FARMINGTON — Selectmen Tuesday night were given updates on the upcoming revaluation and the status of tax acquired properties.
Interim Town Manager Cornell Knight said he met last week with KRT Appraisal staff who will be conducting the revaluation expected to start this fall.
Knight provided selectmen with information about the process, along with frequently asked questions the public would be interested in.
The information will be posted on the town website, along with a link to the KRT website, where a schedule of projects and a list of impacted streets can be found, he said.
The information is critical for residents, Selectman Dennis O’Neil said. “They may not like the process,” he noted.
There are 15 tax acquired properties at this time, Knight reported.
In a memo to the board, Treasurer Tammy Bureau indicated that 22 properties had matured tax liens, as of June 7. All were sent a notice of property sale, which gave them 30 days to pay or make good faith arrangements for payment, she wrote.
The memo indicates one property is in bankruptcy, eight have given no response to letters and are recommended for foreclosure sales.
“Since then, the Governor approved LD 101, An Act to Return to the Former Owner Any Excess Funds Remaining After the Sale of Foreclosed Property,” she wrote. “With this comes new guidelines requiring the town to send revised notices. The new law requires the State Tax Assessor to generate these forms.”
Since the new forms are not yet available, Farmington would need to wait until they were, which would restart the process, Knight said.
Bureau recommended writing off two accounts, one with a balance of $110.43, the other with $129.58.
“These are prior year taxes for trailers on lots that aren’t owned, no land is involved,” O’Neil said. “There is no realistic hope of collecting.”
The board voted to write off the two accounts recommended.
The board also signed quitclaim deeds for six properties for which back taxes were paid.
In other business, a liquor license for The Roost was renewed, and a new lunch wagon permit was approved for a food truck serving authentic Mexican cuisine.
Lisa Dalrymple and her son, Zachary Dalrymple, who run the food truck called Mama Liche’s — Mainely a Taco Truck, have an agreement with Tumbledown Brewing to have the truck there from May through the fall, Zachary said. “My mom is a staple in the Spanish language department at Mt. Blue High School, is a dual citizen,” he said. They also plan do to various events.
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