ANDOVER — An article slated for the March 18 town meeting would take the $63,000 budgeted for a revaluation of town properties and apply it to town taxes.

The Board of Selectmen received a petition Nov. 22 from residents requesting the article. 

Selectmen do not appear to support it.

“This year, 2016, one mill is worth $68,000, so taking that $63,000 is not going to do anything for anybody’s tax bill,” Selectman Jane Rich said at a selectmen meeting Tuesday.

“The thing that will make a difference is getting the revaluation done to find properties that are not currently being taxed or that are undertaxed, which will give us more revenue to meet our town obligations,” she said.

Selectman Jim Adler agreed. “The bill would not only not affect the taxes that much, (but) it would wipe out all that money that we’ve been working hard for six years to get.”

The town has not had a real estate revaluation for 26 years and the cost would be about $80,000, Rich said.

On Saturday, Jan. 14, a symposium, “Understanding the Mysteries of Taxation and Revaluation,” will be held at the Town Hall at 10 a.m.

John O’Donnell of O’Donnell and Associates, and Woodstock Town Manager Vern Maxfield will lead the discussion.

In other news, nomination papers will be available Dec. 26 at the Town Office for:

• A three-year selectman position;

• A three-year school board position; and

• A two-year school board position.

Selectman Jim Adler’s term is ending this year. He has been a selectman for three years. Adler said he isn’t running for re-election, but he might accept a write-in win.

Town Clerk Melinda Averill said school board Director Linda Putnam resigned in July and Betty Davis was appointed to fill Putnam’s spot until March 2017.

Nomination papers will be due back to the town clerk by Feb. 6 and the election will be held Tuesday, March 21.

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net

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