To Sole Assess Or Elect Middletown Debates - Public Hearing Informational June 11

MIDDLETOWN - With a recent resignation and a lack of interest in becoming an assessor, the Middletown Town Board is considering switching to a Sole Assessor. Municipalities can appoint one sole assessor or hold an election with three seats. Dennis Metnick, assessment review board member, provided the pros and cons of switching from the elected assessment department on May 14.

According to Metnick, the board has little choice after accepting Tax Assessor Joseph Todd's resignation effective April 30th. The town is left with Assessor and Clerk MegAnne Balcom, and Assessor Kenneth Taylor, whose terms end in December 2027. It is illegal to have fewer than three assessors if using an election process, said Metnick. With no parties on the ballot for this year's election, the town must adjust.

Supervisor Glen Faulkner believes Taylor or Balcom will take the role if the board decides to switch to a sole assessor. The other assessor can continue as clerk and assistant assessor.

Through research, Faulkner and Metnick found Middletown to be the only town in the surrounding area still using an election process. Many towns use a sole assessor, who is shared between many municipalities. After speaking with assessors from Roxbury and Walton, Metnick concluded that the process is more efficient and cheaper with a sole assessor.

The board is also considering conducting a revaluation. The last revaluation was conducted in 2011, and the current equalization rate is 62%. A revaluation is the reappraisal of all real property in the tax district according to its full and fair value.

"People are often afraid of a revaluation because they are afraid their taxes will go up," said Metnick, "Most stay the same."

Faulkner suggested getting the sole assessor in place before performing a revaluation, setting the timeline to 2027. A sole assessor is appointed for a six-year term.

The board would like public input before deciding on a sole assessor. A public hearing and informational session are scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, at 6 p.m., before the regular monthly meeting.

In other business, the board agreed to move forward with an engineering study on the feasibility of connecting the Arkville and Margaretville water districts along NYS Route 28. A quote from Lamont Engineering came in for $25,000 to adjust a previously conducted study, which left the corridor as an emergency-only hook-up. The O'Connor Foundation provided $15,000 for the study, and the Council agreed to pay the remaining $10,000 from unallocated reserves.

Faulkner has asked the Village of Margaretville to consider providing funds. If feasible, the project would provide some resiliency to the two districts through additional users, he said.

Middletown and Margaretville are collaborating with RCAP (Rural Community Assistance Program) on funding opportunities to connect the two districts.

While noting $10,000 on a study seems extreme, Councilmember Robin Williams said it is a gateway to other funding opportunities.

In other news:

The town requests emails from anyone interested in signing up for the municipal and emergency alert system.

An RFP was published to solicit the mowing of the town cemeteries twice more this year and three times for the next two years. The RFP is due June 6.

Williams is exploring revisiting the request for a crosswalk near Mornings cafe. To move forward, Williams needs to collect data on traffic during busy times. Williams is going to seek help from the Thriving Communities Committee.

Following an executive session, the board accepted the resignation of Code Officer Hiram Davis effective July 11.

There will be no workshop meetings for June, July, and August.