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LUNENBURG BOARD OF ASSESSORS
MONDAY , DECEMBER 4, 2023
BILOTTA ROOM, LUNENBURG TOWN HALL
Present Members: Vice Chair Sarah Cammer, Chair Brian Laffond, Clerk John RabbiƩ, Interim 
Principal Assessor Rena Swezey.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeƟng opened at 6:41PM. 
OPENING COMMENTS
- Board
o No board comments.
- Public
o No public comment. 
OLD BUSINESS
- Approve Minutes of: October 11, 2023 (Gap),  November 6, 2023 (with amendments), 
November 20, 2023 (if ready)
o The October 11th minutes will be addressed at the next meeƟng. 
o There was a moƟon by John RabbiƩ to approve the minutes from November 6th, 
seconded by Sarah Cammer. All in favor. 
o The minutes from November 20th were tabled to the next meeƟng as they were 
received the same day as the meeƟng.
o John RabbiƩ again confirms that the September 27th minutes are sƟll not posted 
on the website. Brian Laffond will follow up with whoever uploads minutes to the
website.
- Review and Approve Invoices, Expense Vouchers, Payroll, Billing Errors, etc.
o The following invoices and abatements were signed:
 2 invoices from CAI technology mapping company
 3 copies to sign for Motor vehicle abatements.
 5 property tax abatements for exempt properƟes 
 Sign Proforma Recap – Paper / Gateway (online)
AŌer a discussion with Heather Lemieux, it was confirmed there are no 
paper copies, but it can be signed electronically via Gateway.
 61B Acceptance of Affidavit
- Status Report from Interim Principal Assessor
Rena Swezey has been working with the tax collector, Marlene, to file the third 
quarter tax bills.  Rena Swezey has also completed the data collecƟon manual. An
email containing the manual was sent to the Board and Mike Tarello.
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There were 20 homes in the database that were classified as seasonal homes 
that were subsequently changed to the classificaƟon of summer camps.
Brian Laffond, Rena Swezey, and Heather Lemieux met with Tim Fountain from 
CAI to address the problems with the property cards. During the meeƟng there 
was a discussion about soŌware that is included in the contract that was not 
being uƟlized. There is an opportunity to update property cards to reflect a 
change in ownership that can be updated on a monthly or every few weeks basis.
Tim Fountain talked about an advanced query program which can set 
neighborhood layers and site indexes. There is a one-Ɵme cost of $1,800 for this 
addiƟonal program. 
Rena Swezey sent lot spits to CAI to digiƟze and map. Once they are digiƟzed and
mapped the Board is given 30 to 45 days to make any adjustments. The town was
approved to fix or edit unƟl December 31
st. The creaƟon of the maps will include 
the 2022 changes and January 1st of 2023. Going forward these maps will be 
updated on a yearly basis. Regarding mapping there were some sketches that 
weren’t brought over or were missing. These can be added to the map at the rate
of an addiƟonal 20 dollars per sketch. 
Sarah Cammer quesƟons if the 400 abatements can be added to property cards 
to show the abated values. If approved, they will appear on the July 1st cards.
 
- Status of Community Outreach
o Senior Center
Rena Swezey met with John RabbiƩ and provided some addiƟonal 
materials. There was a discussion about a presentaƟon date in early 
March. This would be ideal as seniors have unƟl April 1st to file 
abatements and exempƟons. To date the board currently hasn’t signed all
the applicaƟons.
John RabbiƩ has researched other local towns, specifically Groton. John 
RabbiƩ quesƟons how the town works with affordable housing and if it’s 
similar to Groton. Rena Swezey states it is a separate department that’s 
not part of the Town of Groton.
o Develop “How to read your Vision card” (for Website, other?)
From research Sarah Cammer has found a template from the Town of 
Concord that she found informaƟve. Sarah Cammer will use an example 
template to be added to the website.
- Status of requests for improved collabora Ɵon with Town Manager
o Insert for Q3 Property Tax Bills
Prior to the meeƟng Brian Laffond did speak to Heather Lemieux and 
provided the latest draŌ of the insert. Asked if she could include some 
sort of graphic depicƟon of the Ɵmeline. 
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o ExisƟng Contracts / Service Agreements / Statements of Work
 RRC PP Maintenance, Vision CAMA S/W, NearMap Arc/GIS, CAI Tax Map 
Maintenance, MFS
 Future RFP Development
- Discuss response to extensive ci Ɵzen quesƟons. - i.e. Derner, Lucks, BlaƩ.
Brian Laffond is tabling this discussion to a future meeƟng, so the board has 
addiƟonal Ɵme to review. 
- Finalize / Approve Data Collec Ɵon Manual (aka Field InspecƟon Manual)
There was a moƟon by John RabbiƩ, seconded by Sarah Cammer to accept the 
data collecƟon manual that was revised on December 4, 2023.  It was agreed 
that this will be a living document, subject to change.  All changes are to be 
approved by the BOA.   All in favor.
-P o t e n Ɵal for ad-hoc ciƟzen commiƩee(s) to aid board members
The Board has not had a chance to discuss this so this was tabled to the next 
meeƟng. 
- Website improvements
John RabbiƩ sent his presentaƟon on the day of the meeƟng and all the board 
members couldn’t review so there was no in-depth conversaƟon.
RecommendaƟons to improve website include adding: a vision statement, 
mission statement, ethics statement, past tax assessment invesƟgaƟons, news 
secƟon just for the assessor’s department, picture of members, agenda center, 
link to YouTube meeƟngs. All these ideas will be run by Heather Lemieux for 
further discussion and recommendaƟons.
 Melrose vs Lunenburg review
 Add Data CollecƟon Manual
 Add link to YouTube of MeeƟngs
 Create and Add “How to read my Vision Card”
 Other (Board vs. Department?)
NEW BUSINESS
- CAI – Currently we “freeze” Property Record Card as of January 1 each year
o Discuss updaƟng more frequently
The board approved that changes can be added to living documents when 
necessary.
- Guidelines for Public Comment
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Brian Laffond states that some comments from the Board and the public can be 
lengthy and off topic.  There was a discussion about seƫng a Ɵme limit for all 
comments.  If there is a lengthy discussion it should be added to the agenda.
- Review Property Cards for recent abatement requests / Inves Ɵgate differences
o Assessment ReconciliaƟon – Sample Findings
This discussion is tabled to the next meeƟng.
o Most “Neighborhood” designaƟons are currently not populated (or nil)
The town doesn’t have many neighborhoods and Rena Swezey states that
the DOR prefers a lesser number of neighborhoods. This will be reflected 
on the new maps from CAI. 
-C o r r e cƟve AcƟon Request proposal (includes Tracking / Closure)
o John RabbiƩ suggests that a methodology be put in place to assure that the 
processes put in place stay reliable. If a mistake is made to idenƟfy the problem 
and try to remedy it. An invesƟgaƟon into the root cause to decrease repeats.
o Rena Swezey states that property record cards have an audit trail to reflect 
changes. The only changes that are reflected are new construcƟon, exempƟons, 
and abatements.
o Brian Laffond confirms that a root cause of issues needs to be found versus a 
specific change. People who are qualified to do the work will have the data 
collecƟon manual. 
FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS
- Review and Approve Senior / Veterans Exemp Ɵons
This will be discussed aŌer the first of the year and will be brought to the town 
meeƟng in May.
o Discuss implicaƟons for FY2024
- Review and Approve Chapter Land Exemp Ɵons
The board confirms that this will be a long process and include a lot of signatures
from the Board.  
-S o Ōware – Xembly discussion
This was added as a future agenda topic for upcoming meeƟng.
- Policy Establishment / Review-
The board feels that this has been addressed and can be removed from any future 
agendas as this is being implemented.
o Land Value Policies / Propose Criteria
o Building Value Policies / Propose Criteria: New Categories
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o Data Storage. (i.e. Reason for previous approval of abatement)
o Document Control
- Schedule Future Zoom Session fo r Public Q&A with Nate Cramer
Nate Cramer has responded to the quesƟons previously provided. 
CLOSING COMMENTS
- Public
Dave MacDonald - 155 Island Road- thanks the Board for their work. Brian Laffond 
expresses that their goal is to re-create trust within the town.
Carl Luck - 50 Sunset Lane - shares his ongoing concern regarding abatement values and 
vision cards. Carl Luck looked at over 100 properƟes that were listed as good and noted 
that every good property from the 2024 vision card was inflated by 8%. Carl Luck wants 
to know where the calculaƟons are to support the percent increase. There is sƟll a 
request to see the numbers from qualified sales numbers, ASR, to draŌ report 
recommendaƟon and final recommendaƟons. Rena Swezey confirms there will be a total
field review completed for 2024. AddiƟonally, a whole new land schedule will take place 
and a drive by on every street. The Board will confirm but believes that Mike Tarello will 
be starƟng all over with a clean slate. Regarding ad hoc Carl Luck believes that there are 
tasks that residents can help with. One suggesƟon is to create a Ɵmeline of the process. 
Carl Luck also shares that these subcommiƩees should be formal. Brian Laffond agrees 
and confirms that any meeƟngs will be held in the public eye. Brian Laffond confirms 
that the suggesƟon of the subcommiƩee name of ad hoc was specifically regarding the 
fact that these residents would not have voƟng rights.
-B o a r d
o Sarah Cammer suggests creaƟng a One drive for the assessor’s board to assure 
that documents are being archived electronically. 
o There was a moƟon by Sarah Cammer, seconded by John RabbiƩ to accept the 
minutes compiled by Rena Swezey from the execuƟve session on October 11th 
and November 6th. All in favor. These minutes can be added to the file but not 
publicly posted unƟl Abatement/ ATB resoluƟon. 
o John RabbiƩ posed a quesƟon in regard to the Tanner Cole Property (61B). Rena 
Swezey states there is no word yet and the selectman has 120 days to act.
ADJOURN
MoƟon to adjourn by John RabbiƩ, seconded by Sarah Cammer.
The meeƟng closed at 8:50 PM.