GUILFORD — “You've had quite a flurry of activity in the last few weeks,” Chairperson Sheila Morse told Delinquent Tax Collector Penny Marine at the Nov. 9 Selectboard meeting.
Since sending out delinquent tax bills on Nov. 1, Marine has received quite a few residents in her office seeking to make payment arrangements.
Marine, who also serves as town clerk and treasurer, said that when she was appointed to handle delinquent taxes, the town was owed $512,589.12 in property taxes. Just under a year later, that figure was down to $389,702.78.
She told board officials that establishing policies and procedures for delinquent taxes, and sending a copy to all who owed property taxes, helped encourage residents to work out a payment plan with the town.
Marine sent bills on Nov. 1 to 97 recipients. By Nov. 9, the number of residents owing back taxes is down to 79, and 37 of them are new.
Marine told the board she has recorded 22 liens, and of those, three property owners have made arrangements with her office to pay off their tax bills.
“I'm happy [the number of delinquent bills] has gone down,” Marine told the board.