Supplemental Real Estate Bills Info

The legislation for “Supplemental Tax Assessment on New Construction” (MGL Ch. 59, S2D) is state law and required in Swansea unless the town votes to decline the option at town meeting. The legislation allows the town to make a pro rata tax assessment on the value of certain improvements to real estate made after the June 30th assessment date.

If there has been an increase in building value (excludes land) of more than 50% a supplemental bill must be issued for the difference in taxable value, pro-rated to the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30th. The additional taxable value is the amount on which the per diem is calculated.

Therefore, you are billed pro-rated per day from the date of your certificate of occupancy.

If you have any questions, please contact the Assessor’s office. 

When you sell your boat, you may be entitled to receive an abatement. In order to apply for a Motor Vessel Excise Tax Abatement, the Assessors will require proof that you disposed of the boat. Also your boat registration MS# should be canceled with the MA Environmental Police Registration & Titling Bureau.

If any of the following apply:

• You Traded or Sold Your Boat: You’ll want to provide the assessors with a copy of the dealer’s invoice showing the trade-in; or if a private sale, a copy of the bill of sale.
• You Registered your Boat in Another State: You’ll want to provide the assessors with a copy of the Out of State Registration.

You may be entitled to receive a motor vehicle abatement on your auto excise. In order to apply for a Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Abatement, first wait until you receive the bill, then contact our office. At that time the Assessors will require proof from you that you disposed of the motor vehicle (or trailer) and the registration plate.

Following is a list of various reasons that would entitle you to an abatement. In order for an abatement to be granted, you must provide the Assessor's Office with a copy of your Plate Return Receipt or new Registration from the Registry of Motor Vehicles AND

You Traded or Sold the Vehicle: Provide the name and address of the party who purchased the vehicle.

The Vehicle was Junked or Repossessed: Provide a copy of the junkyard receipt or letter from the finance company stating when the vehicle was taken.

The Vehicle is a Total Loss: Provide a letter from your insurance company showing the date.

The Vehicle was Stolen: Provide a letter from your insurance company showing the date of settlement or a police report.

The Vehicle was Registered in Another State: Provide a copy of the Out of State Registration.

The Vehicle was Registered in Another Town in Massachusetts: Your excise tax is due in the city or town in which your vehicle is primarily garaged on January 1st. If you moved prior to January 1st, provide a copy of your current registration showing your new address. It is helpful if you provide the Assessors with a copy of the Plate Return Receipt from the Registry of Motor Vehicles; or if the plate was transferred to another vehicle, a copy of the new registration.

You may wish to note, that:

• The minimum motor vehicle excise tax shall be $5.00;
• No abatement shall reduce the motor vehicle excise tax to less than $5.00;
• No abatement shall be issued on a motor vehicle excise tax bill for less than $5.00;
• No abatement shall be granted on a registration that is cancelled in the month of December; and
• Cancellation of license plate alone does not warrant an abatement of motor vehicle

Excise tax. If you are still in possession of the vehicle, you owe the tax through the end of the calendar year.
Some further notes:

• All vehicles registered as of January 1st will receive a tax bill from the community in which your vehicle is garaged. You determine this at the time you register your vehicle.
• If you move during the year to another city or town, it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to change his/her mailing address and vehicle’s place of garaging with the Registry of Motor Vehicles prior to January 1st, so that your future tax bills reach you at your new address.
• To cancel the registration on any motor vehicle, the plates must be returned to the Registry of Motor Vehicles. If lost or stolen, you must contact the Registry of Motor Vehicles at (617) 351-9380.
• Filing for an abatement does not remove the taxpayer’s obligation from paying the taxes. To avoid charges and penalties, you should pay your tax and then file for your abatement. A refund will follow, if granted.

This often confuses new owners, but Chapter 59, Section 11, of the Massachusetts General Law reads, “Taxes on real estate shall be assessed, in the town where it lies, to the person who is the owner on January first...............” ”

The tax bill will carry the January first owner(s) name throughout the entire subsequent fiscal year. The former owners’ name will be replaced by the new owner(s) name once the fiscal year has run its cycle.

In order to change a name or trustee’s name on a real estate tax bill, the Assessor’s Office must receive a copy of a recorded deed or newly recorded trustee document filed at the Bristol County Registry of Deeds or Land Court.

In order to remove a decedent’s name from a real estate tax bill, the Assessor’s Office requires a recorded copy of a Death Certificate or Inheritance Tax Release of Lien. The process of probating a will often times take years. The Assessor’s Office will make the change once the probate has been finalized. If you feel a probate has been completed and the Assessor’s Office has not changed the title, please contact the Assessor’s Office.

In the event your name has changed, please provide the Assessor’s Office with the appropriately recorded document(s) from the Registry of Deeds or Land Court.

The full assessment history is available at this web site. Follow the appropriate instructions;

Come into our office during normal business hours;

Send your request to our office and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Our mailing address is: Swansea Assessing Division,81 Main Street, Swansea, MA 02777;

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue ((DOR) audits the assessors every third year. The purpose of the audit is to verify that the assessors are using correct mass appraisal methodology and its values reflect the “full and fair market value” of all property. When the DOR is satisfied that the assessor’s methodology is correct and its values reflect full and fair market value of all property it certifies the values as being accurate and the community is allowed to issue tax bills.

Although the DOR certifies the assessments every three years, general law states that assessments should represent the fair market value of all property every year. Accordingly the assessors began a policy of making annual revisions of their assessments starting in FY 2005. The methodology and standards used to make these adjustments are the same as those used for the three year recertification audit.

Assessments must correctly reflect the value of property on January 1 of each year. Rising market values of real estate in the town will be reflected by generally rising assessments. Real estate values are in a constant state of flux. The relative values of properties do not all change at the same rate. For instance waterfront properties generally react differently in the market than non-waterfront properties. Changes of individual assessments reflect the changes in the real estate market.

Independent Medicare Consultants are available at the Swansea Council on Aging to offer one-on-one health insurance counselling to Swansea's Medicare beneficiaries.  Sessions are private and confidential. Appointments are required and can be made by calling (508) 676-1831. Appointments during Open Enrollment should be made as soon as possible since there is increased demand.  Book your appointment early!

The main reason you should participate in your Council on Aging/Senior Center is simple - IT'S YOURS!  This is your center and it is what you make of it.  The programs and services offered are for your benefit.  One of the things I find most disappointing as a Council on Aging Director is seeing how so few of us understand the difference a Council on Aging or Senior Center can make in our lives.   My mission with this website is to educate members of the community so that there is a better understanding of the role we play and the difference we hope to make.

I believe there is a very unfortunate stigma attached to the words "Council on AGING" or "SENIOR Center".  Let's be honest, too many people think we are here to serve "old" people.  The truth is our participants vary in age, with some participants in their 40's.  That's not to say that I don't get that occasional 90 year old who refuses to come to the center because "That's for old people!"  My response to that is, boy are you missing out.

If you're looking for some socialization, perhaps you should think of us as a permenantly docked cruise ship offering dedicated and friendly staff members to assist you with all the ammenities "on board" - Food, entertainment, recreational activities, fitness programs, free computer access and much more!  Check out the rest of our website for more information.  It's time to redefine what a Council on Aging/Senior Center is.  I should mention we do NOT offer one ammenity found on a cruise ship - NO BEDS!  Stop in to see all the fun you're missing.

Although we're dedicated to making sure you have a fun time while at our center, we also understand there are times you need more than that.  Our staff can assist you in other more serious matters.  Perhaps you need assistance understanding your health insurance options, need someone to do your grocery shopping while recovering from an illness or maybe you need a ride to a doctor's appointment.  There is so much we can do if only you would let us try.  If we can't help, we will do all we can to someone who can.  Give us a try. What have you got to lose?

The Town of Swansea has partnered with over twenty other communities to provide residents with a fixed rate energy supplier. Starting in January 2021, Constellation will supply electricty at a fixed rate of 10.47 cents per kilowatt hour and will remain until December 2023. Interested residents may call Constellation at 833-461-0813 to sign up; you may also leave the program at any time.

For more information, see the documents below and visit the program's website:
https://masscea.com/swansea/.

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• swansea-ngrid-2021winterrate-notice

The Board of Selectmen typically meets every other Tuesday at 6:30 PM at the School Administration Building, located at 1 Gardners Neck Road, Swansea, MA. This is subject to change depending on scheduling and accommodation needs; please check with the Selectmen's Office for an up-to-date schedule. Meetings are posted no less than 48 hours in advance (excluding weekends and legal holidays). Meetings are open to the public and all are welcome to attend.

Regular meetings are broadcast live on Channel 15 and replayed at various times. For more information, please visit Swansea Cable Access Television at https://www.swanseacn.com/.

The Riverfront area is the area of land between a perennial river’s mean annual high water line and a parallel line measured horizontally 200 feet from the mean high water line. It may include or overlap other resource areas or buffer zones, but it does not have its own buffer zone.

A perennial river is any naturally flowing body of water that empties into any ocean, lake, pond or other river and which flows throughout the year.

The riverfront area is divided into two areas, the inner riparian zone and the outer riparian zone. The inner riparian zone is the first 100 feet of the riverfront area starting at the river’s edge at bank-full conditions. The outer riparian zone is the area between 100 feet and 200 feet of the riverfront area. Both are significant to the water quality of the perennial river or stream and any activity within them are governed by different portions of the regulations. See 310 CMR 10:58 for the Riverfront regulations

The buffer zone is the area of land which extends 100 feet laterally from the boundary edge of the wetland area.

There are many types of wetlands which are protected by the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and the Swansea Wetlands Protection By-law. All of these types are present within the Town of Swansea. They are usually divided between Coastal/Marine Wetlands and Inland Wetlands. Marine Wetlands include land under the ocean or bay, dunes, coastal banks, barrier beaches and estuaries. Inland Wetlands include the banks of and land under water bodies, corridors along rivers and streams, areas flooded when water levels rise and the vegetated wetland along or connected to water bodies including streams.

In general, bordering vegetated wetlands (BVW), the Town’s most common wetland, are semi-aquatic areas along bodies of water where periodic flooding occurs. They occur between the continuously flooded land where groundwater is at or above the surface (a water body such as a pond or stream) and upland that is occasionally or never flooded. The wetlands are the transitional areas between the uplands and water bodies where the ground water will periodically rise and fall throughout the year. They become the storage areas for the water during storm events, slowing returning the water back into the ground and aquifer.

Plants that grow in wetlands are called hydrophytes, they grow in areas in which their roots are periodically deprived of oxygen due to the presence of excessive water in the ground. One of the two ways in which a wetland is defined in Massachusetts is by the plants which are growing in the area. If 50% of more of the plant species in an area are hydrophytes (wetland plants), then the area is defined as a bordering vegetated wetland.
When groundwater periodically rises to an area just below the surface of the ground, chemical changes will occur in the soil causing the soil to change color and texture. Minerals such as manganese and iron will aggregate or clump creating mottles in the soil. The soil will turn to a gray color or a deep black. Where these types of soils are present, the area is determined to be a wetland. This is the other characteristic of a BVW in Massachusetts.

There are several methods to dispose of outdated medications. See the medication disposal brochure which is attached. 

Click Here for More Information

7 days:  Form A's (Approval not Required); surety, discussion items & other miscellaneous items

21 days: Site plans 

30 days: Special permits; OSRD (Open Space Residential Design);  Hammerhead applications and Subdivision applications

Meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month.  If that Monday is a holiday, then the meeting would be held that Wednesday.

Please call Swansea Highway Department at 508-678-5615 or
WASTE Management at 508-746-9600 or 1-800-972-4545 for further information.

The green tags for bulky items, can be purchased at any store that sell the green trash bags.

Click Here for More Details

Village Park Trails is located in back of the Swansea Town Hall. 

village_park_trails

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/
The Swansea Town Clerk's Office no longer sells Fishing and Hunting Licenses.  Check out the above website to renew your license.

Application for Permit to conduct Raffles and Bazaars (C.810 Acts of 1969)

The applications are available at the Town Clerk's Office.   Two (2) originals must be signed by the Swansea Chief of Police and applicant.   A notice of issuance of raffle and/or bazaar license must also be filled out and signed by the applicant.  The fee is $10.00.

All work permits for resident teenagers, must go to the Swansea School
Administrative Office.  Please call 508-675-1195 for more information or the Swansea
School website.