The Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Finance Committee Tuesday night recommended postponement of the 2003 property assessment to no later than October 2006 as permitted by a new state law.

The vote was 5-1. The full RTM will consider the request at its June 1 meeting.

First Selectwoman Diane G. Farrell, who Monday announced the appointment of William Gaffney, the current assessor in Milford, as the new town assessor, came under intense committee questioning before the vote.

She said the goal when Gaffney is aboard in June is to work toward a full physical revaluation by Oct. 1, 2005, but no later than 2006. She said it would have to be done by an outside firm and estimated the cost at about $700,000.

Westport First Selectwoman Diane G. Farrell today announced she has hired William H. Gaffney, III, assessor for the town of Milford and 2003 “Assessor of the Year,” as the town’s new assessor.

“I’m delighted Bill is coming aboard,” she said. “He has spectacular credentials and will bring stability to the department that will now be focused on implementing a full physical revaluation in 2005.”

She said Gaffney will begin work June 21.

Gaffney, assessor in Milford since 1992, was among four finalists for the position and accepted the job Friday, Farrell said.

Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period May 3-7, 2004:

Courtney Daly and Chris B. Caldwell to James and Andrea Pouliot Rourke, 34 Bridge St., $622,000.

Sandra E. Messinger to Corina Baumann Doebeli, 16 Lone Pine Lane, $830,000.

Estate of Sheila C. Tchitcherine to Marc and Cathy Lasry, 40 Sylvan Road North, $1,325,000.

Bishop Design and Development LLC to James P. Burke, 91 Turkey Hill Road South, $1,900,000.

Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period April 26-30, 2004:

Westport Home and Land Co. LLC to Michael and Barbara Levy, Terra Nova Circle Unit 12, $806,853.

R.B. Benson and Co. Inc. to David and Jacqueline Kaplan, 5 Buttonwood Lane, $2,395,000.

Thomas A. and Elizabeth A. Beauregard to Jesse Harte, 5 Dexter Road, $540,000.

Robert and Joy Ann Seskin to Kurt H. and Eileen M. Tiefenthaler, 22 Juniper Road, $800,000.

Kerstin J. Warner and Louis P. Weinberg to Marvin and Sheila H. Weinberg, 20 Bauer Place, $40,000.

Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period April 19-23, 2004:

Pamela Burke Camarda to Richard V. and Maureen Dooley Bortolot Jr., 14 Mill St., $563,000.

S & L Homes Inc. to Michael A. and April L.. Book, 28 Crawford Road, $3,512,500.

Estate of Elvira McCarthy aka Louise to Elizabeth Shelton, 9 Cedar Road, $550,000.

Alice E. Friedman to Michael O. and Ann W. Pettee, Unit 66 Regents Park,  $667,500.

Westport First Selectman Diane G. Farrell today told her Revaluation Working Group she was considering a full physical revaluation of town properties instead of a statistical reval for the postponed 2003 property assessment. She said she was thinking about the alternative because it might be more cost-effective and ensure a more fair and accurate assessment. The committee agreed to consider it as an option pending further investigation. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE)   WestportNow.com photo

By Jessica Bram and Dave Matlow

Westport has lost another independent bookstore Hannslik & Wegner International Bookstore on Railroad Place.
Johanna Straczek has closed her popular Hanneslik & Wegner bookstore on Railroad Place after 17 years. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“It just got too much,” said Johanna (ne֩ Hannslik) Straczek, who has run the store with her late husband, John, at the site opposite the Westport railroad station since 1987. She closed it last week.

For almost two decades, it has been a reliable and unique source for Westports many inquisitive global travelers, as well as mail order customers around the world.

Its surprisingly tranquil storefront facing the busy station was prized by customers for its exhaustive inventory.

Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period April 12-16, 2004:

Bernard S. Berkoff to J. Brooks and Joyce Colburn, Unit 44 Whitney Glen, $305,000.

Estate of Stephen W. Lindemann to Residential Development Group Pheasant Lane, 2 Pheasant Lane, $750,000.

Antony J. and Stephanie M. Lantier to Christian Lum and Rachel Haber, 10 Maplewood Ave., $512,000.

Vesta Development Corp. to Summer Hill Associates LLC, 17 Summer Hill Road, $1,580,000.

Garson Heller, a member of the Board of Assessment Appeals, announced his resignation today from Westport’s Revaluation Working Group which is reviewing the postponed 2003 property assessment.

In a letter to First Selectwoman Diane G. Farrell dated Wednesday and distributed at today’s second meeting of the now nine-member panel, Heller said, “In order to avoid the appearance of conflict, I am resigning from the Revaluation Working Group effective immediately.”

Heller, who was at the meeting, said he had been asked by Finance Director Don Miklus, chair of the working group, to act “in an advisory manner which I am happy to do.”

The longtime member of the Board of Assessment Appeals said he planned to attend committee meetings but would not participate when the group evaluates the assessment model used to determine values.