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Assessors debate office coverage, staffing and how free-cash estimates are communicated
Summary
Board members discussed procedures for handling staff absences, signage for public service interruptions, and disagreements over whether revenue estimates are conservative; the chair warned that customer service could suffer if coverage isn't planned.
Board members spent a substantial portion of the meeting discussing how the assessor’s office will maintain service during staff vacations, illnesses and other absences. Members said the office should post clear signage when the counter is closed and keep abatement forms with the collector so the public can still access key forms when staff are absent.
The discussion moved to how the town estimates receipts and the messaging of free-cash projections. Committee member (S3) argued that past internal knowledge suggested higher receipts than the estimates presented publicly, and pressed for clearer public statements about how free cash is calculated. The chair emphasized the need to prioritize Department of Revenue deadlines and said: "Customer service is gonna suffer," if the office does not set clear priorities and block time for deadline-related work.
The board asked staff to prepare a prioritization checklist and bring a preliminary plan to the next meeting so members could review how duties would be reassigned during short-staffed periods.
