2010 Board of Assessors Candidate Profiles
Two candidates are seeking a seat on the Board of Assessors.
The incumbent is seeking re-election to the board, and one challenger is running for an initial term.
Members of the Board of Assessors serve a three-year term.
What does the Board of Assessors do? According to the town web site, the Assessors are responsible to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue for the administration of the real estate law. They:
- determine the valuation of all real and personal property within the Town
- annually set the tax rate
- grant abatements and exemptions on property taxes to qualified applicants pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws
- assess betterments for public improvements voted by Town Meeting
- maintain complete maps, plans, valuation books, and other records on all property in the Town
The Assessors Office is staffed by a salaried Principal Assessor and hourly office staff; the Assessors contract with an outside firm for some revaluation services.
General Information |
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| Name | Gary Green
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Rena E Swezey (incumbent) |
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Declined to provide a picture | |||
| Party affiliation | Undeclared | Democrat | ||
| Address | 604 Boston Road | 60 Island Rd | ||
| Groton, MA 01450 | Groton, MA 01450 | |||
| Contact phone | (781) 248-0060 | (978) 448-1127 | ||
| [email protected] | [email protected] | |||
| WWW site | None | None | ||
Demographic Information |
Gary Green
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Rena E Swezey (incumbent) |
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| Age | 40 | “over 18″ | ||
| Vocation | Marketing Manager | Principal Assessor Town of Groton | ||
| Education | BS in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Masters in Business Administration from University of Massachusetts, Lowell |
BS in Business from Fitchburg State College MAAO Designation from the Massachusetts Assessors Association in 1990 |
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| Groton resident since: | 2009 | 1979 | ||
| Family information: | Married to my beautiful wife Heather with whom I am raising our daughter Samantha along with our two rescue dogs: Tank, a bulldog who has a cameo on PBS’s TV show “Fetch!†and Jeremy, a senior basset hound. | Single. Two children and five grandchildren. Lived in Groton on a full time basis since 1979, but have spent every summer on the lake in Groton at my family summer cottage. In 1986 the cottage was torn down and my current home built on the family property. | ||
Public service experience |
Gary Green
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Rena E Swezey (incumbent) |
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The Issues |
Gary Green
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Rena E Swezey (incumbent) |
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| Why did you decide to run for this office? | How much is your house worth? Is it anything close to the town-assessed value? The current economic crisis and real estate market has made a mess of property valuations. Fortunately, we are in a reevaluation year meaning we get to reassess the value of every property in town. This is our chance to make sure we adopt valuation models that create accurate and fair assessments and address some longstanding issues in how we rate different neighborhoods in town. | I ran for this office the first time prior to returning to work in the Groton Office. I wanted to see the appraisal work done in house rather than the town paying an outside vendor $28,800 each year to do the work that should be done in-house. I ran for my second term to service the tax payers of Groton. Working in the office on a day to day basis and keeping up with continuing education of the MAAO gives me the abilisty to keep current with Mass Appraisal Practices, Laws, and Procedures. |
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| What is the most important issue facing the town, or this office? How would you attack it? | This election is our chance to reestablish the Board of Assessors as an independent overseer of the property valuation process.
Currently, our full-time paid Town Assessor sits on the Board of Assessors. Although the state has assured us this is legal, my election will once again separate the role of paid assessor and the Board of Assessors and ensure that citizens seeking an abatement are sitting before a completely independent Board of Assessors. |
The issues are assessment values of the homes in Groton and keeping up with the market value. The Department of Revenue requires the towns to review the values on a yearly basis to be consistent with market value. Continue with the Cycical Inspection of all the properties in town to conform to the mandate by the DOR. The revaluation of all properties for Fiscal 2011 completed for certification in a timely manner. I am part of the financial team under the Town Manager and issues the town is facing for the next few years over budgets is one of the most challanging tasks I have ever been part of. | ||
| What other issues do you want to work on? | This year, Groton must reassess the value of every property in town. This gives us a chance to look at the methodology employed by Groton and the variables we use including neighborhood and house style to calculate property values. With my engineering and business experience, this is a task that I am particularly suited for and am excited to work on. |
Trying to keep more of the seniors informed as to the tax exemptions offered, the new veterans that maybe elegable for exemptions, and the tax deferral program for seniors. | ||
| What personal quality do you think is your strongest asset? | My ability to break down very complex issues and look at them from multiple angles is a strong and valuable asset. It’s important to be able to fully understand an issue in order to be able to find and communicate the best possible solution. | Ability to take a difficult task and solve it in a comprensive and reasonable manner. I take pride in using a teamwork approach to problem solving. | ||
| What other facts would you like to tell Groton voters? | After living in this area for almost 15 years, I can truly say I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. The scenery, the people, the architecture and the recreational opportunities are second to none. But after looking at every house that has been listed or sold for the last few years during our recent home search, there is definitely a need to update the models and the resulting values for all of our houses. With your help, I look forward to doing exactly that. If anyone has any questions or concerns with regards to the Board of Assessors or my candidacy, please don’t hesitate to contact me via my above listed phone number or email. |
I have been a resident in this town for 31 years. I have been in the assessing field for 23 years and have a strong commitment to public service. I am knowledgeable as to the laws and procedures relating to assessment practice. I am committed to continued education in my field to keep current in the any changes in the laws relating to assessment. I would like to continue to serve on the Board of Assessors for the taxpayers of Groton. | ||
