Concord Board of Assessors approves most FY2026 abatement requests, denies several for lack of inspection

The Concord Board of Assessors on April 7, 2026, voted to grant the majority of FY2026 abatement applications that staff recommended and denied applications where inspections were not completed or staff recommended denial.

Mera Tilley, chair of the Concord Board of Assessors, opened the meeting at 6:31 P.M. and read the board’s procedures for reviewing abatement applications, noting that applicants would present over Zoom for up to three minutes and that a member of the public was recording the session. The board approved the March 24, 2026, minutes with an amendment requested by Vice‑Chair Yanni Tsitsas clarifying that homeowners are responsible for providing quotes for work at 88 Monument Farm Rd.

Most of the board’s time was spent on individual property appeals. Assistant Assessor Michael Gibbons and Town Assessor Meredith Stone presented staff inspections and recommended changes to property record cards and depreciation codes that resulted in assessed‑value reductions. For example, staff recommended lowering depreciation and changing fuel type for 475 Monument St., reducing its assessed value by $27,000 (from $1,688,100 to $1,661,100), and the board granted the abatement as recommended. At 355 Garfield Rd., staff lowered depreciation from Excellent to Very Good and noted caretaker quarters and a graded yurt; staff recommended a $285,500 reduction (new value $8,880,875) and the board approved that abatement.

Other approvals included reductions for 90 Black Horse Place (basement resketch; $71,800 reduction), 282 College Rd. (property record card and condition adjustments; $68,900 reduction), 16 Commerford Rd. ($41,300 reduction), 168 Nashawtuc Rd. ($124,100 reduction for a nonworking heating system), 50 Rollingwood Ln. ($56,600 reduction for deferred maintenance), 119‑121 Sudbury Rd. ($66,300 reduction after post‑fire adjustments), and 44D Westvale Meadow ($45,600 reduction). In each case staff recommended the change and the board voted to grant the abatement.

The board denied several applications where staff could not complete inspections or where staff recommended denial. Applications for 768 Elm St., 20 Flint Rd., 39 Garfield Rd., 349 Harrington Ave. (noted as having pending Appellate Tax Board cases), 1266 Monument St., 39 Old Farm Rd., 24 Rookery Ln. (denied because FY2026 assessments are tied to 2024 sales; staff encouraged refiling in 2027), 78 Temple Rd., and 63 White Ave. were denied. Several denials were explicitly tied to the applicant’s failure to provide inspection access; the board stated it had insufficient information to grant abatements in those cases.

Board members voted consistently with staff recommendations. Most motions were made by Vice‑Chair Yanni Tsitsas and seconded by Arry Charles; roll‑call votes recorded unanimous "Aye" responses from the three voting members present in each recorded vote.

Town Assessor Meredith Stone announced that Senior Means Tested Exemption applications will be mailed to last year’s recipients on April 16, 2026. Chair Tilley closed the public portion of the meeting by thanking board members and staff for processing the applications efficiently.

At 8:00 P.M. the board voted unanimously to enter executive session to consider statutory exemption applications, Community Preservation Surcharge exemption applications and Appellate Tax Board cases under the stated Open Meeting Law purpose, and to adjourn from executive session.

What’s next: the board will handle the noted appeals and appellate matters in executive session and will reconvene or report any formal actions as required under the Open Meeting Law.