Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Valuation Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Charlemont assessors vote to hire CIDARE and MAK for property valuation services starting FY2027
Summary
The Charlemont Board of Assessors voted unanimously Dec. 1 to contract with CIDARE and MAK Valuation Consultants, Inc. for valuation services beginning in fiscal year 2027, citing more thorough inspections and owner scheduling despite higher cost; the contract will be signed after Annual Town Meeting and elections.
The Charlemont Board of Assessors voted unanimously Dec. 1 to contract with CIDARE and MAK Valuation Consultants, Inc. to provide the town’s valuation services beginning in fiscal year 2027. The motion was made by Anthony Ostroski and seconded by Andrea Santos.
Carlene Hayden, the Assessor’s Clerk, presented three options: remain with the town’s current vendor, Catalis Tax & CAMA, which offered a lower price and compatibility with existing software but limited inspection responsiveness; hire CIDARE & MAK as a combined vendor with higher costs but more technologically advanced property collection, scheduled inspections, and an audit trail; or use CIDARE for inspections and Catalis for other valuation services. Hayden said CIDARE and MAK came with positive references from nearby communities and that CIDARE recently presented at a regional workshop.
Board members said the potential for more accurate property collections and better owner engagement outweighed the higher price. On the motion approved, the Board directed that the contract be signed after Annual Town Meeting and town elections, when funding and the elected Assessors are confirmed.
The decision changes the vendor that will perform field inspections and valuation services beginning in FY2027; the transcript records the vote as unanimous but does not specify contract dollar amounts or year‑by‑year pricing. Implementation details—contract length, payment schedule and transition plan—were not specified and will be completed before final execution.
