9/16/2021 3 Comments Joining the Board of AssessorsAbout a year ago, sometime during the height of the pandemic, I went to our Town Hall to update our dog licenses. I was in a particularly warm and expansive mode but I don’t remember why. I had recently read about our Town hiring a new assessor, so after dealing with the dog licenses, I walked across the hallway to the assessor’s office simply to welcome her. We had lived in Ipswich for 27 years and although we are not “townies” (for a “townie designation”, you need to be born here), we feel that we have landed and this is our home. By good fortune, the assessor was not busy. I told her that I just wanted to welcome her and wish her well. I also shared my appraisal and property valuation background. I had a 29-year career in the appraisal business from which I retired 10 years ago. We chatted for a while and discovered we both knew some of the same people and even reminisced a bit about the “good old days.” As I was about to leave, I mentioned that I would be happy to help her out if she could use my skills. However, I could not think of a single reason why that would be necessary. She asked for a business card and I gave her one of my dog massage cards. Later that day, I told Catherine about the adventure and then completely let it go. I did not remember the assessor’s name, nor would I have been able to recognize her if we met. A year passed. Then this July, Catherine and I returned from a lovely bicycle ride on a balmy Friday evening. I had a voice mail. “This is Mary Lou from the assessor’s office. There is an opening on the Board of Assessors. I wonder if you might be interested. Go on the Town website for details.” The website stated some of the job details: be an Ipswich resident, valuation experience is a bonus, there is a $6,000 annual stipend and the appointment is for three years. There was also a link to the Town application form. I shared the information with Catherine who, to my surprise, was enthusiastic. Surprised because I already had a full / robust life with lots of commitments, and we both try not to be overbooked. However, both Catherine and I feel that one aspect of being a good citizen is to volunteer for our Town. Catherine has been on the conservation commission for more than a decade, and I have been on a few committees including a six-year stint on the open space committee. I told Catherine that I would gather more info on Monday before I made any decision. When I visited the assessor’s office on Monday, Mary Lou was on vacation. One of the people who worked there was helpful explaining that the Board consists of only 3 people – the Town assessor (Mary Lou), another assessor, (Karen) from a different town, and me, if I am selected. The Board meets every Monday evening for three or more hours. Every Monday sounded like a lot, but again, Catherine was all in. She knew I had the basic skills, and also thought I would enjoy the experience and learn a lot. I applied and they scheduled an interview for a few weeks later. The Interview So here I was, going to an interview for a job that had “found me.” This type of thing had happened in my life before with very positive consequences. My role was to simply say “yes” and be open to learning. With this attitude, I drove to Town Hall for my interview. I remembered the last and only formal job interview I ever had occurred almost 50 years ago in a very similar large brick building called Arlington High School. I had applied for a 3-month teaching gig as a health education teacher, so I could have the summer off. That morphed into a fulfilling seven-year job teaching the “law” to high school students while I attended law school at night. From then on, all the jobs I had were either through networking or were simply extensions of what I was already doing. The formal interview was held in the Town Manager’s conference room and included the Town Manager, Mary Lou (the Ipswich Assessor), Karen (the other assessor), and an HR person. It was a friendly affair with prescribed questions that I assumed they asked all the candidates. I got a chance to share my background and interests, both as an appraiser/lawyer and also as a mediator. It seemed clear in the conversation that these skills would be helpful to the assessor. The Town Manager asked if I could take a complicated concept and explain it simply. I decided to explain how to “value a house”, and asked if he would be willing to do a bit of role playing. He was a good sport and within quick order it was easy to explain. My favorite question was “Why do you want this job?” I told them that I had never even heard of an “assessor board” before this, and had assumed that the assessor made all the decisions herself. I was not looking for this or any other job. However, this job found me and that intrigued me. It felt a bit like “Kismet.” Before I left, I “warned” them that if they offer the job, I will say Yes. Two days later they called and offered me the job. I happily accepted!
3 Comments
Rose
9/16/2021 03:27:25 pm
I love this David! You are perfect for it. Congratulations 💕
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Judy McManus
9/17/2021 04:33:47 am
Nice story, David, miss you 😘
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James Gilboy
9/17/2021 05:00:10 am
How cool congratulations David! Hope all is well with you and the family!
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David FeldmanDog walker, Dog Mediator, Father, Husband, Categories |