Assessments
State says not enough time, pulls aid
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

A letter from regional director Joseph J. Muscarella states that in the opinion of the Office of Real Property Services "it is no longer feasible to try to complete a total reassessment of the town's 43,000 parcels for the 2008 assessment roll."

Since funding was reduced in the 2007 budget for maintaining a 100 percent assessment, the town, under the direction of Supervisor Satish Mohan, has been trying to get back on track for 2008.

Now it seems the town may have finally run out of time.

Receiving only one bid for the project, from Emminger, Hyatt, Newton and Pigeon, Inc., for $13.52 per parcel, Mohan presented the contract for approval, but the board tabled it on July 23.

The contract has not been returned to the board for a vote.

Assessor Harry Williams said without state aid the town will not be able to reassess at 100 percent for 2008.

Williams was also in the process of reviewing the Emminger, Hyatt, Newton and Pigeon, Inc. contract but was expecting the firm to withdraw it.

"There is no way to have it done by Dec. 1," Williams said.

In Muscarella's Aug. 2 letter to the town, he wrote, "Since there is no signed contract presently in place, at this time, we feel the quality of the project would suffer; therefore we can no longer support this effort for the 2008 assessment roll."

The town had been in the 100 percent reassessment program with the state for the past seven years. During that time, GAR Associates was used to record the data.

Muscarella added that the Office of Real Property would assist the town in returning to the 100 percent assessment in 2009 if a plan and a contract were in place to start May 2008.

The request for proposal that Emminger, Hyatt, Newton and Pigeon, Inc. responded to called for work to begin by mid-July with a residential field review.

"We all knew that it was imperative to start immediately and to stay on schedule to ensure a successful project," Muscarella said.

He made a presentation at a Town Board work session in March and at that time stated the town should have already started reassessing the parcels.

In response to the recent letter from the state, Williams said the town will either have to add funding and staff - perhaps six to eight people - to his department or re-bid for a new contract.

"Now it falls into our hands. Do we have the funds there? People?" Williams said.

Request for comment from Mohan was not returned prior to press time.