OCAA Meeting Minutes 09/16/25
DelFuoco, Cristine
OCAA Meeting Minutes 09/16/25
Opening:
Meeting was called to order at 12:27 pm on 09/16/25 at Salina Meadows, 301 Plainfield Rd., by Tom Cardinal.
Approval of Minutes:
A motion was made by Rob Bick and seconded by Ann Gallagher to approve the minutes from 08/19/25.
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In Favor: All |
Opposed: None |
Motion Carried |
Treasurer's Report:
A motion was made by Chris Russo and seconded by Cris Del Fuoco to approve the treasurer's report of $999.37
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In Favor: All |
Opposed: None |
Motion Carried |
Please see the attachment to these minutes for the full Treasurer’s report.
County Report:
Per Kate Kearney:
- Assessor Orientation: Interest expressed; possible half-day session planned for October/November.
- Corrections: Kate reminded us to submit promptly. Amy praised for efficient processing.
- County Town Bills: 2025 roll will close earlier than usual due to Department of Taxation deadlines.
- If STAR reports issued after roll closing, bills will not be adjusted.
- RPS Online (RPSO):
- Presentation scheduled in Fulton (Oct. 1).
- Albany session already full.
- Onondaga County not planning early adoption.
- ORPTS still maintaining RPSV4 for at least 12 months.
- Concerns about readiness; testing ongoing.
- Parcel Combinations:
- New form created defining “contiguous” property.
- Onondaga County will not allow combinations across roads.
- Draft form reviewed; Carol approved.
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See attached for copy of draft form
State Report:
Per Brendan Lawrence:
Please see the attachment to these minutes for the full State report.
- Busy season: surveys, valuations, STAR issues.
- STAR Program:
- Applications for Basic/Enhanced STAR removed.
- ORPTS will notify homeowners/assessors of qualification.
- Mass mailing (approx. 150,000 letters) coming in November targeting non-filers (affecting Amish community).
- IVP tool to be phased out later in the year.
- Taxpayer confusion persists (state vs assessor responsibility). Assessors and staff advised to direct taxpayers to STAR hotline and note reference ID numbers.
- Personnel Update:
- Kate Garbutt retired.
- Aaron Lesch appointed Syracuse Office Manager; good rapport with staff.
- Volunteer Firefighter Exemption: Extended until December 9, 2028.
- Reminder of reappointments due Oct. 1, 2025 – Sept. 30, 2031.
- Reminder for ethics recertification (for assessors/county directors).
- RPSO Roadshow Dates: Albany (Sept.), Fulton (Oct. 1), Batavia (Oct. 16) – limited seating.
Open Issues:
Meeting Schedule & Attendance Review
- Review of 2023–2025 attendance:
- Highest: August picnic (25–27 attendees), December party (27–30 attendees).
- Lowest: June (12 attendees), November (13 attendees).
- Decision:
- Reduce from 11 meetings/year → 8 regular meetings + 2 training sessions.
- Meetings: Feb, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Dec (Christmas).
- Training: June & November.
- No meetings in Jan, Apr, or Nov.
- Meeting Locations:
- August picnic – Van Buren Park.
- December party – Lysander (Tassone’s).
- Training – Lysander unless other towns volunteer.
- Other meetings: rotating locations (The Wood, Nibsy's Pub, Twin Trees, Golden Corral, etc. under consideration).
Slate of Officers for 2026:
The nominating committee (Al Kerr, Terry Golden, and Chris Russo), proposed the following slate of officers for 2026 to be voted on at the October meeting …
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President |
Rob Bick |
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Vice President |
Ann Clancy |
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Treasurer |
Terry Golden |
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Secretary |
PJ Rimualdo |
New Business:
Citrix “Black Screen” Problems:
- Common failures when opening RPS.
- IT troubleshooting ongoing; issue tied to Citrix/Windows updates.
- Possible shift away from Citrix toward cloud solutions discussed.
Honorary Recognition & Membership
Rob Bick presented Pat Duffy with a plaque to honor his many years of service and dedication to the assessment profession. Pat has served on many different boards and committees as well as the Executive Director for the New York State Assessor's Association (NYSAA) and as an instructor for the Institute of Assessing Officers (IAO). He has been a tremendous asset to the assessment profession and will be missed. Although Pat is retiring from his job as the assessor in Manlius, he plans on continuing to teach classes and stay involved with the assessment community.
Congratulations, Pat!
A motion was made by Cris Del Fuoco and seconded by Terry Golden to grant Pat Duffy honorary lifetime membership in the Onondaga County Assessor's Association.
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In Favor: All |
Opposed: None |
Motion Carried |
Adjournment:
A motion to adjourn the meeting at 1:05 PM was made by Pat Duffy and seconded by Ann Gallagher.
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In Favor: All |
Opposed: None |
Motion Carried |
A Presentation following the meeting was made by Amanda Falkner from Schneider Geospatial.
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Agenda for Next Meeting: |
Nearmap Presentation |
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Next Meeting: |
October 21, 2025 |
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