The Towns of Clarkson and Sweden have long shared a variety of services in order to provide those services in the most cost effective and efficient way. Some examples are the Seymour Library, Sweden/Clarkson Community Center, Brockport Fire District, even the Clarkson and Sweden building departments provide coverage and collaboration for each other.
The new assessment agreement means that Sweden’s Assessor Tammy Baker and Assistant to the Assessor Darla Emmerson will become Clarkson’s new assessment team. Tammy has 26 years of experience in municipal assessment; Darla has been in Sweden’s assessment office since 2008.
Because the two towns work together in so many ways and because they share one common assessing unit already – the Brockport School District, Tammy and Darla are already familiar with many Clarkson properties and residents.
In order to combine the assessment functions in the most efficient way, the Sweden Town Hall will serve as the home base. Work time will not be lost traveling back and forth between two different offices; the need for two sets of phone lines, computers and office equipment will be eliminated creating a savings for taxpayers.
Clarkson residents will meet with Tammy and Darla at the Sweden Town Hall, 18 State Street, just like Sweden residents do; Clarkson residents will drop off various paperwork at the Sweden Town Hall just like Sweden residents do. However, if Clarkson residents don’t want to make the trip to the Sweden Town Hall, they will still be able to drop their paperwork off at the Clarkson Town Hall and it will be forwarded to Tammy and Darla. Mail will work the same way. The staffs of both Town Halls are committed to helping Clarkson residents achieve a smooth transition.
As she does when she is in the field looking at Sweden properties, Tammy will have Clarkson identification on her vehicle and a Clarkson employee identity badge. Tammy and Darla are planning to host exemption meetings for Sweden/Clarkson seniors, perhaps bi-monthly at the new Senior Room (construction anticipated to be complete in September) at the Sweden/Clarkson Community Center.
Grievance Day will still take place individually in each town annually in May; Tammy and Darla will attend both proceedings assuring that residents and board of assessment review members have their full support.
The change takes place officially on August 15 as the Clarkson and Sweden Town Boards approved the arrangement at their most recent meetings. There are pending assessment tasks that need to be completed for both the school tax calendar and the town tax calendar.
Sharing assessors is a growing trend locally as it has become more difficult for municipalities to attract and retain staff. Closest to home, the Ogden assessor has served as the Clarendon assessor and the Batavia assessor serves as the Bergen assessor.
The anticipated savings to each town is $30,000. That is a significant savings for both sets of taxpayers and additionally Clarkson residents gain an assessment team that is both experienced and well-respected. Tammy and Darla can be reached by Clarkson and Sweden residents at 637-8683.
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