Amherst Times

The major discussion at Amherst’s Monday night Town Board meeting centered on the Town‘s problem with our messed up assessment situation. The fierce words spoken by the Supervisor, Town Board members, audience members and the Assessor mainly placed blame on how our Town ended up in this assessment bind.

Placing blame in this situation is important because if the assessment of the town’s 46,000 parcels had followed the path the State has designed for it, there wouldn’t be any problem.

Dan Ward didn’t mince words when he stated, “You incompetently blundered into one of the areas in town that I think was very well run, Dr. Mohan”. Most of the Council members followed suit. The main exception was Shelly Schratz, who really seems to have lost her sense of judgment concerning anything Dr. Mohan says or does.

Councilmember Schratz is a lady who feels the need to protect and mother Supervisor Mohan in every case. Even when the evidence of his messing around the Assessment Department caused the problems we are now having with our assessments, she protects him. Last evening she did admit that she feels our assessor, Harry Williams, is a good assessor.

Dr. Mohan told Harry Williams several months ago he wouldn’t reappoint him. He has said this privately, publicly and in written form. Mohan has accused Williams and the Town Board of criminal acts concerning the assessment issue.

Remember the Town case against Anthony Canna which ended up costing our Town over a million dollars? Well, we are now going to being sued for five million dollars by Mr. Canna. Mr. Williams will certainly end up suing the Town and he will win because Supervisor Mohan hasn’t proof of any wrong doings by our assessor. How can we afford to keep following Mohan down such erroneous paths?