Vermont Assessors& Listers Association
Board of Directors Meeting
February 4,
2009
The meeting was called to order
by President Galen Mudgett at 9:12 AM.
The following individuals were
present.
NAME TOWN COUNTY
Carlton Domey Cabot Washington
John Fike Reading Windsor
Pat French Randolph Orange
Todd LeBlanc South Burlington Chittenden
Albert Jerard Brattleboro Windham
Richard Lewis Lewis Appraisal Services Washington
Charles Mason Pawlet Rutland
Chris Miele NEMRC
Galen Mudgett Jr Sharon Windsor
Frank Partsch VT Department of Taxes
Mark Paulsen PV&R
Spencer B Potter Vt Municipal Assessor
Camilla Roberts Rockingham Windham
Priscilla Robinson Warren Washington
Bruce Shields Eden Lamoille
Cheryl Tudhope Orwell Addison
John Vickery Burlington
Randy Viens Essex Chittenden
John Wetzel Fairlee Orange
Michelle Wilson PV&R
A motion was made and seconded
to accept the 5 November 2008 Secretary’s report as written.
A motion was made and seconded to accept the Treasurer’s Report as submitted. As of
31 December 2008, VALA has a balance of $5,337.74. $4,337.74 is in the General Fund and
$1,000.00 is in the Education
Fund. Paid membership to date is 92.
Steve Jeffrey, VLCT, reported
there is consideration to change the late filing date for the HS-122
Homestead Declaration to 30 days after the tax bills are sent out and
the HI-144 Property Tax Adjustment Claim to match the Vermont Income
Tax extension date of 15 October. The Vermont Municipal Clerks
and Treasurer’s Association supports the change of dates. He
also stated the Legislature is starting to look at the whole Education
Funding mechanism and they also are contemplating looking at all the
property tax exemptions.
Mark Paulsen, PV&R briefed
on several issues. He still wants to develop a Reappraisal RFP.
Some reappraisal towns are having problems with their reappraisals because
the contract didn’t provide the towns with enough stipulations or
benchmarks. Randy Viens, Camella Roberts, Bruce Shields, John
Fike, John Wetzel, and Todd LeBlanc volunteered to be on the Reappraisal
RFP committee. Everyone in the Tax Department is concerned about
their jobs as the Department has been told to reduce their positions
by 22. The Tax Commissioner wants to change the method for assessing
the Electrical Transmission & Distribution Systems to Net Book Value.
Supposedly by going to NBV, everyone would be using the same set of
values as determined by the Public Service Department for setting the
rates. There is an effort to expand Current Use to include Environmentally
Sensitive Areas. Mark also reiterated Steve Jeffrey remarks about
the Legislature wanting to change the HS-122 filing dates.
Michelle Wilson, PV&R,
reported that they have developed a course for new listers to be conducted
in March after Town Meeting. She also stated that the department
may offer IAAO course 101 again. If enough people are interested,
any IAAO course or any other course could be offered. She also
presented a proposal being developed for the Online Filing of the Property
Transfer Tax Return. This will speed up the processing of the
PTTR, eliminate the Town Clerk’s from having to handle the return’s
tax funds, and the towns will no longer have to contend with individual
identification numbers. The goal is to have an electronic copy
of the form sent to the town at the same time as acceptance by the state.
All information would have to be filled in or the form could not be
submitted (the same as the HS-122 which can not be filed unless all
blocks are filled in). Legislative action is required to implement
the electronic filing.
Todd LeBlanc made the motion,
seconded by John Vickery, “VALA supports the electronic filing of
the PRRT as long as there is VALA representation to the committee.”
The motion was passed unanimously.
Frank Partsch reported that
every effort is being made to ensure every user of CAMA 2000 is on the
same version.
Chris Miele, NEMRC, reported
no major changes are anticipated in the NEMRC program.
John Fike reported for the
CAMA 2000 committee. In meetings with the State, it is stressed
that all users have the same program version just as in the NEMRC program.
Timely updates should be made to the Marshall & Swift table for
determining construction costs. Ongoing discussion is continuing
about entering photos and working land schedules.
John Vickery of the Education
Committee that a survey will be done to determine what courses listers
want or need. He is going to have a session at the TOEC’s in
the spring on record retention in the lister’s office. PVR will
present a session on exemptions.
Randy Viens reported that some of the bills introduced in the Legislature of interest to listers are as follows:
H-7: Relates to exempting property tax on travel trailers in seasonal campgrounds
H-35: Relates to Veteran’s property tax exemption
H-73 Freeze CLA capping during reappraisals
S-16: Creates Regional CLA
S-19: Extends the Deadlines
for Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Adjustment Claims
Camilla Roberts briefed on
her continued work on the nonrental covenant housing.
Meeting adjourned at 12:05
P.M.
The next meeting will be 4
March 2009.