Board of Assessment to Expand

NORTH EAST — The Town Board agreed to expand the Board of Assessment Review (BAR) from three to five members, pending a public hearing on the matter.

"Upon adoption of the local law the board will proceed to make appointments of the additional board members to be seated," town Supervisor Dave Sherman said. "The board felt that we would be well-served by having a slightly larger board in case any conflict arises before the BAR ... this will essentially add two more perspectives to that body."

Although the terms for the Board of Assessment Review are generally five years, because these appointments (if the local law is passed) are being made in the spring instead of the fall when they normally occur, the terms will be partial terms.

Regardless of the term length, Sherman reiterated that just having some more people on the board should add to residents’ comfort level when they appear on Grievance Day before BAR.

"We wanted to expand so it’s not just three people, it’s five, and I feel that all may be comforted by the fact that more people will hear their matter and feel their issue will be more fully considered. I would not expect a fundamental change of any kind," he said. "That’s not anticipated. BAR, so far, has been doing its job, this is just to put the job in a couple more hands and to carry the process a little more."

Additionally, it will allow for the board to continue to operate if someone is sick, or absent, because Grievance Day is a fixed day on the calender. This year it’s May 23.

"The assessor’s office will have a more formal announcement of Grievance Day, probably with the announcement of the tentative roll, which will be published after May 1," Sherman said this week. "Dutchess County has to print and compare the rolls and make sure we have them available, so there will be more to finish coming up."