Belgrade keeps mill rate at $10.60; assessor outlines multi-year revaluation plan

The Select Board of Belgrade voted 5–0 on Aug. 4 to keep the town’s mill rate at $10.60 per $1,000, following a presentation from the town’s assessing agent on valuation changes and three rate options.

Rob, the town’s assessing agent, walked the board through the valuation base and three mill-rate alternatives — 10.55, 10.60 and 10.65 per $1,000 — explaining how each would change the overlay and affect collections. He said taxable real-estate value on the form was 1,061,303,000 and the valuation used for rate-setting was 1,088,921,000, up by roughly $9.3 million over last year because of new construction and lot splits. “By selecting a rate on line 19 of $10 and 60¢, that gives us an overlay on line 23 of $227,292,” he said. After questions from board members, the chair moved to keep the mill rate at the same level as last year; the motion passed unanimously.

Beyond the immediate rate decision, Rob proposed a phased revaluation he described as a four-year sequence of '0.25' annual field reviews (visiting roughly one-quarter of properties each year), followed by a final sales analysis to produce updated schedules townwide. He told the board the annual 0.25 review cost quoted in the packet was $33,000 and said spreading the work over four years avoids a single-year budget spike while capturing missed improvements and updating sketches and photos. Board members asked about the April 1 tax date, whether improvements discovered during the period would be assessed immediately, and how the phased approach preserves equity across neighborhoods.

The board did not adopt the revaluation plan at the meeting. Members noted the town previously set aside funds for a revaluation and asked the budget committee to review the timing and funding; the matter will return for further budgeting discussions. The assessing agent said he could return for a deeper briefing when the board has time to evaluate the proposal.