regarding property he has in current use.
He would like to place a movable structure to cover a garden on the
land. It would involve squaring off a
section of land at the property line which is landlocked. This would remove from current use a piece of
land approximately 70’ x 286’. The Board
reviewed a map of the property. The
Board informed Mr. Mooar that squaring off the size and the area he indicated
would break up the lot and therefore there would not leave the ten contiguous
acres required for current use. After
further discussion, they recommended a 20’ x 286” area (~5600 square feet),
which would leave a buffer and not disrupt contiguous land. When the Board asked Mr. Mooar to describe
the structure he would erect, it was determined that it was a temporary
structure (less than two months) with no foundation, etc. and it was not
necessary to remove land from current use for this purpose. Mr. Mooar also discussed procedural questions
regarding and addition to his barn (land is not in current use).
William
and Rebecca Rolke,
The Board
reviewed a letter from Marshall Law Office regarding the non-buildable
agreement on the property of Karen Gagne, et al. John Swindlehurst made the motion not to
reconsider the Boards position on that agreement. Bryan Clark seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Tom Gleason came to the Board regarding the
assessment on his mobile home. He gave
the Board a re-cap of the history that has prompted this request: In June of last year, he got a notice stating
that his septic had failed. The
Selectmen had failed to act. He feels his house is
worth is useless considering he can’t sell it with a bad septic. Tim Terragni
asked Mr. Gleason who owned the property.
Mr. Gleason stated that his ex-wife, Karen Meehan, owns the
property. He pays rent to her for the
site that is to include water and sewage. Mr. Gleason said that the he brought
it to Selectmen Hammond and J.R.Swindlehurst
when he met with them (December, 2002).
He stated that the Selectmen accused him of trying to involve a third
party. He felt the town should force her
to fix it. When Bruce Vaal was Health
Officer, he sent Mrs. Meehan a letter telling her that the she had till
November 2002 to remove the remnants of the trailer that had burned and to get
the septic fixed. When asked what the
consequences would be if Mrs. Meehan did not fix the problems, Mr. Gleason stated
that according to the Selectmen, nothing was supposed to happen. He admitted that the was
trying to involve a third party and it’s the Selectmen’s job to oversee
that. He was asked what would happen if
he stopped paying rent. He stated that
he would be evicted. He stated that he
had already been to the Supreme Court with this and that they do not want to
deal with a septic issue except that they have allowed him to re-coup the money
he spent having it pumped.
Nothing has been
done about the septic. A replacement
trailer has been brought in to replace the burned one and Mrs. Meehan is
attempting to make that a living establishment without correcting Mr. Gleasons problem. Mr.
Terragni asked where the plumbing would go for that trailer. Mr. Gleason
explained that there are three septics.
He wanted his connected to the one that supported the trailer that
burned but Mrs. Meehan refused. Mr.
Terragni asked if he could still sell his mobile home. Mr. Gleason stated he
could sell his mobile home on the lot that it’s on. He has trucking rights, due to being
“grandfathered”. He needs these rights
because of his rubbish business, therefore doesn’t want to sell the home,
otherwise, he’d have to purchase commercial property. Selling his home won’t get him commercial
property and he still can’t sell the home with a bad septic. He feels the taxes should be reviewed.
Mr. Swindlehurst
explained that the taxes are based on that structure – nothing attached to
it. Mr. Gleason felt that it still had
to have water and septic. Mr.
Swindlehurst explained that the trailer is assessed on everything above
ground. Whether it’s connected or not
doesn’t have any bearing on the assessment. The sewer and water is assessed to
Mrs. Gleason. Mr. Swindlehurst suggested
that Mr. Gleason could sell the trailer and move it off-site and that’s where
the value lies. Mr. Gleason asked if the
Board was willing to give him $18,000 for the trailer the way it sits, because
that is what he is being assessed at.
Mr. Clark stated that that is the value of the structure only. Mr. Gleason again brought up the matter of
the burned out remains of the trailer and stated the Selectmen and the Building
Department weren’t doing their jobs. Mr.
Terragni explained that there is a set rate of $7,000 for utilities per
homesite which incorporates the well, septic and power to the site. It’s the same for everybody but that is
adjusted to the owner of the land on a per case basis.
Mr. Gleason
asked if there was some paperwork there for him from the Town
Administrator. He had written a letter
to the Town Administrator which was passed to the Building Department. The paperwork would be an answer from Ken
Swayze (Building Department). Mr.
Terragni explained that the paperwork would not be something that would go
through them. Mr. Gleason asked if Mr.
Swayze is an engineer. Mr. Swindlehurst
thought he was. Mr. Gleason asked if Mr.
Swayze is certified for septic. Mr.
Terragni stated that the State approves all septic designs, but that does not
help in this situation.
Mr. Gleason stated
that he will end up suing the Town because this is fourteen months he has had a
bad septic and the Town has refused to act.
He stated that he is trying to handle it locally the correct way. He is being forced into a position that he
has nothing else he can do but go to his lawyer. Mr. Swindlehurst suggested he go the
Department of Environmental Services, Subsurfaces Division. This might save some legal fees. They may come out and examine the
system. They have the power to act.
Mr. Terragni explained
that if Mr. Gleason owned the land, he wouldn’t be assessed for a failed
septic. He hopes that Mr. Gleason
understands that the Boards hands are tied to a certain point on this. Mr. Gleason asked that if this department
couldn’t help him, which department could.
He was again referred to the DES.
The Board
reviewed a letter from Phil Walker regarding the tax status of St. John the
Evangelist Episcopal Church. Mr.
Walker felt that since the property is now used solely for the Church and
related community service activities it should revert to a full exemption from
property taxes. Mr. Swindlehurst
suggested that the church contact the Department of Revenue for a tax-exempt
form to be submitted to the Town.
Mr. Terragni
asked if the Board wanted to handle the bid specs another night due to the
lateness of the hour. Members opted to
continue the meeting.
Mr. Swindlehurst
asked what would be done with the completed current use forms. He offered to review some and report back to
the Board with his opinion.
The Board spent
the next 45 minutes working on the Revaluation Bid Specs. They then reviewed the proposal used in
Dunbarton in 1996 and agreed that it needed to be re-phrased. They reviewed samples (provided by the State)
from the towns of Milton and Bedford. They also reviewed a blank proposal that
appeared to have come from the State and felt it was a good format to use.
There was
discussion on what would be the next step to finish this up. The request for bid will be placed in the
newspaper. This legal notice should be
posted as soon as possible. Interested
parties will pick up the specs from the Town Administrator.
Mr. Swindlehurst
suggested that members take all samples home for review and make notations for
the next meeting. Mr. Terragni suggested
that the Board meet once again prior to the September meeting for the purpose
of reviewing the specification package.
Meeting was set for Monday, August 25 at
Meeting
adjourned at
Timothy
Terragni, Chairman Bryan
Clark John R.
Swindlehurst