Town issues Annual Tax Taking List

In the best legalese, the Town, in the person of Kerri A. Bertone, Tax Collector, yesterday issued its "tax taking list, stating that "the owners and occupants of the following described parcels of land situated in the Town of Franklin in Norfolk County and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and all other persons are hereby notified that the taxes thereon, severally assessed for the years hereinafter specified, according to the list committed to me as the Collector of Taxes for the Town of Franklin, by the Board of Assessors of said Town remain unpaid, and that said parcels of land will be taken for the Town of Franklin on July 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. for the non-payment of said taxes, liens and betterments and the interest, if any, along with all legal costs and charges thereon, unless the same shall be previously discharged." 

Bertone said it is the least favorite part of her job. "This is part of the treasurer's responsibility and as both treasurer and collector, it is my job," she explains. According to Bertone, the process happens on a yearly basis. The current list is triggered by arrears from FY 2021. Failure to pay can ultimately lead to foreclosure procedures, she said. The process is guided by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 60, section 37. (More information on the process is available at the bottom of this story).

PROPERTY LOCATION: Mary Anne Dr
ASSESSED OWNER(S): CHILSON, JAMES C, C/O CHILSON JAMES C
NEW OWNER: C/O CHILSON JAMES C
2021 TAXES REMAINING UNPAID: 438.13
2021 SEWER LIEN
2021 WATER LIEN
2021 TRASH LIEN
2021 PENALTY LIEN 0
TOTAL: 448.13
A PARCEL OF LAND WITH ANY BUILDINGS THEREON, CONTAINING ABOUT 1.671 ACRES MORE OR LESS
BEING DESCRIBED AS MAP & PARCEL NUMBER 211150000000 IN THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS AND
IDENTIFIED IN BOOK 37806 ON PAGE 114 AT THE NORFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS.

PROPERTY LOCATION: 931 West Central St
ASSESSED OWNER(S): CHISM RUTH L L/E, GORDON JACQUELYN R ORABONA ROB
NEW OWNER: GORDON JACQUELYN R ORABONA ROB
2021 TAXES REMAINING UNPAID: 5,618.43
2021 SEWER LIEN
2021 WATER LIEN
2021 TRASH LIEN
2021 PENALTY LIEN
TOTAL: 5,628.43
A PARCEL OF LAND WITH ANY BUILDINGS THEREON, CONTAINING ABOUT 0.635 ACRES MORE OR LESS
BEING DESCRIBED AS MAP & PARCEL NUMBER 272067000000 IN THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS AND
IDENTIFIED IN BOOK 33772 ON PAGE 204 AT THE NORFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS.

PROPERTY LOCATION: 136 Washington St
ASSESSED OWNER(S): DENAPOLI,HERBERT R TR L/E, C/O DENAPOLI HERBERT R TR L/E
NEW OWNER: C/O DENAPOLI HERBERT R TR L/E
2021 TAXES REMAINING UNPAID: 409.58
2021 SEWER LIEN
2021 WATER LIEN
2021 TRASH LIEN
2021 PENALTY LIEN
TOTAL: 409.58
A PARCEL OF LAND WITH ANY BUILDINGS THEREON, CONTAINING ABOUT 1.807 ACRES MORE OR LESS
BEING DESCRIBED AS MAP & PARCEL NUMBER 296104000000 IN THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS AND
IDENTIFIED IN BOOK 38298 ON PAGE 237 AT THE NORFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS.

PROPERTY LOCATION: 42 Shady Ln
ASSESSED OWNER(S): MANCINI LORETO D, MANCINI DONNA
NEW OWNER: MANCINI DONNA
2021 TAXES REMAINING UNPAID: 3,809.35
2021 SEWER LIEN
2021 WATER LIEN
2021 TRASH LIEN
2021 PENALTY LIEN
TOTAL: 3,809.35
A PARCEL OF LAND WITH ANY BUILDINGS THEREON, CONTAINING ABOUT 0.782 ACRES MORE OR LESS
BEING DESCRIBED AS MAP & PARCEL NUMBER 250047000000 IN THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS AND
IDENTIFIED IN BOOK 12722 ON PAGE 460 AT THE NORFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS.

PROPERTY LOCATION: 642 Lincoln St
ASSESSED OWNER(S): GOTTBERG SUSAN M,
NEW OWNER:
2021 TAXES REMAINING UNPAID: 2,774.78
2021 SEWER LIEN
2021 WATER LIEN 284.96
2021 TRASH LIEN 314.8
2021 PENALTY LIEN 11.86
TOTAL: 3,396.4
A PARCEL OF LAND WITH ANY BUILDINGS THEREON, CONTAINING ABOUT 0.412 ACRES MORE OR LESS
BEING DESCRIBED AS MAP & PARCEL NUMBER 228006000000 IN THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS AND
IDENTIFIED IN BOOK 21725 ON PAGE 578 AT THE NORFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS.

PROPERTY LOCATION: 492 Lincoln St
ASSESSED OWNER(S): HAYWARD CAROL L,
NEW OWNER:
2021 TAXES REMAINING UNPAID: 4,119.69
2021 SEWER LIEN
2021 WATER LIEN
2021 TRASH LIEN
2021 PENALTY LIEN
TOTAL: 4,129.69
A PARCEL OF LAND WITH ANY BUILDINGS THEREON, CONTAINING ABOUT 0.358 ACRES MORE OR LESS
BEING DESCRIBED AS MAP & PARCEL NUMBER 243056000000 IN THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS AND
IDENTIFIED IN BOOK 8850 ON PAGE 335 AT THE NORFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS.

PROPERTY LOCATION: 655 East Central St
ASSESSED OWNER(S): HOJNACKI, THOMAS W, C/O CHASE MARGARET
NEW OWNER: C/O CHASE MARGARET
2021 TAXES REMAINING UNPAID: 5,294.58
2021 SEWER LIEN
2021 WATER LIEN
2021 TRASH LIEN
2021 PENALTY LIEN
TOTAL: 5,304.58
A PARCEL OF LAND WITH ANY BUILDINGS THEREON, CONTAINING ABOUT 0.576 ACRES MORE OR LESS
BEING DESCRIBED AS MAP & PARCEL NUMBER 284018000000 IN THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS AND
IDENTIFIED IN BOOK 38008 ON PAGE 458 AT THE NORFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS.

PROPERTY LOCATION: 48 Southgate Rd
ASSESSED OWNER(S): MESCHWITZ KENNETH V, MESCHWITZ KATHLEEN A
NEW OWNER: MESCHWITZ KATHLEEN A
2021 TAXES REMAINING UNPAID: 4,186.62
2021 SEWER LIEN 107
2021 WATER LIEN 96.12
2021 TRASH LIEN 68.26
2021 PENALTY LIEN
TOTAL: 4,458
A PARCEL OF LAND WITH ANY BUILDINGS THEREON, CONTAINING ABOUT 0.538 ACRES MORE OR LESS
BEING DESCRIBED AS MAP & PARCEL NUMBER 235094000000 IN THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS AND
IDENTIFIED IN BOOK 12928 ON PAGE 271 AT THE NORFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS.

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The Treasurer Collector Office also offers the following "explainer" on its website:

Tax Taking
Real estate taxes which remain unpaid after the issuance of a Demand bill are subject to the following tax taking process, which, if carried to its conclusion, results in a municipal tax lien being placed on the property.

Letters are sent out to all taxpayers whose bills have a balance remaining after Demand. Taxpayers are alerted to the tax title process, for which the next step, by state law, requires advertisement in a local newspaper. This office generally sends between 200 and 300 letters to taxpayers in August advising as to the intent of tax taking. A notice is sent to any mortgage companies in October notifying them of our intent to advertise. A second and final notice (70-80 letters) is usually sent out to taxpayers in January. Notice is given of a due date to avoid advertisement. From this point onward only cash, certified check, or cashier’s check are acceptable forms of payment. Partial payments may still be made on the account, but only payment in full will prevent advertisement.

In March, the tax title advertisement, including the prospective date of taking, is printed in a local newspaper. The Town of Franklin customarily uses The Milford Daily News for tax title ads. The ad triggers additional charges on the account, all of which are prescribed by statute. The prorated cost of the advertisement is also added to the account. At this point, partial payments are no longer accepted. If payment is not made in full by the advertised tax taking date, a document called an Instrument of Taking is prepared by this office and signed by the Collector, after which it is recorded at the Registry ofDeeds. The recording of the Instrument of Taking creates a tax lien on the property.

After the recorded Instruments have been received back from the Registry, this office sends a letter with a photocopy of the recorded Instrument to the owner of each affected property, advising them that a tax lien has been placed on their property. We always recommend prompt redemption of the tax lien, which has a negative impact on any efforts to sell or refinance the property.

After a tax taking, the responsibility for collection of the delinquent taxes and charges on the property no longer rests with the Tax Collector, but shifts to the Treasurer.

Land Court Foreclosure
After a parcel has been in tax title for 180 days, the Town may choose to initiate foreclosure on the property through the Land Court in Boston. The Town of Franklin does have a vigorous and successful foreclosure program, and eventually every parcel in tax title will be scheduled for foreclosure.
If a taxpayer cannot immediately clear his delinquent taxes, but wishes to avoid foreclosure, he may choose to enter into a payment plan with the Treasurer to pay off the tax lien over a specified number of months. All payment plans have the following features in common:
• There must be a signed agreement between the taxpayer and the Treasurer.
• A certain specified amount must be paid each month.
• Payment of the current tax bill is incorporated into all tax title payment plans.
• All plans state that default on the plan will immediately trigger foreclosure by the Town.