Select Board reviews six tax-deed cases; waives deed for one property and delays others

At the Select Board meeting, the town's tax-collection officer, Jackie, told members six properties are eligible for tax deed because of unpaid 2023 property taxes and that the deed date is set for Sept. 4. She said the town includes deed waivers in packets for board consideration and that interest on outstanding liens accrues at 14% annually.

Board members reviewed each parcel individually. The board agreed to waive the tax collector's deed for 3 Ann Street (map/lot referenced in the record) on the condition the owner come into Town Hall and enroll in a reasonable payment plan; the motion passed by voice vote after a second. The chair stressed the waiver is contingent on a demonstrable payment plan and warned that the board will revisit the matter if the plan is not followed.

For a small unbuildable Flint Pond well-site parcel carrying a modest balance, the board agreed to waive the deed temporarily to gather more information about the parcel and to avoid town ownership of a liability. For other larger accounts where certified notices were returned with no substantive response, the board declined to grant waivers and staff was instructed to proceed toward deeding if no resolution is reached before the September deed date.

Staff summarized alternatives available to the board: accept the tax collector's deed, set payment plans, or postpone deeding (which may allow additional liens to accrue). The board noted renters on deeded properties may risk eviction and emphasized staff's efforts to contact owners.

The board's actions were procedural votes recorded in the public minutes; where waivers were granted the board recorded the motion and the conditional terms in the meeting record.