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Select Board authorizes May 1 reminder letters after $206,000 shortfall in current‑year tax collections
Summary
Townshend staff reported the town is under-collecting current-year property taxes by about $206,000; the board authorized town staff to send reminder letters to current-year delinquencies on May 1 and asked staff to research the shortfall further.
Town finance staff told the Select Board on April 28 that Townshend is under-collecting current-year property taxes by roughly $206,000 and that the shortfall is already affecting the general fund and the highway account.
Connie, who is working with NEMREC to bridge treasurer functions, explained that the town is running a highway deficit because one transfer would have put the general fund into deficit. Board members discussed whether to send an additional reminder letter; staff said an extra mailing sometimes costs more in postage than it recovers, but members moved to authorize Nick to send a May 1 reminder to current-year delinquents and the motion passed.
Why it matters: the under-collection could produce a year-end deficit for fiscal 2026 if receipts do not materialize; board members asked for more detailed reporting on delinquency counts and patterns and for staff to return with possible mitigation steps.
Quotes and attribution: "By $206,000," said Connie about the current-year shortfall. "We will do some research. We will work on these letters, get them out by the end of the week," the chair said after the board authorized staff to send reminder letters.
Next steps: staff will produce a clearer report on the composition of underpayments and delinquencies, estimate postage and response rates, and return with recommendations at the next meeting.
