New company to wrap up revaluation

Written by Marla Hoffman
Thursday, 29 October 2009 10:56

After more than a year of handling an unresolved revaluation under a contract with Total Valuation Services, the Town Council voted to approve a contract with a new company to tie up the loose ends.

Tyler Technologies, Inc. will conclude the revaluation in time for the town to use the 2008 Grand List in the next fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2010.

The Courier reported in February that Total Valuation Services, which was contracted for the town’s 2008 reassessment and revaluation, was in hot water with residents after some discrepancies were found in the company’s numbers and property information.

The state Office of Policy and Management (OPM) granted Monroe an extension on the revaluation, something no other town had been given in 24 years, according to First Selectman Thomas Buzi.

The contract with Tyler does not require a total reassessment of properties, said Assessor Liz Duffy at Monday night’s council meeting. Tyler will complete the final phases of the revaluation process, and correct any leftover flaws that came about as a result of Total Valuation’s assessments. Duffy’s office worked this entire year on appeals and correcting errors on the assessments.

While Duffy does not expect many changes, she said those who receive new assessments on their properties will be allowed the opportunity to appeal.

The council discussed the contract with Tyler at length, spending some time discussing a performance bond, which would secure the town in case Tyler neglected on their responsibilities.

Among several amendments to the contract, the council concurred that Town Attorney Fred Martin will ask Tyler to pay the bond fee, about 2% or $3,000. If Tyler is unwilling to pay the fee, the town will take up the expense, said Martin.

In the end, all four Democrats and Republicans Enid Lipeles and Tony Unger voted to pass the contract; Republicans Patrick O’Hara and Jeff Guttman voted against.

O’Hara argued that the council should not vote on the contract until all the changes they had made were written in, and also until OPM had given its approval.

But Martin argued that OPM will see the contract when it is complete, and it would delay the process and push the deadline if the council did not approve it without OPM’s approval.

Tyler’s work must be completed by February 2010 in order for the town to be eligible to use the 2008 Grand List. Councilmen Raymond Knapp and Phyllis Kansky also stressed the importance of approving the contract.

During public participation, Treasurer John Fracassini said he thought a Town Meeting was necessary, to authorize the additional cost for the revaluation.

Buzi replied that enough money is already available, because the town allocated $360,000 when Total Valuation was contracted for the revaluation. Since Total Valuation did not complete its duties, only $197,000 was paid out, leaving roughly $160,000 for the town to use to pay Tyler.

Martin concluded that a Town Meeting was not needed because the money had already been appropriated for use on the revaluation.

The town’s hope, said Buzi, is that residents will get a fair assessment of their homes.

“We’re going to make sure the residents get the most equitable valuation of their property,” he said.