Supervisor pleased with assessor's report

NORTH EAST — Town Assessor Katherine Johnson gave an update on her office, as well as on her training, when she appeared before the Town Board June 12.

The new assessor, who was elected to the post in the November 2007 election, has completed, or is registered for, training including orientation, fundamentals of assessment administration, ethical decision-making, fundamentals of data collection, cost, market and income approach to value, fundamentals of mass appraisal and introduction to farm appraisal.

All of those courses were part of the basic certification training program needed to qualify for the assessor position.

Johnson has also been taking, or is registered for, the following additional courses that are not part of the basic certification program. These include: report writing; association of towns assessor training; basic training; and advanced report writing.

Town Supervisor Dave Sherman said he was pleased with the progress of Johnson’s training as well as with her initiative.

Johnson reported there were four walk-in and four mail-in applications for grievances and three stipulations for adjustments. Sherman said those numbers were relatively low for the town.

The tentative equalization rate was set at 92.5 percent, the same as last year. That means the rate is roughly viewed as being the value of the roll overall of 92.5 percent of full market value, according to the supervisor.

"Essentially the value remained rather level from one year to another," Sherman said. "It’s where it was for the previous roll for 2007."

Exemptions for Cold War veterans were also discussed. They became available last year, and have to be provided to town residents who are veterans by the Town Board.

The exemptions are based on 100 percent equalization, and is offered to cover people who were in service during the Cold War period, versus people who were in service during times of combat — veterans can either have one exemption or the other, but not both.

According to the supervisor, the Cold War exemption is the lesser exemption, but it’s available to more people nationally.

For more information on the Cold War Veterans Exemption, or on any other matter related to the assessor’s office, call 518-789-3663.