CAAO RESEARCH/HISTORIAN COMMITTEE History of Connecticut Assessors Volume #2 Retention of current events will prevent the loss of history for future generations 2 CAAO RESEARCH / HISTORIAN COMMITTEE HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT ASSESSORS VOLUME #2 Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers www.caao.com Published June 2011 3 DEDICATION William F. Connelly This History of Connecticut Assessors, Volume Two, is dedicated to William F. Connelly for his contribution to the Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers during his 30+ years as the Assessor of Bridgeport, past president of CAAO, past president IAAO, and as Tax Commissioner for the State of Connecticut. A summary of William Connelly’s career is included in this publication under deceased CAAO members’ backgrounds. 4 Table of Contents Page Foreword……………………………………………………………………… 7 Documents History Briefs…………………………………………………………………. 8 CAAO Certificate of Incorporation………………………………………… 13-14 Early Years of Public Act 490……………………………………………….. 15 Certification and Recertification of Assessors……………………………… 19 Assessors School Administrators……………………………………………. 24 Herb Shay’s Comments at the 35th Annual Assessors School……………... 26 1975 Assessors School Relocation Possibility………………………………. 29 History of Assessors School Housing and Classrooms…………………….. 30 History of the CAAO Fall Symposiums……………………………………. 32 Connecticut CAEs……………………………………………………… 33 Effect of Assessment Ratio Changes on Revaluations……………………... 34 Special Acts that Helped Communities Recover From Disasters…………. 35 Newly Appointed Board of Assessment Advisors………………………….. 37 1960s’ Property Record Card………………………………………………… 43 Assessors Band - Manifestly Excessive……………………………………… 44 1983-1984 CAAO Handbook Committee…………………………………… 46 Assessors Celebrate Appointment Legislation……………………………… 47 City of New Haven Neighborhood Board of Tax Review Hearings………. 48 Hartford’s Tax Differential………………………………………………….. 49 Short History of the Phase-In………………………………………………... 50 Background on deceased CAAO members ……………………………….. 52 Frederick T. Davis……………………………………………………………. 52 Catherine E. Pardee…………………………………………………………… 52 Ralph Carter…………………………………………………………………… 53 John W. Killeen……………………………………………………………….. 53 C. Barton Smith……………………………………………………………….. 54 William H. Werfelman………………………………………………………… 55 William F. Connelly…………………………………………………………… 56 George F. Kinsella……………………………………………………………… 60 Herbert K. Shay………………………………………………………………… 61 Aldro Jenks……………………………………………………………………… 63 M. Francis Heberger……………………………………………………………. 65 Henry Smalley………………………………………………………………….. 66 Charles J. Sweeney……………………………………………………………… 68 Walter Birck…………………………………………………………………….. 70 Harry J. Cohen………………………………………………………………….. 72 Edgar Belleville…………………………………………………………………. 74 William J. Coughlin, Jr. ………………………………………………………… 76 Joseph A. Cullen………………………………………………………………… 78 Robert J. Hartzell, Jr.…………………………………………………………….. 80 Continued next page 5 Background of Interviewed Assessors Page Harold L. Ducey………………………………………………………………… 82 Walter E. Kent, Jr. ……………………………………………………………… 87 Barbara S. Johnson……………………………………………………………… 91 S. Steven Juda…………………………………………………………………… 94 Kenneth C. Carvell II…………………………………………………………… 100 James G. Ramos………………………………………………………………… 105 Walter A. Lawrence…………………………………………………………….. 109 Michael A. Bekech……………………………………………………………… 115 Thomas F. Browne, Jr. …………………………………………………………. 121 Charles G. Agli, Jr. ………………………………………………….................. 127 Joan E. Paskewich……………………………………………………………… 134 Anthony J. Homicki……………………………………………………………. 140 Gloria R. Kovac………………………………………………………………… 146 Melissa H. Bonin……………………………………………………………….. 150 CAAO Research/Historian Committee Charles Agli, Jr., Co-Chairman Paul Slattery, Co-Chairman Vivian Bachteler Catherine Daboll Edward Dowling Walter Kent John D. Killeen Peter Marsele ADDENDUM TO VOLUME #1 Foreword: Spelling correction of Foreword page 1-2 CAEs: On pages 43-44, Aldro Jenks and Herb Shay received their CAE certification in 1952. Cole-Layer-Trumble: Spelling correction page 48 of Cole-Layer-Trumble. The L.E. Thomas Co business location was Cheshire page 49. Sherwood S. Vermilya was also the assessor of Westbrook in 1983 page 49. Richard L. Prendergast on page 69 was the Assistant Assessor of South Windsor 1963-1966. 6 FOREWORD This is the second publication of the History of Connecticut Assessors completed by the CAAO Research/Historian Committee. The goals of the Committee remain the same, that of writing the history of Connecticut assessors. A few years back when the Committee was planning Volume #1, it was the Committee’s intention to gather as much of the existing information that had already been written about Connecticut assessors and the Assessors School and present it in an acceptable format. In the planning of Volume #2, the Committee made a number of changes in the way it developed the publication. Foremost, was the in-depth research in the development of newly created articles on the history of Connecticut assessors. The Committee also was able to gather information on deceased assessors who made a major contribution to the development of CAAO. The Committee in their research discovered errors and omissions in previously published articles about the history of Connecticut assessors that needed to be corrected. Lastly, the interview process of Connecticut assessors was improved with the development of a standard set of questions that assist the preparation by each interviewee. Interviews are a very important part of the publication. The interviewee is allowed to tell their story as they lived it. You will notice a uniform theme of dedication of the assessor. Whether it is the enforcement of laws, the maintenance of the data files, or the implementing of a municipal revaluation, the pains that assessors go through to insure that everything is done correctly is paramount. The position of the Assessor has changed over the years. Starting back many years ago assessors were elected or appointed to the Board of Assessors. Today they are chosen for their professional abilities and are respected by government leaders, as an essential part of good government. The inclusion of biographical backgrounds of deceased assessors is an important part of the history of CAAO. It was through the efforts of many over the years, including the deceased assessors that brought the Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers and the position of the Assessor to the status that it is today. Some of the major accomplishments include: the formation of CAAO, the establishment of the Assessors School at the University of Connecticut, certification of assessors, county assessor organizations, Assessors Handbook, the Assessoreporter and the CAAO web-site, just to mention a few. It has been said that history is a story of recording significant events of the past. This publication has made an effort to do just that. One of the problems in industry and government today is the lack of effort that is being made to retain the knowledge and the background of current events of the many who are retiring or soon will be retiring. The CAAO project on the history of Connecticut assessors is not only a project for Connecticut assessors to appreciate, it could be a prototype program for other organizations to pursue. 7 HISTORY BRIEFS NEW CAAO LOGO: The CAAO Executive Board on March 19, 2003 accepted the new CAAO Logo, shown above. The logo is used on the Association letterhead, the web site, and other official documents. Three ideas were submitted, this design being chosen for its simplicity and adaptability to various uses. Brian Smith, East Hartford Assessor, proposed this basic layout. FIRST FEMALE CERTIFIED ASSESSORS: The first female Certified Connecticut Municipal Assessors (CCMA) in Connecticut were Ruth B. Nytvedt, Assessor of Wilton and Virginia Wilson, member of the Board of Assessors in Easton. They were both certified on October 23, 1974. The first female to be awarded the Certified Connecticut Assessor designation (CCA) in Connecticut was Catherine E. Pardee, Assessor of Orange. She was awarded the CCA designation July 9, 1962. Ms. Pardee was also awarded the first woman Certified Assessment Evaluator (CAE) designation by the International Association of Assessing Officers in 1957±. IAAO PRESIDENTS FROM CONNECTICUT: To date, Connecticut has had five Assessors who were president of IAAO. They include: William Connelly, of Bridgeport 1938-1939, Aldro Jenks, of Waterbury 1947-1948; Herbert Shay, of Fairfield 1956-1957; Robert Flanagan, of New London 1978-1979; and Frederick M. Chmura, of the State Office of Policy and Management and former Putnam Assessor, 2003-2004. RETIRED CERTIFIED ASSESSORS: Of the 106 certified CCMAs who were certified in the first year of certification in 1974, 97% of them are now retired. In the original certification on October 24, 1974 all CCMAs are retired and only three certified assessors remain active from the December 19, 1974 certification session. The remaining active assessors include: Walter Kent, Jr., Walter Lawrence and S. Steven Juda. ASSESSOR 50 YEARS PLUS: Robert H. Newton, former North Branford Assessor, was an active assessor for more than 58 years. Mr. Newton was on the Board of Assessors from 1926 through 1971. He was appointed single assessor in 1972. Bob was awarded Life Membership in CAAO upon his retirement in 1984. He was a self-employed farmer. Mr. Newton died March 25, 2008 at the age of 99. NEW HAVEN WATER CO. MERGED INTO PUBLIC AUTHORITY: Sixteen towns and cities in New Haven County were put on notice that