Assessor - City of North Adams - North Adams

Assessor

North Adams

Full Time

Professional

Associate Degree
Required

5+
Required

Class D driver's license, Mass Accredited Assessor Cert. - Preference: Required

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Assessor manages the assessment and appraisal function for the City of North Adams, including establishing property valuations, preparing taxable property inventory lists, insuring timely Department of Revenue certification to establish the City tax rate, preparing and defending assessments before the appellate Tax Board, maintaining and enhancing City based records, providing appraisal support to City administration, in accordance with State and local statutes and regulations, and the policies of the Board of Assessors.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Supervises the general management and administration of the Assessors’ Office.
• Appraises and/or supervises the appraisal of residential, commercial, industrial, and personal property for the City; conducts inspections of property, as necessary and appropriate, in order to maintain a uniform, full market value on all property; oversees the city-wide revaluing of property every five years.
• Establishes taxable values for new, remodeled, or enlarged residential, commercial, and industrial buildings according to market data, replacement cost, and/or capitalization of income approach; examines deeds, maps, building plans and permits, personal records and market data to obtain additional valuation data and to locate all taxable property.
• Inspects the location of new businesses to determine the values of taxable personal property, such as office machinery and equipment, farm machinery, etc.
• Oversees the data entry of appraisal information into the computerized appraisal system for completeness and accuracy; appraising and supervising the appraisal of all real and personal property to maintain 100% fair market value annually.
• Answers questions from property owners and members of the banking, legal, and development community; works with individual taxpayers to negotiate their assessment, if necessary.
• Reviews all abatements and makes decisions to present to the Board of Assessors for final approval; defends decisions of the Board of Assessors at Appellate Tax Board.
• Brings before the Board of Assessors issues that arise in the course of appraising property in the city; seeks approval of the Board of Assessors.
• Oversees the preparation of the required reports for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; assists in the preparation of the recapitulation report.
• Supervises the commitment of real estate, personal property, motor vehicle, and special assessment tax bills to the Tax Collector.
• Supervises the maintenance of department records and parcel maintenance for GIS.
• Prepares and administers the department’s budget.
• Chair and serves as a member of the Board of Assessors

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Associate Degree or equivalent, and 3 to 5 years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience?in assessing.?M.A.A. Certification required within 2 years of employment.?Requires a Class D motor vehicle license. Requires completion of the Department of Revenue Course of training, and the passing of a written examination prepared by the State Revenue Commissioner within two years of appointment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The majority of work is performed in an office setting. 

PHYSICAL, MOTOR, AND VISUAL SKILLS
 
Physical Skills
Minimal physical demands are required to perform most of the work.  The work principally involves sitting, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing.  May be required to lift objects such as files, boxes of papers, office supplies, and office equipment weighing up to 30 pounds. 

Motor Skills
Duties require motor skills for activities such as moving objects, using office equipment, including but not limited to telephones, personal computers, handheld technology, and other office equipment. 

Visual Skills 
Visual demands require routinely reading documents, construction plans and blueprints for general understanding and analytical purposes.