City Council approves fiscal 2025 abatements and denies select personal property requests

The Fall River Board of Assessors convened on February 19, 2025, to discuss and vote on several fiscal 2025 abatement requests, as well as personal property assessments. The meeting resulted in a series of motions that were passed unanimously by the board members.

The board first approved a list of fiscal 2025 abatements, which included multiple properties identified by numbers ranging from 10 to 64. The motion was made by board member Nancy Hino and received support from Rich Wilson and Rich Gonsalves, resulting in a 3-0 vote in favor.

Following this, the board addressed a separate motion to deny another set of fiscal 2025 abatements, which included properties numbered 13 through 74. This motion also passed unanimously, with all three members voting in favor.

In a subsequent discussion, the board reviewed personal property abatements. They approved one specific abatement, identified as number 1, while denying requests for numbers 2 and 3. Again, these motions were passed with a 3-0 vote.

The meeting also included a review of fiscal 2024 ATB (Abatement Tax Board) cases, where the board approved cases numbered 1 through 7. Rich Gonzales abstained from voting on this motion, leading to a 2-0 approval.

Lastly, the board discussed revised and omitted assessments related to solar panel properties. They acknowledged the need to adjust these assessments based on the finalized tax rate and indicated that a motion would be made to approve these revisions in future meetings.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the board's ongoing efforts to manage property assessments and ensure fair taxation within the community. The unanimous decisions reflect a collaborative approach among board members in addressing the fiscal needs of Fall River.