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Town to hire interim assessor's agent after RJD notice; board approves $380 homestead abatement
Summary
RJD Appraisal will end services Dec. 31; the town proposed a six-month interim contract with Murphy Appraisal Services and approved a $380 homestead abatement for account 159. The assessor's agent contract allows processing abatements under $2,000 without board review.
The board discussed an imminent change in assessor services after RJD Appraisal notified the town it will end services on Dec. 31. Town staff recommended engaging Murphy Appraisal Services on an interim basis from Jan. 1 through June 30 to maintain assessor functions while the town prepares an RFP.
Staff outlined the interim proposal: Murphy's son, who lives nearby, would provide local servicing; 15 days of service at $700 per day would cost $10,500 through June 30, with the option to extend to a full year at the contract rate if needed. The presenter recommended a six-month engagement to allow the town time to evaluate operations and issue a competitive bid for longer-term services.
The meeting also recorded an assessor-related action: the assessor's agent had requested a $380 abatement to apply a $25,000 homestead exemption for account 159 after the exemption was missed. A motion and second were taken on the abatement; the record shows the board processed the item as part of the assessors' business.
Staff explained that the standard contract for an assessor's agent authorizes the agent to process abatements under $2,000 without bringing every case to the board; larger abatements or significant assessment changes would come before the board for approval. Members asked staff to proceed with a six-month interim contract with Murphy Appraisal Services and to prepare an RFP for longer-term assessor services.
The board did not finalize a long-term contract at the meeting but instructed staff to document the interim arrangement and begin the procurement process.
