Residents press Blackstone assessors over sudden valuation changes; board says abatement window opens Jan. 1, 2025

Dozens of residents and selectmen spent a large portion of the Aug. 20 meeting pressing the Board of Assessors about sudden and unexplained changes in property valuations and how the town will address them.

Jim (speaker 3) and colleagues from the Board of Assessors told the Selectmen they contracted Regional Resource Group (RRG) of Leominster as principal assessor to correct data and perform inspections. RRG will undertake a street-by-street reinspection campaign the board estimated could take two to three years; the assessors said they contracted RRG for two years with a third-year option (Board of Assessors representative, SEG 2192–2400).

Residents questioned how some property values fell while others jumped substantially. Selectwoman Polak (who had visited the assessor’s office as a resident, SEG 2256–2360) described finding inconsistent values between legacy “vision” cards and the new system and sought clarity about whether building permits and COs were incorporated. The assessors said the official abatement window opens Jan. 1, 2025; until then they are constrained by statute and their contract with the consultant and cannot unilaterally change values (SEG 2471–2576). The board pledged to post forms and a process on the assessors’ web page and asked RRG to help prepare for an anticipated record number of abatement filings.

Resident Lynn Robinson presented a spreadsheet she said shows large, anomalous valuation jumps in her development (Harris Pond Village). Robinson said she contacted the Department of Revenue and believes the change may result from a migration error between the town’s legacy Vision system and the new CAI/municipal system; she asked the assessors to have RRG and town staff review and correct errors before Q3 bills are finalized (L. Robinson, SEG 3032–3171).

Assessors acknowledged backlog and data problems — missing building permits and delayed field-card updates — and said OpenGov updates and a new permit checkbox (to alert assessors when COs are closed) have been added to reduce future omissions (town staff, SEG 2740–2750). The assessors said they will prepare an online policy and forms and possibly increase meeting frequency during the January abatement window to process filings more quickly.

What residents were told to do now: the assessors asked residents with questions or suspected errors to submit a written request or form so the board has a record; if residents wish to request an abatement, the statutory window opens Jan. 1, 2025. The board said it will forward residents’ spreadsheets and examples to RRG for review and will try to prioritize corrections that appear systemic.

Article provenance: topicintro at SEG 2176–2186; extended public testimony at SEG 3032–3171.

Ending: The assessors said they will work with RRG to review errors and post clear instructions and forms online; residents were urged to document questions in writing to ensure they are tracked ahead of the January abatement period.