KINDERHOOK–The board heard from town Assessor Thomas Griffen at their regular meeting Monday night about updating electronic assessment records. Mr. Griffen said the state reviewed the town’s computerized assessment records and said they are as accurate as they need to be.
The assessor asked the board at the October 15 meeting to transfer more money to the assessor budget line in the current year’s budget to pay for updating the records. Mr. Griffen said there are 3,900 parcels in the town. “To re-collect [the data] is a big deal and I’m not going to have time,” he said of updating the electronic records. He said the county suggested hiring “inventory collectors,” who would update the assessments, which are also called inventory, but he warned that approach is costly.
He asked the board to hire one person, whose name he did not provide at the meeting, and increase his budget, saying, “We think we can do this but we need about $10,000 for this year and next.” He said if the board allows him to hire the extra help, then they could have the updated data by May 2014.
Mr. Griffen told the board “not to hire a bunch of inventory clerks but hire this fellow who really knows what he’s doing.” Calls made after the meeting seeking the name of the person he recommended were not returned by deadline.
“This was a surprise that the state came down like this,” said Supervisor Pat Grattan, referring to the state’s comments about the records.
In response to Mr. Griffen’s request, the board adopted a motion to add $5,000 to the assessor’s budget, and Mr. Griffen said he has already requested funds for the 2013-14 budget.
The board also passed a motion to allow the Northern Columbia Little League to take the backstop and metal fencing from the baseball field at the Town Hall in Niverville and move them to the new field the league is building at Volunteer Park.
Work on the new field has already begun, said League President Dave Kolb. The league does not plan to use the Town Hall field in the future, since the board plans to move its offices and the court to Martin H. Glynn School in Valatie. The board has not set a date for moving and has not made any official decisions about what will happen to the Niverville building when town government does move, though Mr. Kolb said he was under the impression the board would sell the building and the field would no longer be available for league use.
Also at the meeting:
*Brush pick-up will continue in the town until November 12, or the first major snowfall, whichever comes first
*Board member Pasty Leader announced that the Neighborhood Watch would meet October 24 at 7 p.m. at Barnwell Nursing Home in the Valatie to discuss safety measures for Halloween. She also said there is an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in the town October 30 and 31 and November 1. The Village of Kinderhook has the same curfew hours, but the curfew in Valatie does not start until 9 p.m. on those days
*There will be a county sponsored flu shot clinic at Town Hall October 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Town Hall will also host a Rabies Clinic for pets November 3 from 2 to 4 p.m.
The next town board meeting will be Monday November 19 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall in Niverville.
To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com.
