CAMDEN — Tuesday evening, April 19, Camden selectmen voted to give town employees a 2 percent wage increase, a move that ran counter to the Budget Committee’s recommendation that no raises be included in next year’s municipal budget.

In another vote, four of the five selectmen agreed to relinquish their role as assessors, a move that requires approval of such a charter change at annual town meeting by the general public.

It is now up to Camden voters to decide both matters at annual town meeting. 

Currently, the Select Board duties include being selectmen, assessors, overseers of the power, and wastewater commissioners.

Selectman Leonard Lookner opposed the measure to eliminate the assessor role. He said that by turning over assessors’ duties to a single assessor, the town is eroding its function as “the peoples’ government.”

The proposed charter change will ask Camden voters to establish a single assessor, rather than having the Select Board serve as the Board of Assessors. It will appear on the June Town Meeting warrant.

“That’s one-quarter of our responsibilities,” said Lookner. “It is tradition — 225 years, you are just throwing it away in one night?”

Currently, Camden has a hired assessor’s agent, and an assistant, who keep track of valuations and assessments, and property taxes. If there is an abatement request, he or she takes it before the selectmen (assessors), who either grant or deny it.

According to longtime selectman John French, there has been but one occasion in his history on the select board when the assessors disagreed with the assessor’s agent recommendation.

If there is a dispute between the taxpayer and the assessors in Camden, then the matter goes to the town’s Board of Assessment Review. That has been the governmental structure for decades, if not centuries.

Now, however, more towns are establishing their own offices of fulltime assessors. With that evolution, there has been the creation of the County Board of Assessment Review, to which property tax disputes are delivered.

Camden’s assessor’s agent has proposed to change the position of the assessor’s agent to assessor, which is followed by the change in oversight by the selectmen as the town’s assessors.

While the majority of the Camden Select Board has no issue with absolving themselves of the assessor duties, Lookner did. 

He said the public’s business should remain transparent and in the public’s eye.

“The point is, we are giving up the power of the people,” he said. “It is not public record in the same way.”

His colleagues, however, argued that trained assessors, who take 150-hour-courses and are immersed in the business, are better equipped to decide on property tax matters.

“They are looking at properties to make sure they are assessed properly,” said French, who is Select Board chairman.

He added that the selectmen will still be able to receive assessor reports and to be kept apprised of abatements.

 Lookner said he did not dispute the professionalism of the assessor’s agent, but said that by moving abatement requests before the select board (acting as assessors) in open meetings is: “A step that brings it to the public. If it stays within the assessor's office it doesn't become part of the public record. We have one tonight [that concerned a $27.91 requested personal property abatement request]. To me it's important that it's brought forward to the public. I don't think we are that busy that we can't do it.”

He said the proposed charter change, continues “to water down the peoples’ government.”

The County Board of Assessment Review has existed for six years, and Lookner said he approved doing away with the town’s Board of Assessment Review in favor of a county appeals board.

Selectman Martin Cates said the professionals who are versed on state standards should handle the assessment duties.

“I like the professional dealing with it, and it is up front,” he said.

“I’m not arguing with the professional,” said Lookner. “There has never been a reason not to approve [the recommendations.].”

“We are very fortunate to have two capable people in the assessor's office,” said selectman Don White.

Lookner said that was not the point.

“We are giving up a quarter of our responsibilities,” he said. “I don't want to see us give up the opportunity to have assessments come before us.  It gives up the opportunity to see if we are staying within the confines of our evaluation.”

Expenditure restorations 

The selectmen also agreed, April 19, to restore some funding that had been cut by the Budget Committee in the town’s 2016-2017 proposed budget. The restorations included $69,700 for information technology software fees, $133,600 for the capital improvement program, $1,000 for streets and sidewalks, and $20,000 for the public landing improvement planning.

That brings the current proposed budget for Camden’s 2016-2017 fiscal year (July 1-June 30) to $7.4 million. The budget will appear before voters at annual town meeting in June.

This represents a 3.54 percent, or $253,000, increase over the existing 2015-2016 Camden municipal budget of $7.1 million.

The Budget Committee had recommended on March 31 a $7.3 million budget, with a 2.99 percent increase over the current year.

The budget has yet to be finalized at a public hearing, which is scheduled for May 3. After that, it will be printed on the warrant that will be considered by all attending Camden citizens at annual Town Meeting, on June 14.

There was discussion at the April 19 Select Board meeting about the additional $10,000 that had been restored for new computer purchases, and the $10,000 necessary for a new server.

“What is acceptable and what is over the top,” asked Lookner. “Do we think we have the kind of wealth as a community to think we can get whatever we want?”

Lookner questioned his colleagues’ reasoning.

“I am the Bernie Sanders democrat, and you guys want to spend money,” he said.

He listed several more proposed expenditures.

“It comes down to the level of service,” said French. He was adamant that it is important for town employees to have a 2 percent pay increase.

Dave Nazaroff, who has been chairman of the Camden Budget Committee for several years, and has served nine years on that committee, told the selectmen that he had “never experienced a group of folks who have been so engaged” as those who served this year on the Budget Committee.

“It has typically been a five-night gig,” said Nazaroff. “This year, it went seven weeks. A lot of folks spent many hours doing home work on this budget. There was a lot of dialog about tax increases and revenue going down, and lack of ability to keep up with the costs of the town.”

He said the general consensus on the committee was to: “cut back or at least hold the line. Next year will see some of the same group and some of the same sentiment.”

Nazaroff said he supporting putting money into capital improvement funds.

“That is a long-sighted way of doing things,” he said. “If not, we leave a legacy to next generation with a lot of expenses.”

The Camden Select Board ended the discussion by giving a standing ovation to the Camden Budget Committee.

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657