FAIRFIELD, Conn. Donald Ross learned Wednesday that he can keep the job he has held for nearly five months. That means Fairfields new permanent town assessor can look forward to many years of hearing residents complain about their tax bills.
Former Town Assessor Thomas Browne retired in September after 37 years of work in Fairfields Old Town Hall. At the time Ross, then the deputy town assessor, was appointed to be his acting replacement. The Board of Selectmen decided Wednesday to keep him as assessor full time without a search for other candidates.
Dons now basically had a four-month job interview and has performed in stellar fashion, First Selectman Michael Tetreau said.
Ross has worked in the assessors office since 1975 and spent 27 years as deputy until taking over the job at the beginning of October. He also ran the Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers' newsletter in the 1980s.
But Ross said Wednesday he was not above making changes at the assessors office. In particular, he said he plans to bring in more new technology, specifically computerized mapping systems. Ross also said he plans to look at recommendations in the recent townwide operational audit to make his department work more quickly and cheaply.
There are several things that we can do in that report that can streamline our operation, and well take a closer look at that, Ross said.
As town assessor, Ross is responsible for maintaining Fairfields grand list of all taxable properties in town. Those assessments are used each summer to determine each individual homeowners tax bill.
Ross is also in charge of the towns revaluation every five years, when the entire towns grand list is reviewed to reflect changing property values. The town just completed a revaluation in 2010, but Ross will be called into court to defend many appeals still under way from that process.
[Ross] took over in the middle of a very busy season and has handled himself admirably throughout, and also kept the department on an even keel, Tetreau said.
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