Resident requests reassessment of grange building

SUMNER — A town resident believes that the Grange Hall should be reassessed after noticing that the front end of the building was re-sided with vinyl recently.

Before, he said that the entire front end was covered with "worn and weathered clapboard."

At Tuesday's selectboard meeting, Walter Jasniewski asked board members what recent improvements to the building would trigger a reassessment.

"Under what circumstances do you have to get a building permit?" he asked.

The Town of Sumner does not issue permits. Chairwoman Mary Ann Haxton said that the town instead issues "building notifications."

Jasniewski said the town's assessment record of the property shows that the building is covered with old clapboard, "but when you drive by it today, [you see] the front has been re-sided and there are brand new ... windows in sections [lower front and right side] of that building."

According to the record, Jasniewski said that the building's last assessment was done in 2002, when it was sold.

Because of this, he said the town is missing out "in a couple dollars in taxes."

"Nobody has caught it," he said. "There are new windows in the place; that does add value to a building."

Selectman Dan Perron insisted that clapboard and vinyl are relatively similar in value – despite the fact there are different grades of vinyl. "Vinyl could actually be considered less in some instances," he said. "If you were going to buy a house with wooden clapboard, depending on the condition, I'd imagine that's splitting hairs with the vinyl."

Jasniewski pointed out that while it's been 10 years since the Grange Hall has been reassessed, his own property has been re-evaluated "five times in the last 10 years."

He then asked the board if there is an ordinance in town that regulates the amount of work being done on a building. Perron said when the work provides over 100 square feet of space, is a structural change, or creates an assessed value of $1,000 or more, a building notification is needed.

"Before the construction, relocation, placement, expansion, or alteration of any building is commenced, the owner or his agent shall obtain a Building Notification," the ordinance reads.

However, Perron said that a building notification is not needed when replacing a shingled roof with the same material, or with material of the same value.

As far as replacement windows, Administrative Assistant Cynthia Norton said that if the condition of the house is "50-60-percent low-quality, and you're putting in new windows, it makes a difference."

Any work, including removing a section of building, added Perron, changes the value of the building, and therefore warrants a notification.

In other news, the board:

• Made a motion to place a dead-end sign at the corner of Andrews Road and Redding Road to reduce the amount of vehicles and ATVs going up Andrews Road to access a trail, upon the request of a resident who lives on Andrews Road.

• Heard from Town Clerk Susan Runes that the town is expecting to have a 10-cent mil rate increase.