NEWRY — An abatement was requested by a Newry taxpayer, and was rejected at the Newry Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, December 8. The abatement was for three years ago.

“If you’re agreeing the house is still there, agreeing about the acreage, but disagreeing about the value of the land, which is what I think this is what this case is, you’re responsible to come to the town if you have any grievances every year; you have 180 days to do that yearly – to file an abatement,” explained Town Administrator Amy Bernard.

However, as the Newry taxpayer was trying to obtain abatement for three years ago, the board of selectman denied approval because they do not have the authority to sign off on it.

In other news, the Bethel Area Age Friendly group requested to use the Grange Hall weekly for their Tai Chi classes. Although the Selectboard was not given a day or time of the week in which is would be used, it was assumed it would be during the week during the day. The selectman all agreed it would help if there were people in the Grange Hall.

“In my experience when a building just sits there, it really just does fall apart … when I used to do the craft fair there I had to call the furnace guy every time because it didn’t get used,” Selectwoman Mandy Berry explained.

It was a unanimous vote, all selectman agreed the Bethel Area Age Friendly group could use the Grange Hall for their weekly Tai Chi classes.