East Longmeadow Assessor’s Meeting Focuses on Property Valuations

The East Longmeadow Board of Assessors meeting, held on May 29th, centered on the town’s financial and property assessment issues, including a motor vehicle excise commitment and updates on property valuations and assessments for fiscal year 2025. The meeting also addressed the awarding of a five-year contract for revaluation services and the submission of income and expense forms for commercial properties.

The most significant topic discussed was the approval of a motor vehicle excise commitment for fiscal year 2024 totaling $177,446.63. This is a routine but necessary part of the town’s revenue generation from vehicle ownership.

Another point was the discussion regarding property valuations. An update was provided on the status of Form LA-13, which is essential for the town’s personal property and real estate assessments. The completion and review of these forms are critical for ensuring readiness for fiscal year 2025. The forms help the town to maintain accurate records of personal property assets for new businesses and to assess utility companies’ properties, which require a blended valuation approach.

There was a conversation about recent property sales, with a particular sale price described as “shocking,” indicating a significant over-assessment. Additionally, the lack of new homes reported in the latest building permit report was noted.

The ongoing collection of income and expense forms from commercial and industrial property owners was highlighted. These forms, which are essential for the town to assess properties based on current market values, were still being received despite the May 15th deadline. The board encouraged late submissions, as these forms are important for interim adjustments, though it was noted that a penalty fee applies for late submissions and there comes a point when late forms are no longer useful for valuation purposes.

Lastly, the announcement of a single bid for a five-year revaluation services contract was made. The current vendor presumably submitted this bid, with the expectation of continuity in service pending the town manager’s award letter and subsequent agreement.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.

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