Revaluation Reps Covering Newtown By The Inch

By John Voket

Jay Cembruch stepped from his compact Scion hatchback one recent morning on Diamond Drive and surveyed the line of modest homes along the block like a man on a mission. As a field representative for Total Valuation Services, he is one of a half-dozen bonded agents who will continue to work through the community measuring or confirming existing information about the size and features of virtually every building.

Using information supplied by the local assessor’s office, Mr Cenbruch will confirm existing data, making the necessary notations if information like the size of a new deck or shed is missing from the municipal records. When his company’s field work wraps up sometime this summer, the assessor’s office staff will begin calculating new values that should be available by November, according to Assessor Tom DeNoto.

Armed with tape measure, clipboards or tablet computer terminals, and identification, the Total Valuation Services representatives will knock on thousands of doors before their job is complete. And since Newtown’s population is predominantly employed during the crews’ weekday hours, many will be returning by appointment to complete interior information when it is deemed necessary.

Mr DeNoto said that while much of the existing information on residential field cards will remain unchanged, there are certain cases that will merit a mandatory interior inspection.

“If we have a situation where it is pretty clear there is a finished basement, and the homeowner may claim it is unfinished, we will be going in for a visual confirmation,” Mr DeNoto said. “Or if it appears to our inspectors that there are several bedrooms and the owner is claiming just one.”

Prior to revaluation agents arriving in local neighborhoods, homeowners are mailed a notice describing what will occur during the inspection, so homeowners should not be surprised to see a person on their property taking measurements. And if someone failed to get the reminder, or disposed of it, local police are well aware of the whereabouts of the assessor’s workers if they happen to get a call.

The mild weather this winter has permitted the field agents to catch up and even surpass their projected goals for data collection after a slow start last summer. At press time, Mr DeNoto believes about 15 percent of the community has already been completed.

In the event interior inspections are required, the assessor said confirmation cards will be sent to the particular homeowners. If the owner notes any specific discrepancies, they can either take it up with the field representative upon their return, or contact the town at 270-4240 during normal daytime business hours.

Mr DeNoto said homeowners should expect to see field workers moving into the following areas in the coming weeks:

Abbotts Hill Road, Arlyn Ridge Road, Bayberry Hill Road, Bears Hill Road, Beaver Dam Road, Blanches Walk, Blue Spruce Drive, Boggs Hill Road, Brushy Hill Road, Bryan Lane, Castle Meadow Road, Cold Spring Road, Daves Lane, Dover Circle, Drummer’s Lane, Dug Hill Road, Elm Drive, Fern Lane, Fieldstone Drive, Flintlock Trail, and Floral Heights.

Also, Galilee Way, Golden Pond Road, Green Knolls Lane, Guinea Road, Hattertown Road, Head of Meadow Road, Hundred Acres Road, Huntingtown Road, Jacobs Lane, Jet Brook Road, Kay Lane, Key Rock Road, Kip Lane, Lantern Drive, Lazy Brook Road, Longview Heights, Lori Lynne Circle, Maltbie Road, Meadowbrook Road, Monitor Hill Road, North Branch Road, and Old Town Road.

Also, Orchard Hill Road, Ox Hill Road, Palestine Road, Pastors Walk, Phyliss Lane, Pine Tree Hill Road, Platts Hill Road, Quaker Lane, Shepard Hill Road, Short Hill Road, Steck Drive, Stonewall Ridge Road, Sugar Hill Road, Sweet Meadow Road, Sycamore Drive, Washbrook Road, West Farm Ridge Road, White Oak Farm Road, Wiley Lane, Willow Brook Lane, and Winton Farm Road.