Tag Archives: Rolling reassessment

No explanation at all

At their August 12 meeting, the Mayor & Council invited a Borough tax lawyer to address a mystery:

Why had the lawyer called off a property tax proposal, claiming in writing that “the Borough Council has decided not to proceed with the request this year,” when, in fact, the Council would not even vote on the matter for another week?

https://chathamborough.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=256 starting around 2:06:00, and reported at https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/news/articles/chatham-residents-question-whether-borough-council-vote-on-rolling-reassessment-was-a-sham-vote-after-letter-revealed

The lawyer must have had some reason for saying that. Instead of revealing the reason, he seemed determined to fall on his sword, claiming full responsibility for the debacle. “It is my fault,” he insisted. “I just should have said that the Governing Body has not yet given me that authorization.”

So, why didn’t the tax lawyer say that? Why did he tell the Tax Board otherwise? The Mayor & Council never asked that key question, and the lawyer never volunteered an explanation.

https://chathamborough.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=256 reported at https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/articles/chatham-borough-tax-lawyer-offers-mea-culpa-for-canceling-hearing-that-preceded-sham-vote-on-rolling-reassessment-plan;

When will the Mayor & Borough Council get to the bottom of this situation and reveal what prompted the lawyer to notify the Tax Board that the Council had decided something, when in fact it had not?

When will the Mayor & Council tell us what they’re doing to make sure nothing of the sort ever happens again?

Who did this?

Who told the Borough tax lawyer to call off the rollin reassessment at least a week before the Council voted on it?

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/news/articles/chatham-residents-question-whether-borough-council-vote-on-rolling-reassessment-was-a-sham-vote-after-letter-revealed

“It was not a sham vote,” insisted the Mayor, saying she wasn’t aware of the discrepancy until two weeks later, when Bob Weber showed proof at the 7/8 Council meeting.

Now the Mayor needs to find out who made that call behind her back and let us residents know.

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/sections/government/articles/chatham-borough-administrator-email-explains-behind-the-scenes-maneuvering-associated-with-rolling-reassessment-decision?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0qo8pJRehxHwQXntFkChEfi1a9ZtAK6bwifZcLPf8G1UX35830oJO8x2g_aem_dPs2URZRlpI54We43GFXsQ