What was intended as a courtesy heads-up to the Select Board turned into a contentious, hour-plus-long debate Wednesday night, as Marblehead’s Board of Assessors found themselves on the defensive over their plans to request emergency funding and their recent personnel practices.
Board of Assessors members Jonathan Lederman, right, and John Kelley, left, endure sharp questioning on Aug. 13 from Select Board members Dan Fox, Erin Noonan and Alexa Singer over the actions the assessors took to clean up the 2024 valuation crisis. CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
The Board of Assessors’ chair, John Kelley, and newest member, Jonathan Lederman, came to the joint meeting expecting to brief the Select Board on their upcoming request to the Finance Committee for $62,000 from the town’s reserve fund. Instead, they faced a barrage of questions and criticisms that exposed deep-seated tensions and a communication breakdown between town leaders.
“We thought we would front-load it off to fiscal year ’25, our current year, and in essence, do all the work,” Board of Assessors Chair John Kelley explained, outlining the board’s plan to accelerate a property revaluation originally scheduled for fiscal year 2026.
But what the assessors saw as a proactive step to address recent valuation errors quickly became a catalyst for a discussion about broader concerns over interdepartmental procedures, fiscal responsibility and public trust.
Assessors’ funding request sparks debate
The assessors’ funding request comes in the wake of significant errors discovered in the town’s 2024 property valuations, which led to a surge in abatement requests and approximately $541,000 in tax refunds. An independent audit found major issues with assessment methodology, describing adjustments as “nonsensical” and citing a “clear red flag” that was missed.
Kelley argued the funding was crucial to restore public confidence.
“We want to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” he said. “We’ve already started the next fiscal year. We have a lot of work to get done.”
However, Select Board members expressed concerns about the assessors’ approach, questioning why proper procedures weren’t followed in posting the job opening for a new assistant assessor and why alternative funding sources weren’t explored before tapping the reserve fund.
Select Board Chair Erin Noonan pushed for a more thorough vetting process. Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer criticized the assessors for not consulting key town officials, including the finance director and human resources director, before making their requests.
“The conversation about using overlay funds (a reserve for tax abatements) versus reserve funds or any other funding source should first happen with the [finance director],” said Kezer. “There needs to be a unified agreement that works for all departments involved before proceeding with any financial requests.”
The discussion frequently veered into debates over disputed communication breakdowns between town departments and confusion over recent Town Meeting-approved changes to the assessors’ reporting structure.
Assessor Jonathan Lederman defended the board’s actions, citing the urgent need to address assessment issues and restore public confidence.
“This is a time-sensitive project that needs to be dealt with, to solve right away,” Lederman said. “There is a recurring theme in this town that whenever something goes wrong, we put people on paid leave.”
The meeting also revealed ongoing tensions stemming from the termination of former Assistant Assessor Karen D. Bertolino in July. Bertolino had been on paid administrative leave since March, costing taxpayers over $35,000.
Kezer disputed the assessors’ characterization of the termination process, stating that his office had provided guidance that was not followed.
“I personally, along with our labor counsel, have been [providing guidance],” Kezer said. “To say that over several months of this playing out and then we rush it by ignoring [guidance] is putting us in jeopardy.”
The assessors maintained their actions were necessary to address the valuation crisis promptly. They argued that traditional hiring processes would have further delayed getting a qualified professional in place.
“We’re looking to solve problems here and make a decision so we can move on,” Lederman said.
Concerns over procedures, communication
Select Board member Alexa Singer emphasized the need for better collaboration between town departments.
“We have to be leaning on everyone’s expertise, even in those levels of urgency, so we’re… able to move things,” Singer said.
The Select Board members also scrutinized the town’s relationship with Patriot Properties, the software vendor responsible for the assessment system. Questions arose about the company’s role in the valuation errors and its ability to prevent such mistakes.
Select Board member Dan Fox pressed the issue, asking, “If they missed [the errors], shouldn’t they have some red flags to see what happened last year? I have a hard time understanding.”
Kelley defended the vendor, explaining that Patriot Properties’ involvement is typically limited unless specifically requested.
“They’re not responsible for looking at that and seeing if you’re making mistakes,” Kelley said. “Not unless they’re asked.”
This revelation prompted further debate about the town’s oversight and use of the software. Officials questioned whether the property-revaluation contract needed to go through a public bidding process, given that the requested work is over $50,000.
Noonan raised concerns about the system’s effectiveness, stating, “I’ve heard that the software that Patriot wants is not optimal.”
She suggested considering alternative systems like Vision, which some neighboring communities use.
Some officials suggested exploring alternative vendors, while others argued that changing systems mid-crisis could exacerbate problems.
“Should we get a different vendor?” Noonan asked. “Should we explore that?”
Kelley indicated the board was open to reviewing vendor options in the future but stressed the immediate need to address current issues.
As the meeting concluded without a clear resolution, both boards agreed to reconvene after gathering more information. The assessors were tasked with consulting the town’s finance director, clarifying procurement requirements and potentially revising their job posting for the assistant assessor position.
“I think the next step is, naturally, to talk to the finance director to see how else can we fund this?” Noonan said. “How can we get the number down and then take it from there?”
