The local assessing function was the topic of a Massachusetts Municipal Management Association webinar on May 18 led by Chris Wilcock, chief of the Bureau of Local Assessment at the Division of Local Services.

“Questions Every CEO Should Be Asking Their Assessing Department” addressed property valuations and how to measure one’s community against a peer community, as well as property assessment trends at the county and state level.

The webinar reviewed the role of assessors in municipal finance, what they are typically working on throughout the year, and when their busy times are. Wilcock said there are about 1,500 assessing professionals in Massachusetts who evaluate 2.5 million parcels with a total value of $1.65 trillion.

Wilcock, a former chief assessor for the city of Melrose, also showcased the resources available at the Bureau of Local Assessment’s website.

• Questions Every CEO Should Be Asking Their Assessing Department presentation (2.2M PDF)