GUILDERLAND — After nearly four decades in the assessor’s office, Carol Wysomski is calling it quits.
"There comes a time," she said of her decision to retire, effective in July. "I’m just ready for it." Her husband retired from General Electric in November and they want to see more of the country. "We did South Dakota last year, so we sort of got the itch," she said.
In July of 1971, Wysomski started working at the assessor’s office. "I just went across the hall," said the Guilderland native of her move to the assessor’s. The real-estate office that she had worked for was neighbor to the town assessor’s office and, after she graduated from high school, the town hired her as a clerk.

The first computer came to the office in 1978, soon followed by an overhaul of the assessment process, she said. Together — the switch to computers and full-value assessments — that was the biggest change, and challenge, in her career, she said.

Since 1980, the office has been doing regular revaluation every four years or so, which is something she’s proud of, Wysomski said. After the first year, her office began doing the residential revaluation itself, saving the town about $550,000 — which is what it would have cost to hire a private firm to do the work, she said.

Although Wysomski has the move to being completely computerized well under way, it won’t be final for another few years, she estimates. Until then, the office still has the thousands of index cards, detailing the basics of every property in the town, that were there when she arrived.
Appointed as assessor in 1992, Wysomski has thoroughly enjoyed her time in office, which pays $68,341, she said. "I like the people," she said, adding that she still sees some residents with whom she began working back in the ’70s. She concluded, "I enjoy looking at houses."

Wysomski has been happy with her career, she said, but she’d like more time for other things, too. A few years ago, she began quilting — a craft that her sister-in-law practices and two of her far-flung friends picked up unbeknownst to each other. She tells the story of the accidental quilting circle with great amusement and looks forward to having more time to work on it.
"This is like my second home and family," she said, gesturing towards her co-workers in Town Hall. "That’s what I’ll miss."