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Galen Assessor Resigns
Louise Hoffman Broach |Wayuga Editor
Tuesday, June 30 2009
CLYDE - Galen Town Assessor Kathy Davis has resigned, rather than face a misconduct hearing later this month to determine if there was enough evidence to remove her from office.
Galen Town Supervisor Steve Groat said the town board met June 24 to accept Davis’ resignation, which will be effective July 10. She will certify the town’s assessment roll before she leaves, Groat said. The vote to accept her resignation letter, dated June 15, was 3-2, with Groat and councilors Julius Vitticore and Jeff Montemorano voting yes and Richard Donselaar and Kathy Eldridge voting no.
The vote was the same to cancel the hearing, according to the meeting minutes.
The town will begin proceedings to advertise for a new assessor, Groat said.
Davis’ resignation will have no impact into an on-going criminal investigation into allegations that she improperly placed exemptions on her own property. Groat said the town is not involved in the investigation and there was nothing put in place that would encourage the investigation to end.
Wayne County Sheriff’s Lt. Robert Hetzke said the inquiry, based on a citizen’s complaint, is on-going and confirmed Groat’s comments that Davis’ resignation will have no impact.
“That’s between her and the board,” Hetzke said.
According to a finding by the town board that triggered the now cancelled hearing, Davis “allowed a property owner at 11114 Turnpike Road, Clyde, New York to claim a Star Exemption and Alternative Veteran’s Exemption on property where she knew, or had reason to know, that the owner was not a resident of the State of New York,” and “allowing her own personal Star Exemptions on 11114 Turnpike Road, Clyde, New York and 11063 Smith Road, Clyde New York for the Tax Year 2005, both properties being in her own name.”
Davis’ mother is the holder of the veterans’ exemption on the Turnpike Road property. The town contends her mother is a resident of Florida.
A group of residents looked into the assessment on Davis’ property and challenged her exemptions. Town Attorney Art Williamson found at least one of them, the veteran’s exemption, was placed on the property improperly. Davis disagreed with the finding and is fighting it in court.
Davis, who could not be reached for comment for this story, contends the exemptions placed on her property are proper and provided case citations and other information to back up her argument.
Davis did a townwide property revaluation in 2008. She came under sharp criticism from some residents regarding not only how she conducted the assessment, but the manner in which she interacted with some property owners during the grievance process. She requested the police be present on at least one occasion.
Under the new assessment values, Galen total assessed property value is $184,224,697. Galen’s taxable value is $145,127,913. A townwide reassessment was needed because the village’s equalization rate had fallen to about 84 percent, Davis argued.
Davis is also the assessor for the towns of Butler and Rose, and the Town of Naples in Ontario County.
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