PARIS — Oxford County Administrator Scott Cole said Monday that he is reviewing a Waterford family’s request for an immediate rehearing on an appeal for a tax abatement that was denied by the Oxford County Board of Assessment Review on Thursday afternoon.
In a letter dated July 25 to Oxford County Administrator Scott Cole, John Howe, his wife, Deborah, and daughter, Virginia — whose property is the one in question — have requested the hearing rather than waiting until the new tax bill is issued, delaying the appeal process until next year.
“My first impression is much of the letter deals with town issues like noise abatement and proper regulation of the facility,” Cole said Monday. “We guarantee due process of taxable land value appeals. It’s just not the county’s place to comment (on the other issues).”
On Thursday, the Oxford County Board of Assessment Review denied the appeal for a tax abatement from Virginia C. Howe of 187 McIntire Road, in Waterford, who claims her property has been devalued because of nearby noise from a gun club.
In the 4-0 vote, Chairman Wade Rainey and members Robert Everett, William French and Fred Packard voted not to accept the application due to the untimely filing of the appeal. OXBAR member Sheila Delamater was not at the meeting.
Board members, who met at the Oxford County Superior Courthouse, shut down the appeal before testimony by Howe’s father, John Howe, and others began, since it was determined the application was filed eight days past the state-mandated time limit for recourse.
John Howe contends that they never received the Nov. 25, 2013, denial from the town of Waterford until March 25, when they requested it. Because the Howes immediately submitted an application for appeal, they say the 60-day deadline for filing an appeal was met.
Cole said even if the town did not give proper notice, the assumption was that the appeal was denied if there was no response.
Cole is expected to make a decision on how to proceed by Tuesday.
ldixon@sunjournal.com
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