LIVERMORE FALLS – An assessor’s duty is to try to value all property on an equal basis, Bill Van Tuinen told selectman and Budget Committee members Tuesday night.

Van Tuinen of Madison is the town’s assessor agent, a position he has held since February of 2002.

An agent is necessary in most communities because the selectmen, who actually are elected as assessors, seldom have the training to do that work, board members explained.

Although he assesses homes and land, and keeps track of exemptions, Van Tuinen said, the biggest part of his work is in the industrial and business community.

He deals with personal property that makes up about one-third of the town’s tax base, including property at the paper mill, Boralex, Isaacson’s, the hydro plant, banks and stores.

Selectmen expressed differing attitudes toward the town having an assessor. Doreen Buckley asked if it was necessary.

“I can’t justify your job when there’s nothing going on in Livermore Falls,” she said. Clayton Putnam responded, “Bill does a good job for us; the assessor is the purse strings of the town.” Jim Collins added that his work is very important when it comes to school costs.

“I do what you hired me for; I’ll do less if you want me to,” Van Tuinen responded to Buckley.

Attempts to compare his work with that of other towns failed because the information was not available, although it appeared both Jay and Livermore hire assessing services from O’Donnell Associates of New Gloucester.

Jay Town Manager Ruth Marden confirmed Wednesday morning that the town pays the firm $25,000 to do all its assessing except industrial (Androscoggin and Otis mills, Calpine and Specialty Minerals).

The firm is in town one day a week.

The town hires Val-Point, another firm, to do its industrial assessing. Marden said Jay appropriates up to $30,000 for that work but often does not need all of it.

Livermore pays O’Donnell Associates $4,250 to do its assessing but is planning to increase that amount to $8,300 next year for updated information relative to state valuation.

The town is also raising money over two years to have a complete revaluation done for an estimated $90,000. Half that amount was raised last year, according to Kurt Schaub, administrative assistant.

Van Tuinen also explained briefly the procedure for taking by eminent domain a parcel of land adjoining the town lot at the landfill. This would be used for a wood recycling set up.

The matter will be a future agenda item when more research is done into the recycling proposal.