Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period April 5-9, 2004:

Vavel Enterperises Inc. to William Dudley and Betty Jo Schleier, 84 Roseville Road, $1,800,000.

Melvin Howard Suc Tr to Fergal and Susan McGillion Moore, 42 Red Coat Road, $1,595,000.

John and Marie Garofalo to Robert C. and Leslie Q. Wheeler Jr., 11 Surf Road, $5,900,000.

RFK Development LLC to Bruce and Celeste Amlicke Trust, 6 Cob Drive, $2,212,500.

Westport’s Revaluation Working Group met for the first time today to oversee the town’s 2003 aborted property assessment.

The 10-member committee, made up of town department heads, elected officials, and members of the public, decided to meet weekly on Thursdays as it aims to prepare an interim report for First Selectwoman Diane G. Farrell by June 15.

Farrell appointed the group following her decision to seek a one-year delay in the town’s property revaluation because of a backlog of 1,700 building permits going back at least five years that had not been included on the town’s Grand List. (See WestportNow.com March 30, 2004)

There were also complaints by residents that many of the values published in the initial draft of the property list were unfair either too high or too low.

Westport’s Revaluation Working Group held its first meeting today at Town Hall. Members will review events leading to the one-year delay in the 2003 property assessment and make recommendations. The group is chaired by Finance Director Don Miklus (end of table, blue shirt) and includes (clockwise) Helen Garten of the Representative Town Meeting; Audrey Magida, a real estate agent; attorney Mike Laux; Tax Collector George Underhill; Rick Benson of the Board of Finance; Acting Assessor Kevin Murowsky; Selectman Carl Leaman, and Garson Heller of the Board of Assessment Appeals. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) Thom Burrows for WestportNow.com

Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period March 29-April 2, 2004:

8 Hedley Farms LLC to John J. and Sandra M. Fleming, 8 Hedley Farms Road, $3,425,000.

Andrian T. Paolini to Gary and Amy Goldberg, 82 Compo Road North, $1,399,000.

George W. Scott aka George W. Sr. to Mattera Construction Co. LLC, 43 Gorham Ave., $770,000.

Charles H. and Diane A. Reach III to Thomas and Elizabeth Beauregard, 1 Spruce St., $790,300.

Estate of Flora E. Kopstein to Margherita Basili, Unit 34 Whitney Glen, $425,000.

Westport First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell said today that the town may choose to do a full physical reassessment of properties instead of the “statistical” reval done as part of the aborted 2003 property assessment.

Farrell’s comments at her weekly citizens brown bag lunch came one day after announcing appointment of a 10-member Revaluation Working Group to oversee the revaluation effort. (WestportNow March 30, 2004)

In response to a question, Farrell said there were a number of initiatives being made at the state level on property assessments and “homesteader” relief during the current legislative session.

She said requirements municipalities must follow regarding property assessments could change before the session ends.

Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period March 22-26, 2004:

William S. Hemson III-aka et als to Annino Protano, 971 Post Road East, $1,200,000.

Westport Home and Land Co. LLC to Susan Spivak, Unit 23, 32 Terra Nova Circle, $955,116.

Peter and Beth Hill to Wendy Decter, 41 Tamarac Road, $865,000.

Carollyn C. Kahler to Rita Kohn Chingas, Unit 306 Harvest Commons, $748,000.

C & C Development Enterprises LLC to Woodson and Kathleen H. Merrell, 77 Maple Ave. South, $2,075,000.

Raymond Bardani to Anne Lantz, Unit 3, 90 Main St., $317,900.

Westport First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell today announced appointment of a 10-member committee to oversee the town’s aborted 2003 property assessment.

The group, known as the Revaluation Working Group, will be chaired by town Finance Director Donald Miklus

Other members include Helen Garten, Representative Town Meeting (RTM) member from District 3; Rick Benson, Board of Finance member; Garson Heller, Board of Assessment Appeals member;  Michael Laux, a real estate attorney; Audrey Magida, a real estate broker with Prudential Connecticut Realty; Annette Fiorenza, a real estate broker with William Raveis and president of the Mid-Fairfield County Association of Realtors; Selectman Carl Leaman; acting Assessor Kevin Murowsky, and Tax Collector George Underhill.

The appointments are effective immediately and will serve at the pleasure of the First Selectwoman, according to an announcement from Farrell’s office.

First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell said today she hopes to name a committee to study the town’s aborted 2003 property assessment this week.

She also said she is not sure whether additional funding will be required to conduct the revaluation.

Speaking at her weekly citizens’ brown bag lunch, Farrell said in response to a question that she hoped to announce the names of committee members by Friday and perhaps they could meet as early as next week.

The committee will include Finance Director Don Miklus, Selectman Carl Leaman, Acting Assessor Kevin Murowsky, Board of Assessment Appeals member Garson Heller and a member of the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).

There will also be several members of the public chosen from among those responding to Farrell’s invitation to apply to sit on the panel.

Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period March 15-19, 2004:

Dennis and Dyan Horowitz to Joseph Tarzia, 1 Partrick Road, $837,450.

Susan E. Burrows to George V. and Nandita Y. Hogan, 6 Sachem Trail, $639,000.

Reza and Spraya Ghaffari to Livingston and Michelle Howard, 199 Bayberry Lane, $748,000.

Kirstin B. Iassogna to Land Group Inc., 16 Baker Ave. $655,000.

Camille J. Haner to Rebecca A. Willis, 2 Buena Vista Drive, $1,075,000.

William Dudley and Betty Jo Schleier to Travis M. and Kimberly H. Pauley, 41 Bonnie Brook Road, $925,000.

The State of Connecticut has granted Westports request to postpone its 2003 property assessment for a year, First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell said today.

In a news release, Farrell said she received the word from Marc S. Ryan, secretary of the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management.

She said Ryan granted a waiver to the town ғwhereby no penalties will be assessed on state grants for failure to implement a revaluation on all real property.

Farrell announced March 4 that she would seek a one-year delay in implementing the town’s property assessment and had placed Assessor Glenn Werfelman on a 30-day leave of absence.