Select Board accepts MS‑1 valuation form and approves four land‑use change tax warrants

The Nottingham Select Board voted Oct. 20 to accept the town’s 2025 MS‑1 valuation form and to sign four municipal land‑use‑change‑tax warrants.

The board accepted the MS‑1 — the state form that summarizes town property valuation for tax‑rate setting — after members discussed a substantial increase in the town’s net valuation to about $1.429 billion. A select board member moved to accept the MS‑1 and John Decker seconded; the motion carried.

Why it matters: the MS‑1 is the baseline the Department of Revenue Administration uses to compute the town’s allowable tax rate for the coming year. Board discussion noted the larger valuation likely means a slightly lower rate per $1,000 of valuation even as overall tax bills could be similar given property changes.

In the same session, the board approved LUCT bills and warrants for four parcels by motion and second: map 43 lot 33 and three lots in map 11 (3‑1, 3‑2 and 3‑3). Those motions passed without extended debate.

Board members also asked staff to follow up on several budget items before finalizing warrant‑article language for the 2026 budget cycle. Topics raised included an absence of bids for the town’s 2026 heating‑fuel contract (the board directed staff to reach out to local providers and rebid) and a request to clarify where some election printing and postage costs had been posted in the worksheets provided to the board.

What’s next: the board will meet again Nov. 3 for a fuller 2026 budget review and will address outstanding questions (printing/postage allocations and procurement responses) before finalizing warrant‑article proposals.

Provenance: topicintro SEG 445; topfinish SEG 566.