Financial Assistant, Assessor's Office

Overview

 The Town of Adams is seeking a qualified individual to fill a full-time Financial Assistant III position with the Office of the Assessor. This is an 35hr/week position with benefits and a range of $21.93-23.04/ hour commensurate with experience.  The Financial Assistant III performs a full range of administrative and secretarial functions in direct support of the Chief Assessor. This person must be organized, have the ability to meet deadlines, work independently, and interact frequently with the public to field inquiries and resolve department related issues. Attention to detail and accuracy is vital. This position performs a variety of administrative functions such as maintenance of official records and documents pertaining to real estate, personal property, motor vehicle excise, and various property tax relief programs. The position requires an Associate’s Degree in a similar or related field and a minimum of three to five years’ experience in an office setting. Computer literacy is required.  An application may be located on the Town’s website at www.town.adams.ma.us and must accompany a cover letter and resume. Please submit to the Town Administrator’s Office via postal mail, in person at Adams Town Hall, 8 Park Street, 2nd Floor, Adams MA, 01220 or email to employment@town.adams.ma.us. Applications are due by 12 PM on Friday, May 24th, 2024.

General Duties

• Administrative, bookkeeping, and clerical support work assisting a department head to discharge the duties of the office; all other related work as required.

 Supervision

• Works under the general direction of the department head or other supervisory personnel.
• Performs varied and responsible duties which range in nature from routine to complex and which require the exercise of judgment in situations not clearly defined by precedent or established procedures. May be required to exercise considerable judgement to work independently in the absence of the department head.
• In the absence of the Assessor, make decisions necessary to ensure the flow of the office.  

Job Environment

• Work is performed in typical office conditions.
• Operates computers, calculators, and other office equipment.
• Makes frequent contact requiring courtesy, patience and tact with other town departments, the public, other local state and federal agencies.
• Errors could result in monetary loss to the town, confusion, and delay of service, and cause adverse public relations.
• Has access to department related confidential information. Included in this information is material related to Appellate Tax Board Cases, exemption applications, abatement applications, and motor vehicle information – which includes owner’s social security number, driver’s license number and registration number – which if disclosed could have legal or financial repercussions.

Essential Functions

• Incumbent must perform any or all of the following essential functions depending upon office assignment.
• Prepares property sales reports; reviews deeds and plans received monthly from Registry of Deeds; files reports with the State.
• Reviews maps and prepares reports on changes in maps and other property data; assists public in reading maps; enters data of all property changes (i.e., billing or appraisal changes) into computer; updates property record cards (field card).
• Prepare scale drawings of properties for field record cards. Update maps for Cartographic with new or demolished buildings.
• Reviews and records building permits; schedules field visits; research property data.
• Assists the public in filling out exemption and abatement forms, making certain the applications are filed in a timely fashion; keeps records and reports monthly to Tax Collector.
• Maintain and update files on all real estate and on all businesses, industries and individuals subject to personal property and real estate tax. This includes classifying all property according to state mandates.
• Maintain and update office files on persons eligible for the various statutory property tax exemptions.
• Maintain and update office files on special purpose exemptions (Chapter 121, 61). This includes non-profit organizations, housing authorities, farmland, forestland, TIF agreements.
• Annually issue form of list inventory forms for personal property. Maintain accurate records for those who have filed versus those who have not. Mail income and expense forms.
• Maintain and update files on motor vehicle excise tax bills. This includes checking each bill for place of garaging, duplicates, or exempts. Those that are garaged in other communities must be sent to the correct city or town. Also, correction forms are sent to the Registry of Motor Vehicles regarding incorrect garaging, values, etc.
• Maintain and update dealer and repair plates for motor vehicle excise billing. Rebill motor vehicle excise bills that come in from various communities to the Town of Adams.
• Compute actual value of each batch of motor vehicle excise bills after all adjustments and notify through issuance of a warrant the Tax Collector and Accountant.
• Process motor vehicle abatements in a timely manner. Abatements are granted when plates are returned, or cars are sold or traded. Send monthly totals to the Tax Collector and Accountant.
• Maintain accurate records for new growth figures needed for the State and the completion of form LA-13.
• Update real estate ownership in the computer to reflect property sales as of January 1.
• Prepare monthly warrants authorizing the Tax Collector to receive payments on various tax bills. Compute totals and file with the Town Accountant.
• Maintain and update the payment of office bills, keeping track of the budget and the needs of the office. Pay bills through the Munis system.
• Mail sales verification questionnaire monthly.
• Assists the Assessor in the compilation of data for the tax recap and the setting of the tax rate.
• Assist the Assessor in completing state-mandated programs.
• Complete state required documentation in a timely manner to ensure reimbursement to the Town of Adams.
• Maintain the integrity of the office while the Assessor is out of the office doing field work. Field work includes state mandated cyclical inspections. Annually, one fifth of the town needs to be visited and records updated as part of the ongoing inspection program. Additional tasks include updating the computer and field cards once the Assessor has finished the field review. Recording the changes for future use as New Growth or as increases and decreases to property values.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

• High school graduation; Associate’s degree in secretarial skills, business administration, or related field preferred
• three – five years of experience in an assessing/appraising environment; record keeping or secretarial work; or any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Ability and Skill

• Knowledge of office procedures and office equipment; familiarity with municipal accounting principles
• knowledge of the operation of municipal government; knowledge of assessing practices
• knowledge of real estate deeds.
• Ability to keep accurate and detailed records
• Ability to maintain patience while working with the public; ability to read and understand maps, plans, and related documents.
• Skill in typing and word processing.

Physical Requirements

• Minimal physical effort demanded in performing duties under typical office conditions.
• Position requires the ability to operate a computer, typewriter, and calculator.