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Board authorizes vice‑chair to sign stipulation on state telecom assessments
Summary
After the state reclassified equipment on cell towers as taxable real property, companies filed grievances. The board voted to sign a stipulation acknowledging the Board of Civil Authority denial and forwarding appeals to the state per Department of Taxes guidance.
Select Board members discussed a recent state change that treats telecommunications equipment affixed to towers as taxable real property and the resulting company grievances.
A board member explained the process laid out by the state: towns receive an assessment figure without the underlying methodology and, where companies file a grievance at the local level, towns have limited evidence to rebut the state‑provided numbers. The board reviewed a proposed stipulation that, if signed by the select‑board chair (or acting chair), would record the BCA denial and forward the matter to the state for adjudication. "The equipment held on the cell tower, that is now considered, liable for real estate property tax," a board member said while explaining the state direction to handle grievances.
The board discussed whether the Board of Civil Authority or the select board should sign; following State Department of Taxes guidance the board authorized the acting chair, Isaac (vice chair), to sign the stipulation so appeals may proceed to the state. Staff will send the executed stipulation to the companies and docket the action with the state tax department.
