Published: January 11, 2008 01:38 am            

CAMBRIA: Kroening appointed assessor

CAMBRIA — Janelle L. Kroening is the new town assessor.

Kroening, the assessment department’s longtime real property appraiser technician, was appointed to a six-year term by the town board on Thursday.

She replaces her boss, Acting Assessor Barbara J. Oaks, on Feb. 1.

The town board interviewed six candidates for the post last month. Kroening was one of two whose names were forwarded to the state for a qualifications check and New York State Office of Real Property Services determined she meets the minimum qualifications for the job.

Kroening was appointed by a vote of three board members. Two members abstained: Debra L. Kroening, her sister-in-law, and Joseph Ohol, who is newly elected and did not take part in the candidate interview process.

Councilman George J. Bush said he believes the town lucked out with Kroening’s acceptance of the not-so-popular post.

In her present capacity, he said, “Janelle has the personality to explain (assessment) and she’s dedicated to making sure people are treated fairly. That’s what we’re after, somebody who’s fair and somebody who can get along with people. ...

“We gave her a couple chances to opt out and she didn’t take them,” Bush joked.

Kroening has been a town employee since 1997. She started out as an assessor’s clerk and passed the Civil Service test to become a real property appraiser technician in 2001.

Kroening’s appointment is permanent, not provisional, according to Supervisor Wright H. Ellis. The state will determine what additional qualifications she’ll need to be certified and she’ll have three years to earn them.

The board declined to reappoint Oaks when her six-year term ended Sept. 30. Members suggested property owners had some issues with her work.

“I hesitate to characterize it exactly,” Ellis said. “I think, by and large, Barbara performed well. She gave it her best effort ... but there are different ways of looking at things. Let’s just say we’re going in a different direction.”

With Kroening’s appointment, the board has ceased looking into an assessor-sharing arrangement with another municipality. Bush said he thinks that’s for the best, since it was difficult to find another municipality similar enough to Cambria to make things fair and equal.

“Our neighbors all are growing much faster than us and they would use an assessor more. The Town of Wilson would be most like us, but they’re already sharing (an assessor) with Niagara Falls,” he said. “Maybe it’s selfish, but you just want someone to put your town first.”

The board will decide this year whether to adopt a new, three-year property revaluation program, according to Ellis.

Cambria was on a state-backed, five-year cycle with Oaks; but, statewide, municipalities are finding out that method — reassessing about one-fifth per year for five years — produces unwieldy results, he said.

The town assessor’s post is considered a part-time job. The salary is $31,000 per year.

Contact reporter Joyce Miles at 439-9222, ext. 6245.

        

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