RENSSELAERVILLE — Town, school, and county tax are all based on assessed property values. Rensselaerville’s rolls had been skewed since town-wide revaluation was last done 15 years ago, so assessors are in the midst of updating now.

The town board heard from Jeff Pine, one of the town’s three assessors, at last Thursday night’s town board meeting about methods the Rensselaerville assessors are using in its revaluation. Pine, who has been a town assessor for eight years, told The Enterprise this week that "the revaluation started last year and should be completed later this year or some time next."
"It’s an ongoing thing," Pine said at the meeting. "First we have to review all residential properties. Then we have to hire an expert to do statistical analysis."
The last town-wide revaluation for the town of Rensselaerville was conducted in 1991. The current revaluation is similar, but there is one difference. "We’re doing more in-house so we can hopefully save the town some money," Pine told The Enterprise.

The revaluation’s first step, a survey sent to property owners, presents them with a checklist of what their parcel contains. If verified, no further investigation of a homeowner’s property is conducted.

If improvements or additions to the home are noted on the survey, an assessor visits and reassesses the property, taking note of improvements and/or expansions.

Once all surveys have been returned, assessors then crunch the numbers from properties, noting the age, size, condition, and number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Once an updated description of the parcel is identified, assessors match these numbers to sample sales within Rensselaerville.
"We’re using statistical analysis. We’re not appraising each home," Pine told The Enterprise.

Pine also told The Enterprise that the same contractors New Scotland hired will be contracted to complete the revaluation for Rensselaerville.

Other business

In other business, the town board:

— Heard that the town has two outstanding bills — one for Chip Decker filling in for Building Inspector Mark Overbaugh during the two-and-a-half weeks Overbaugh was in Alaska and the other for Earl Potter’s mowing services. The board decided to find an acceptable solution once Decker returns to town;
— Heard from George Denson of Preston Hollow that most residents received the town newsletter after events had passed. Denson told the board that five events noted in the newsletter were over by the time he received his in the mail. "Something should be done to correct this," Denson said;

— Heard a letter from Paulette Ryder about potential health hazards to children at the Medusa playground. Ryder, in her letter, stated that pea gravel had not been laid down before wood chips and could therefore cause a bacteria buildup and pose a risk to children;

— Heard a second letter from Paulette Ryder, in which she reported on the town youth program. She was budgeted $8,000 for the program and $2,000 for the playground. One fire officer, her letter said, was upset with the change in funds. Ryder, in her letter, stated she would be willing to give the remaining funds to the fire department if contacted by Aug. 10 but would remit her offer after that date;

— Heard a letter from Walter and Alice Schloen about the intersection of routes 145 and 81, which is not yet done. The road, the letter said, is two miles long, heavily-used, and, if left unfinished over the winter, could leave potholes;

— Heard a letter from Ann O’Donnell, which stated there are no speed signs or signs informing drivers of hearing-impaired residents on her road;

— Heard that the town hall and salt shed need immediate repairs. The board discussed whether to hire a part-time employee or a company. The board, which is awaiting an evaluation from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, heard from Gary Cook, a town resident, who offered his services and will report back to the board with an estimate for work completed and the time frame he needs to complete the restoration. Cook will not get involved in the salt shed;

— Heard that there will be a second questionaire about water going out;

— Heard that there is no report on the waste oil furnace yet;
— Heard from Supervisor Jost Nicklesberg that the board may not read letters of correspondence out loud at town board meetings any longer. Nicklesberg added that the letters may be posted instead of read aloud at town meetings in the future. Joan Johnston, a Rensselaerville resident, stated that the letters were very boring and that people should attend town meetings if they have something to say. "I’ve had to read some letters I find reprehensible," Nicklesberg said at the meeting; and

— Heard from Jack Long, who is temporarily chairing Rensselaerville’s water board, that it would be best for the town to have an emergency permit issued to repair the dam at the water-system intake below Myosotis Lake which, due to severe June storms, had suffered severe damage.