Arden Board of Assessors

established by the Act to Reincorporate, section 7

The Board of Assessors is an independent body of seven assessors. It is not a committee of the Town Assembly, but the Board does make reports at town meetings.

The Board of Assessors establishes the land rent rates for Arden leaseholds, according to the principle of “full rental value” of the land. The “Community Standard of Living Method of Arden Assessment” defines total “Full Rental Value” of the leaseholds as the sum of town expenses (both “non-budget” in the form of county and school taxes, and “budget” as embodied in the town’s budget), and the cost of administering the trust, while maintaining a “prudent reserve”. This method divides full rental value by acreage of land held privately in leaseholds, such divisions determined by assessors’ formulas. The formulas, which are intended to reflect the relative value of leaseholds, are based on lot size, zoning privileges and location factors. Since there is no formula as to how to calculate “full rental value,” this is no simple task.

Nominations and Elections

Nominations are made at the September town meeting; election is by referendum in the fall, using the Hare System of Proportional Representation.

The 2021 Board of Assessors are as follows: Deborah Ricard/Chair, John Scheflen/Secretary, Brooke Bovard, Denis O’Regan, Gary Quinton, Elizabeth Varley and Tom Wheeler. (Elected Nov. 2020)

Assessments

The recommended assessment for the following year is presented at the June town meeting (4th Monday in June, 7:30 p.m.)

Links

Board of Assessors – Town Charter

Click here for Committee Descriptions: full text (This web page includes the description of the Board of Assessors)

2021

Board of Assessors Meeting Times 2021

All meetings are scheduled via Zoom using the following recurring sign-in information:

Meeting ID 823 0858 2105 & Passcode 179762

Dial in 1-301-715-8592

(Call 302-690-4228 for problems with connections. Thank you for your patience during this pandemic time.)

January 6 @ 7:30 pm – Convener Meeting
January 18 @ 7:30 pm – Premise for assessment, A Rate, Lot Sizes
February 3rd @ 7:30 pm – B Rate & ADU discussion; March 3rd @ 7:30 pm – Factors
April 7th @ 7:30 pm – C and D Rates
May 5th @ 7 pm – Public Forum
May 5th @7:30 pm – ADU Discussion
June 2nd @ 7 pm – Public Forum
June 2nd @ 7:30 pm – meeting, if needed
June 23rd @ 7:30 pm – meeting, if needed

2021 BOA Report FINAL 2022 Land Rent Assessment by 2021 BOA – June 2021