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Assessors report expanded spring plan for cyclical inspections, aim to cut a 4,200-property backlog
Summary
At the March 5 meeting, staff said winter storms delayed inspections but added vendor help could raise spring inspections to about 300; a report shows roughly 4,200 properties have not been visited in the last 10 years and staff aim to inspect about 1,000 properties a year to address that backlog.
At the March 5 meeting of the leaderboard assessors, Julie, a staff member, said cyclical property inspections were extended because of a winter storm and are now scheduled through the weeks of March 6 and March 12.
Julie said the office had originally planned about 216 inspections for the spring but may add roughly 84 more “through Soudair,” which would bring spring work to about 300 inspections to use FY26 funds. “So we originally were doing 216. However, with the budget ... we might be able to do an additional 84 through Soudair, which is good. To get to 300,” she said.
The board discussed scope and counts. Staff said there are roughly 10,000 total parcels in town, of which about 9,300 are residential when condos are included; members and staff estimated approximately 8,400 single-family homes and about 1,200 condominiums, excluding large rental buildings. According to a run of records staff described, about 4,200 properties have not been visited in the last 10 years. “We’ve come up with 4,200,” a staff member said, and staff described a plan to address that backlog at roughly 1,000 inspections per year over the next four years.
Board members asked whether the spring 300-inspection number was for the season or the year; staff said the 300 figure was tied to the available FY26 budget and the spring schedule, while the 1,000-per-year target is part of a multi-year plan to cover remaining properties between now and October–November.
The group also discussed homeowner cooperation. Julie said staff receive both refusals and many booked appointments, and that most residents have been receptive; staff mentioned common accommodations such as shoe covers to increase access. “People are very receptive to that … I got booties here the whole department,” she said.
The chair thanked staff for the update; members agreed to continue scheduling inspections and to pursue the added vendor capacity where possible.
Next steps: staff will continue spring inspections through mid-March, pursue the additional vendor capacity described, and proceed with the multi‑year plan to reduce the backlog to approximately 1,000 inspections a year.
