The Town of Rutland Select Board voted unanimously Dec. 30 not to pursue placing a ballot question in March to replace the elected board of listers with a hired town assessor.

Marsha Chaffee, the town’s head lister, told the board that the town’s Common Level of Appraisal and Coefficient of Dispersion figures were recently published and that statewide changes under Act 68 could force reappraisal work. Chaffee said she had reached out to state legislators and noted concern that there are currently no available full‑time assessors in the region to hire. "None," she said, when asked whether assessors were available to take on the town’s work.

Board members discussed alternatives, including postponing the ballot question to 2026, hiring an assessor on a contract basis, or recruiting junior assessors for a transitional arrangement. Several members favored a cautious approach to avoid asking voters to approve a structural change the town could not staff or implement.

The motion not to pursue the ballot item this year was made, seconded and passed 5‑0. Members asked Chaffee to distribute a list of junior assessors (persons training toward certification) and directed staff to advertise contract or subcontract assessor options and to consult with town counsel as needed.

What it means: The decision buys the town time to evaluate assessor availability and implementation logistics while retaining the current lister structure for the immediate term. The board also discussed outreach and potential recruitment strategies to ensure continuity of grand‑list and reappraisal responsibilities.