Tax Abatement Committee

October 27, 2022 Tax Abatement Committee Hearing - 4:00 p.m. Sharon Bushor Conference Rm; Ground Flr 10/27/2022 Tax Abatement Committee Thursday, October, 27, 2022, 4:00 p.m. Sharon Bushor Conference Rm Minutes of the Hearing Committee Members: Councilors Mark Barlow (MB) Chair, Perri Freeman (PF), Gene Bergman (GB) Others Present: Jared Pellerin (JP), City Attorney’s Office; John Vickery (JV), City Assessor; Kenneth Nosek (KN), Committee Administrator-City Assessor’s Office; Traci Isham (TI) Accounts Receivable Team Lead; Maja Kazimieruk, A/R & Receipts Specialist. At 4:06 p.m. Chair Mark Barlow commenced the meeting. Agenda: Motion to adopt by GB Second by MB passed Ammend agenda to approve minutes from last meeting to be written as minutes from last hearing. Minutes Adopted: GB motion MB seconded Unanimous Public Forum open: No one from the public was present Page 1 of 3  October 27, 2022 Tax Abatement Committee Hearing - 4:00 p.m. Sharon Bushor Conference Rm; Ground Flr 10/27/2022 Terry Krinsky and Brenda Laquer 35 Cherry St Unit 404; 044-2-145-404 Owners believe penalties and fees assessed were wrong. Mailing address from owners perspective was incorrect but some mailings such as the reappraisal data mailer and their revaluation change of appraisal notice reached their correct address but not the tax bill. Reasonable person would not know that the city keeps separate database for addressing in forms of voting, C/T, Assessor, etc. Moved in 2019 from East Fairfield to Burlington. Voted in every election since they moved here. Did not receive their 2020-2021 tax bill – thought it was due to a Covid management plan underway by the city. Came into C/T to retrieve their tax bill and paid for two quarters that were overdue. At same time, Terry Krinsky set up online payments. USPS does not forward confidential government mail and instead these documents get returned to sender. Owners understanding is the bill gets put into an dead letter box (Tracy refuted that there were dead letters in C/T office at this time). In 2022 a delinquent notice was sent to owner’s former home and new owners of the former East Fairfield address forward the mail left accidentally by mail carrier at old East Fairfield address and that is when the owners discovered they had more delinquent tax fees and interest. John Vickery adds to testimony – he conducted research and found two letters from the city assessor’s office with correct address which one sent announced the city wide revaluation. No address correction form ever found. No reason why our address shows an old address when we had some mail sent to owners with correct address. John is convinced this is a city error. GB asked C/T – Traci Isham if anything on bill front or back states that taxpayer/owner must file change of address form with assessor if owner changes mailing address from what is on record. Committee recommends to grant request for abatement John Bakewell; 227 South Cove Rd; 059-1-030-000 Tax Abatement Committee attempted to call Mr. Bakewell on Chair Mark Barlow’s phone and also per Councilor Freeman’s suggestion attempted to text Mr. Bakewell that the hearing on his petition was started. After a wait of several minutes the Chair commenced the hearing for discussion on the written testimony. Page 2 of 3  October 27, 2022 Tax Abatement Committee Hearing - 4:00 p.m. Sharon Bushor Conference Rm; Ground Flr 10/27/2022 Only address city had for owner/petitioner was from the Property Transfer Tax Return of July 17, 2020. Address on record was a Massachusetts address. No change of address was on file. GB asked for an accounting from Treasurer’s office of the requested abatement amount provided by the property owner. GB request to place it onto the record and Chair Barlow agreed to this. Place evidence supplied by Traci Isham for Treasurer onto the record. Councilor Freeman suggests she is ready to make a recommendation. GB agreed to that suggestion. Committee recommends to deny request for abatement. Closed hearing per Chair Barlow at 5:00. No members of the public present. Adjournment: Public meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m. Motion to Adjourn by GB Seconded by PF Meeting Adjourned at 5:27 PM. Unanimous Page 3 of 3