Town staff told the Harveston Select Board on Dec. 29 that the Massachusetts Department of Revenue has certified the town's tax rate for the coming billing cycle. During the certification process, staff discovered that a debt-exclusion (DE1) tied to a 2017 fire-truck purchase had not been recorded on state forms in several prior years.

Officials said the omission meant the town was effectively paying the exclusion within its levy limit rather than separately reporting it to the state. The consequence is that residents are likely to see a marginal increase in the tax rate for a few more years until the exclusion is reconciled and the remaining debt is paid down.

The board credited a new assessor with identifying and researching the omission; staff said they have worked with DOR to remedy the reporting error so it will be addressed in next year's rate-setting process. The board discussed assessing the balance on the note and asked the new treasurer-collector to prepare follow-up figures for the board once she has settled into her role.

What happens next: staff will prepare a report on the outstanding balance and timeline for removing the exclusion, and the new treasurer-collector will brief the board in the coming weeks.