Sterling Board of Assessment Appeals approves two assessment reductions; third appeal shows inconsistent vote tally in minutes

The Town of Sterling Board of Assessment Appeals, chaired by Keith Richards, met March 12, 2025, and approved assessment reductions for two properties while recording an unclear outcome for a third appeal.

The board convened at 6:30 p.m., with members listed in the minutes as Keith Richards (Chair) and Peter Rabbit (member). Richards moved to accept the minutes of the previous meeting; Peter Rabbit seconded the motion, and the motion passed according to the minutes.

Appeal by Joseph Amaral: The minutes record an adjustment of $43,200 (listed in the minutes as -$43,200) for appellant Joseph Amaral, citing the condition of the house as the reason for the reduction. The minutes state "Members in favor: All" and "Members opposed: None," which the record presents as a unanimous approval of the adjustment.

Appeal by Christopher Uernon: The minutes list an adjustment amount of $0 and state the reason as "current assessment is correct." Directly beneath that entry the minutes contain two contradictory lines: "Members in favor: All" and "Members opposed: Nine." The minutes do not reconcile that inconsistency or record individual votes; therefore the document does not clearly establish whether the board formally approved, denied, or otherwise disposed of Uernon’s appeal.

Appeal by Sterling Property LLC: The minutes record an appeal by Sterling Property LLC requesting an adjustment of $878,920 (listed in the minutes as -$878,920), citing the condition of the property and outbuildings. The minutes record the vote as "Members in favor: All" and "Members opposed: None," presented as a unanimous approval of the requested adjustment.

The minutes do not list who moved or seconded the individual appeal motions, nor do they provide individual member vote names. The record also contains typographical errors in the reasons (for example, "Howe Condition" and "Cond ition of Proputy and out buildys"); this article uses corrected, conventional spellings ("house condition," "condition of property and outbuildings") where necessary for clarity and reports the original phrasing in the clarifying details. The minutes do not record any additional discussion, legal citations, or instructions for further action.

Next steps: The minutes record no further actions or scheduled follow-ups for these appeals. The document does not indicate an adjournment time.