It's official. The wheels of property revaluation in the Town of Mamaroneck are moving forward.

Last night, the Town Board approved a resolution to begin the revaluation process, which confirms the Town's intent to conduct a revaluation, but is not the end of the line, clarified Councilman Ernest Odierna. Public hearings, meetings and other processes will follow.

The Town originally believed that it'd need to hire a consultant to assist with the process, but "encouraged by the fact that another community in Westchester County is willing to commence the revaluation process," the New York State Office of Real Property Services (ORPS) has offered to do the job instead, said Town Administrator Stephen Altieri.

ORPS is already helping out with the preparation of a proposal request and will also assist with interviewing and evaluating firms interested in taking on the project. In addition, it will participate in educating residents at community and Town Board meetings.

Last night's resolution came about because ORPS asked the Board to adopt a resolution of intent in order to commit to assist in the process. 

Because the Town intends to conduct a "thorough" property revaluation process in which every property will be inspected, ORPS recommended 2013 as an end date for the project. Any agreements resulting in expenditure of funds by the Town or in hiring a private contractor to provide services to achieve the revaluation are subject to Town approval, according to the resolution. 

The last property reassessment in the Town of Mamaroneck was in 1968. 

Also last night, the Board approved the contracts signed between the Town Ambulance District and two volunteer ambulance corps: Mamaroneck Medical Emergency Services (MEMS) and the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps (LVAC). 

Since the ambulance district was formed in 1994, the two corps have had operating agreements with the district. The last agreement expired Jan. 31, 2010. 

Because of changes proposed by the district, MEMS refused to sign the renewal agreement until a few weeks ago. This resulted in an emergency meeting on Saturday, Jan. 23, where the Town and Village boards, along with representatives from MEMS, tried to come up with a solution.

A few days later, the agreement was amended and MEMS signed a three-year contract with the option of a two-year extension. LVAC had previously signed a five-year contract. 

In other news, the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Cable TV Advisory Committee to the Cable TV Board of Control has a new member. Brad Garfield, a TV director, producer and editor, will be filling the vacancy created when Alexandre LeClere moved out of the Town.

Garfield has worked for PBS, CBS Sports, Fox 5, WNBC News and Thirteen/WNET, among others; and won two National Emmy Awards for Olympics coverage for NBC Sports. The appointment lasts through Oct. 31, 2010. 

Finally, during the work session that takes place right before the Board meeting, the Board discussed their new "user-friendly" Web site, which is expected to launch in two weeks. Among some of the added features will be a section that helps you figure out where exactly you live (Is it the Village of Mamaroneck, Rye Neck, or both? The Town of Mamaroneck or the Village of Larchmont?). Electronic access to the so-called "agenda packet," or the documents and information regarding what's on the agenda and given to board members at work sessions and meetings, was also discussed. 

This material is usually given to the press, but not to everyone attending the meetings. Out of the three municipalities, only the Village of Mamaroneck posts that material online. Councilman Ernest Odierna is in favor of giving the public access to that information, but others are not quite sure. Councilwoman Phyllis Wittner thinks that if all that information is available before the meeting, residents will not attend or watch the televised meetings and will miss out on the discussion, thinking that they have all they need to know online. 

What do you think? Send us your thoughts at Sandra@Patch.com.

The town will send a press release once the site is ready to go.