[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 313, § 1, enacted 3-30-1978, amended Art. VII to read as herein set out. Prior to amendment, Art. VII consisted of Secs. 6-34–6-38 and was derived from R. O. 1947, Ch. 23, §§ 1-5. Sections 6-36A and 6-38A have been redesignated as Secs. 6-36.1 and 6-38.1 in order to preserve Code format. Ord. No. 313 became effective upon the passage of a special act of the legislature, 5-18-1978.
[Ord. No. 313, § 1, 3-30-1978; Ord. No. 451, § 1, 6-8-1983; Ord. No. 1147, § IV, 9-29-2015]
In accordance with the provisions of Article 10, Section 10-6, of the City Charter, there is hereby established and created a Board of Assessors consisting of three members in accordance with the provisions of MGL c. 41, § 24.
[Ord. No. 313, § 1, 3-30-1978; Ord. No. 451, § 1, 6-8-1983; Ord. No. 610, § 4, 7-8-1988; Ord. No. 706, § 1, 5-28-1992; Ord. No. 1103, § XII, 11-25-2014]
A. 
The Mayor shall appoint one Assessor annually during their term of office as soon as practicable and subject to City Council approval. Each Assessor shall hold office for a three-year term and thereafter until a successor is duly appointed, or until removed in accordance with MGL c. 43, § 61. In accordance with Article 10, Section 10-6(a), of the City Charter, the Board of Assessors shall choose its own Chair, Vice Chair, a Secretary and any other officers that it deems necessary.
[Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
B. 
Appointments to fill vacancies caused by the retirement, death, resignation or removal of an Assessor shall be made by the Mayor, subject to confirmation or rejection by the City Council as soon after such occurrence as is practicable. Any Assessor so appointed shall serve for the remainder of the term of the position so vacated and thereafter until a successor is duly appointed and confirmed.
C. 
An appointment to fill a vacancy left by an Assessor whose three-year term has expired shall be deemed to commence on the day following the expiration of the most recently expired three-year term.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 6-35.1, Commencement and termination of terms, adopted by Ord. No. 610, § 5, 7-8-1988, which immediately followed, was repealed 11-13-2025 by Ord. No. 1332.
[Ord. No. 313, § 1, 3-30-1978; Ord. No. 399, § 1, 6-1-1981; Ord. No. 451, § 1, 6-8-1983; Ord. No. 582, §§ 1-3, 5-15-1987; Ord. No. 610, § 1, 7-8-1988; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
A. 
Three Assessors shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation or rejection by the City Council; one of said Assessors shall be designated by the Mayor as an Assessor/Appraiser. In the case of a new appointment, the Mayor shall so designate at the time when the appointment is submitted to the City Council.
B. 
Upon confirmation by the City Council, the persons so appointed shall serve as Assessors for the full term of their office and until their successors are appointed and confirmed and shall not during the incumbency of their office engage directly or indirectly in any real estate or real-estate-related business or profession.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 6-36.1, Compensation of incumbent assessors, adopted by Ord. No. 313, § 1, 3-30-1978, as amended by Ord. No. 451, § 1, 6-8-1983, which immediately followed, was repealed 11-13-2025 by Ord. No. 1332.
[Ord. No. 313, § 1, 3-30-1978; Ord. No. 451, § 1, 6-8-1983; Ord. No. 563, § 1, 1-26-1987; Ord. No. 706, § 1, 5-28-1992; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
A. 
All Assessors appointed hereunder shall jointly constitute the Board of Assessors and shall jointly and severally perform all duties required by general law to be performed by an assessor or board of assessors in a city or town. These duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) 
Timely assessment of all real and personal property subject to taxation under MGL c. 59, as amended.
(2) 
Receiving and making determinations on applications for abatement or exemption of real estate and personal property taxes under MGL c. 59 and motor vehicle and trailer excises under MGL c. 60A.
(3) 
Annually delivering to the Tax Collector a list of the assessment of taxes and furnishing the Tax Collector, upon request, with full and exact descriptions of all lands, with the names and addresses of the owner thereof, that became liable to sale or taking for nonpayment of taxes.
(4) 
Maintaining all records in compliance with applicable general law.
(5) 
Furnishing the Commissioner of Corporation and Taxation, or their successor designate, with all information required to be so furnished in accordance with applicable general law.
B. 
The Board shall hold regular meetings for the purpose of transacting any and all business where approval of a majority of the Board shall be required under applicable general law. Minutes shall be kept for each such meeting and shall be maintained by the Board as part of its official records.
C. 
The Chair shall be the administrator of the Board of Assessors and, in addition to the above-enumerated duties, shall be responsible for the following:
(1) 
General administrative supervision of all Board duties, including the allocation of workload among individual Board members.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 6-38, Compensation, adopted by Ord. No. 313, § 1, 3-30-1978, as amended by Ord. No. 451, § 1, 6-8-1983, and Ord. No. 610, § 2, 7-8-1988; and former Sec. 6-38.1, Assistant assessors; appointment; duties, adopted by Ord. No. 313, § 1, 3-30-1978, as amended by Ord. No. 451, § 1, 6-8-1983; Ord. No. 610, § 3, 7-8-1988; and Ord. No. 1103, § XIII, 11-25-2014, which immediately followed, were repealed 11-13-2025 by Ord. No. 1332.