Due to the resignation which was submitted by Ada E. Cole, member of the Board of Assessors, in February of 2003, (two and a half years ago!) and the miniscule amount of time spent in office by Mark Pitsing, it is time to change from a Board of Elected Assessors to a Sole Appointed Assessor. Â
The Town of Gardiner is one of only three towns in Ulster County still retaining elected Assessors. Â The other two towns are Hurley and Shandaken.
The primary goal is to ensure the people of the Town of Gardiner competency in the office of the Assessor. Â Property taxes have become a much greater issue in this town, as elsewhere, over the years. Â The job of the assessor has become much more complex over the past ten to fifteen years, therefore it is of the utmost importance to the taxpayers, as well as the Town, that the job of setting property values and all the other duties of the Assessor=s Office is performed by capable personnel.
Since Ms. Cole has resigned, there is a vacancy to fill. Â The Town Board has not appointed a candidate and the Political parties have not put up a candidate to run for this office. Â By changing to a Sole Appointed Assessor, the Town Board, which was elected by the voters to act in their best interest, will be able to choose from qualified people, not limited to only Town of Gardiner registered voters. Â The Town Board has appointed six of the last twelve assessors to fill existing vacancies. Â In the past twenty-four years there has been only once a contest for the position of Assessor. Â I suggest that there is no need to worry about the voters losing their right to choose. Â
An appointed Sole Assessor has to meet minimum qualifications to be appointed. Â Â A Sole Assessor has to, by law, take continued education of a minimum of 24 hours on a yearly basis. Â Â
Elected members of Boards of Assessors need to be only 18 years of age and a registered voter in the Town. Â Elected members of Boards of Assessors are not required to take continued education courses.
The office is currently staffed by the Chairman of the Board of Assessors, 35 hours a week, a member of the Board of Assessors, maybe, working a couple of hours a week and a full time clerk 35 hours a week.
During the last   twenty seven (27) years only 3 elected Assessors served more than one full four year term.  Of those two were initially appointed by the Town Board to fill an unexpired Term.  Â
Of the twelve assessors since 1982, six (6) were appointed to fill an unexpired term, of these, one served 7 months, one served 18 months, one served 11 months, one served 16 months and 2 full terms, one served from 1982 till present, and one served from 2002 till present, but has spent minimal time in office since March, when he got a full time job and rumor has it he does not live in the Town of Gardiner anymore. Â Neither the Chairman nor the Town Board has officially been notified, however. Â
Of the six elected to the Board of Assessors, one served 2 months, one choose not to take office, one served 6 months, one served 13 months and one served 19 months and one served 26 months.
Since 1987 there were seven years during which the Board of Assessors operated with only two of the required three members, including the last two and a half years. Â The high turnover has resulted in the Town spending money for training, time and time again, as well as consuming time and effort of the Chairman and second board member to train and overlook the work of the third member of the board.
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Comparison of Elected and Appointed Assessor Positions
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|
Sole  Appointed |
Sole Elected |
Elected to 3 Member
Board |
Length of term |
6 years |
6 years |
4 years |
Current term
dated |
October 1, 2001 -
September 30, 2007 |
Jan. 1 2000 -
December 31, 2005 |
1/01/02 -12/31/05
(1 member)
1/01/04 - 12/31/07
(2 members) |
Subsequent term
dates |
October 1, 2007 -
September 30, 2013 |
Jan. 1 2006 -
December 31, 2012 |
1/01/06 -12/31/09
(1 member)
1/01/08 - 12/31/11
(2 members) |
Qualifications |
Must meet experience and education standards pursuant to 188-2.4 of State Board=s rules. |
Must meet residency and age requirements |
Must meet residency and age requirements |
Required
Training |
Must earn State Certified Assessor (SCA) and Advanced (SCAA) designations. Continuing Education requirements of 24 credits per year. |
Must earn State Certified Assessor (SCA) and Advanced (SCAA) designations. Continuing Education requirements of 24 credits per year |
Must earn State Certified Assessor
(SCA) designation.
|
Method of Acquiring Office |
Appointed by
Municipal Board.
Professional, career-oriented position. |
Must run for elective
Office in locality.
Subject to voter
approval. |
Must run for elective
Office in locality.
Subject to voter
approval |
*****Â Â Â The Local law passed by the Town Board has set a minimum qualification stricter than the New York
Office of Real Property requires. Â This will ensure that only someone with the IAO designation applies for the position and this person, by virtue of that designation, has at least 5 years experience. Â This should provide for a qualified person to take the job, instead of on the job training of an elected assessor, with no experience, but who still must produce an equitable assessment roll within 5months of taking office on January 1, while learning the job.
        Comparison Appointed and Elected Assessors in New York State 2003 and 2004
Table 7. Assessment Training Status, 2003 |
Position
Held |
Total Number
of Positions |
Basic Certification |
|
|
Number
Certified |
Number
Uncertified |
County Director |
55 |
50* |
5 |
County Assessor |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Appointed Assessor |
794 |
750* |
44 |
Elected Assessor |
516 |
348 |
168 |
Real Property Appraiser** |
51 |
38 |
13 |
Assessor Candidate |
87 |
41 |
46 |
TOTAL |
1,505 |
1,228 |
277 |
*County directors and sole assessors are required to participate in continuing education courses once they are certified.
**Employee of assessor's or county director's office. |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 8. Assessment Training Status, 2004 |
Position
Held |
Total Number
of Positions |
Basic Certification |
|
|
Number
Certified |
Number
Uncertified |
County Director |
55 |
50* |
5 |
County Assessor |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Appointed Assessor |
802 |
768* |
34 |
Elected Assessor |
489 |
344 |
145 |
Real Property Appraiser** |
49 |
38 |
11 |
Assessor Candidate |
94 |
40 |
54 |
TOTAL |
1,491 |
1,241 |
250 |
*County directors and sole assessors are required to participate in continuing education courses once they are certified.
**Employee of assessor's or county director's office. |
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|
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*****   The above tables show a loss of twenty seven (27) elected assessors between 2003 and 2004.         This means nine (9) Boards of Assessors changed over to Sole Appointed Assessor.                 Distribution of Assessing Units in the State of New York                 No of Municipalities with elected Boards of Assessors            160
                No of Municipalities with appointed Assessors                     801                 No of Municipalities with elected Sole Assessors                     9                 No of Municipalities with elected Assessors prior to 1993             3    Â
<><><><>Table 13. The Changing Profile of New York Assessors
YearPercent of Municipalities With |
Appointed AssessorsElected Assessors198348%52%198654%46%199059%41%199467%33%200077%23%200179%21%200281%19%200382%18%200483%17% |
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|
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       Â
*****Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Between 1983 and 2004 elected assessors decreased by 35%
                During the same period Appointed Assessors increased by 41%
| Advantages of Sole Assessor |
1.One Person
·       Authority vested in one person instead of diffused by quorum decision of three-member elected board.
·       Focus on exactly who to see about assessments
2.Consistent Approach to Assessing
·       One instead of three interpretations of:
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