Whitman Assessors Accept $96,896 Motor Vehicle Excise Commitment, Head Into Executive Session

WHITMAN — August 5, 2025 — Whitman Board of Assessors votes to accept a $96,896.05 motor vehicle excise commitment at its August 5 session. Members John Osmer and Heidi Hosmer, meeting without a third member who was absent, also authorized Principal Assessor Wendy to sign electronically through the state Department of Revenue Division of Local Services Gateway for fiscal year 2026. The board heard that vendor Catalyst has completed 500 cyclical property inspections under its fiscal year 2025 contract, for which a $6,046.50 invoice had been encumbered, and that a software update correcting a bug in the income approach calculation is expected within weeks. Of 399 letters sent to owners of properties being reclassified from two-family to single-family-with-in-law, only 28 responses have been received — a coding change the board confirmed carries no impact on assessed value. The board closed into executive session to discuss Appellate Tax Board matters and set its next open meeting for September 2.