Berlin Assessors Approve Minutes, Debate Mailing Costs

Board of Assessors · Meeting of July 27, 2026

BERLIN — The Berlin Board of Assessors decided to keep mailing full exemption and Chapter land application packets despite rising postage costs. Chair Kevin Pond, member Roger Bradley and Jennifer Pike discussed a recent postal rate increase that forced the office to pay extra on a mailing batch, with figures cited ranging from 27 cents to 78 cents per piece depending on weight. Staff member Linda Barisha said the office's $1,000 annual postage budget will likely be exceeded this year and may need an extra $500 next year.

Kevin Pond argued for continuing full mailings, saying "I have a hard time telling a 94-year-old lady to go online." Barisha also reported 142 excise bills totaling $34,120.19 are being prepared for mailing, and that a tax abatement case involving the Solomon Pond Mall remains in negotiation with the city of Marlborough. The board approved its June 22 minutes, with a fiscal-year date correction, and adjourned unanimously.

In the full story:

• Approval of Minutes and Fiscal-Year Correction
• Brook Lane Condominium Assessment Adjustments
• Chapter Land and Exemption Mailings; the Postage Cost Debate
• Tax Classification Hearing and DOR Reporting Changes
• Pending Abatement Cases and the Solomon Pond Mall Dispute
• Administrative Items: Gateway Credentials, Staff Training, and the Excise Commitment
• Adjournment
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,117 words

Source: the Board of Assessors meeting of July 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.