Rotterdam board approves consultant to run delayed 2026 water and sewer tax roll after heated debate

The Rotterdam Town Board on June 10 authorized the town supervisor to negotiate and execute an agreement with a consultant to run the 2026 water and sewer tax roll after prolonged debate about missing files, training and cost.

Why it matters: Residents face penalties and schools’ roles are tied to timely tax-roll completion; board members said weeks had been lost and supported outsourcing as a short-term fix while others questioned whether the town should pay for outside help while paying staff salaries.

Board discussion focused on who should have performed the work, whether the assessor had been offered and received training, and the vetting process used when the assessor was hired in December 2025. Multiple board members asked the supervisor for documentation about the hiring and whether other candidates were considered. One member said there had been no posting, and another confirmed a county posting that did not list the water/sewer roles.

At the meeting, Deborah Butler, identified in the transcript as the town assessor and a town resident, said the website included a message describing the current assessor as “unwilling and incapable” of billing tasks and disputed that billing was the assessor’s job. She told the board about prior attempts to secure a vendor, a withdrawn agreement with the previous assessor, and hurdles that had left staff uncertain how to proceed.

Supporters of the consultant approach argued that new employees require training and that outsourcing is a common short-term practice elsewhere; they said the consultant engagement would provide immediate relief and training for the assessor. Opponents framed the move as an avoidable expense if existing hiring and onboarding processes had been handled differently and pressed for cost estimates and hiring records.

The board voted to authorize the supervisor to negotiate the consultant agreement (roll-call recorded as yes on the motion). Following the vote the board moved into executive session for a personnel discussion tied to the matter; no board action was announced from the executive session at the meeting’s close.

What’s next: The supervisor said documents related to the issue would be provided to the public; the consultant arrangement is to be negotiated and executed under the authorization approved by the board. The board also noted potential follow-up steps to address process and training gaps for future tax-roll cycles.

Quotes "We have a lot on our plate with this. It is a crisis situation," the supervisor said while describing weeks of delay and the risk of penalties for residents. "We're going to pay out extra... This is your money," one board member said, pressing for answers about vetting and cost.

Authors’ note: The article relies on the board discussion and public comments at the June 10, 2026 Rotterdam Town Board meeting. Details about the final consultant contract, cost and specific vendor were not specified at the meeting.