Revaluation process proceeding, official says
BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer

BRICK TOWNSHIP - Not sure if that person who says they are from the revaluation company is who they say they are?

Residents with any concerns about identification are urged to call the police department or the township tax assessor's office, Township Administrator Scott M. Pezarras said at the Aug. 21 Township Council caucus meeting.

Employees from Appraisal Systems Inc. wear picture identification badges. Their license plates and names are on file in both the police department and the tax assessor's office, he said.

"If you are in doubt at all, call the police department to see if they are on the list," Pezarras said.

The Township Council hired the Mendham based firm last November for $1.46 million to conduct the revaluation, the township's first in 15 years. The Ocean County Board of Taxation ordered Brick in February 2005 to complete a revaluation that would take effect in 2008.

The new assessments will be on the books by November 2008. But the numbers won't affect tax bills until January 2009, township officials have said.

So far, Appraisal System employees have visited about 2,000 homes, Pezarras said.

Resident George Scott asked why the company was not doing public presentations on the revaluation process.

Pezarras said residents might not remember all the details when it came time for their house to be examined, if the seven-step presentation was done early on.

He has asked firm representatives to come to a Township Council meeting sometime in the near future to make a presentation, which could then be broadcast on BTV20 or on the Internet.

Appraisal Systems representatives will make two attempts to visit each property initially. If they are unable to gain access to a home, they will contact the homeowner.