Update: Things that are not getting done?

Burned out houses in Templeton, MA

165 North Main Street - current on property taxes: $234.90 paid.

21 Sawyer Street is in tax title, with back taxes of $2,331.54

10 Pleasant Street, Baldwinville - tax title with back taxes of $32,489.37

To begin with, it takes about $500.00 to get process started; legal and land court.

Then, if the town becomes owner of burned out property, what then? What if lead or asbestos is found before demolition is started, what is the cost of that. It is not as simple of taking property because of back taxes (as well as it should be) and in my opinion, unless you are paying your neighbors property taxes, why should you have any say in how they maintain their property; either we are a free society or we are not. So, are we a free country or not?

There could be a surprise down the road regarding 10 Pleasant Street, Baldwinville (christmas present perhaps?)

This information was gained from Town Hall, by way of the deputy assessor and I hope this shows that things are being done and looked at, considered and discussed. Remember, this is government and it moves slow, if at all (sometimes a good thing).

Also, these are some of the reasons why your tax dollars fund tax title, so there is money available to do these things, as they are not free and they do not just happen.

There a couple of other properties that were in the beginning of tax taking who up and paid their taxes, another part of the process.

Part of what can happen if the Board of Health becomes involved:
from the State sanitary code.

Hearing

Owners and/or occupants are entitled to file a written petition for a hearing before the local board of health if:

a. they have been served an order pursuant to any regulation in Chapter II of the Sanitary Code by the board of health. Their petition must be filed within seven days after the day the order was served.

b. they believe that the board of health or any inspector has failed to follow the provisions of Chapter II by neglecting to conduct an investigation as requested, to issue a report on the inspection, to cite violations claimed to exist, to certify that a violation may endanger or materially impair the health or safety and well-being of the occupants or to issue an order as required by Regulation 410.850.

The petition must be filed within 30 days of the initial request for an inspection. [410.850]
Affected parties, owners and occupants shall be informed of the hearing and of their right to inspect the files of the board of health. [410.851]

The hearing must begin within 30 days of the date the order was served and, in certain instances, must begin within less than 30 days. [410.852]

Within seven days after the hearing has concluded, the board of health shall inform the petitioner in writing whether the board has decided to sustain, modify or withdraw the order. [410.854]

Appeal

The final decision of the board of health may be appealed to the appropriate Massachusetts court. [410.860]

Looking at the weekly Town Administrator report from last week;

Police - nothing to report
Fire Department - nothing to report

Apparently, not much going on in Town.

Regarding the three burned out homes, spoke with the Health Agent back in June, one home in Baldwinville, the homeowner apparently did not have insurance, one home on Sawyer Street is apparently owned by 2 people, who are not together anymore, so this is a bit complicated on getting 2 parties to settle, short of going to court I suppose. The other one is again, been burned out for a while.

Thinking those three things through, Town takes home owners to court (costs money) they are instructed by court to fix, tear down, etc. parties inform court they do not have insurance, cannot afford to do it, etc., does tabman recommend the Town spend money on those properties. What is tabman's solution? So, the Templeton Health agent seems to be aware of the issues and trying to come up with a solution, as far as I know.

One thing that has happened is the big rock that was on the common near Historical building is gone.