GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The Greenfield Board of Assessors is holding a public workshop series to “demystify” property taxes.

Jim Geisman, Chair of the Board of Assessors, explained the reason behind the workshops; to “give residents an inside look” and learn how to ensure they are getting a “fair shake” or what to do if they disagree with their assessment. 

From the City of Greenfield:

City of Greenfield Assessors to Demystify Property Taxes in New Interactive Workshops

To promote transparency and empower homeowners to better understand their tax bills, the City of Greenfield Board of Assessors is launching a new workshop series titled, “Understanding Assessments and Property Taxes: Assessment Questions You Always Wanted Answered.” The workshop series is being hosted by Greenfield Community College. Interested individuals can click here to register online.

Property taxes are often a source of confusion for homeowners. While many understand the bottom line on their bill, few understand the methodology Assessors use to arrive at that number. This virtual workshop series aims to pull back the curtain on the assessment process, explaining exactly how the Assessor’s Office fits into City government and how property values are calculated.

“Everyone talks about property taxes, but not everyone understands the mechanics behind them,” said Jim Geisman, Chair of the Board of Assessors. “Our goal with these sessions is to give residents an inside look at what we do. We want homeowners to learn how to ensure they are getting a ‘fair shake’ and what steps to take if they disagree with their assessment.”

The workshops are designed to be educational and interactive. Topics will include:

• The role of the assessor: what they do, and equally important, what they cannot do.

• Data transparency: how to access and read a Property Record Card.

• Fairness: how to compare specific property taxes against neighbors to check for uniformity.

• Exemptions: a guide to tax relief options and abatement application deadlines.

The workshop will be presented by a team with deep analytical and industry experience:

• Christina Summers, Chief Assessor for the City of Greenfield: Christina brings over 20 years of real-estate appraisal experience.

• Jim Geisman (City of Greenfield Board of Assessors Chair) & Chuck Green (Clerk): Both Geisman and Green are trained engineers with extensive corporate backgrounds, Green with 20 years at General Motors and Geisman with 35+ years in management consulting. Both have received advanced education in assessing.

Registration information is provided below:

• Dates: December 10, 2025 or January 14, 2026

• Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

• Interested individuals can click here to register online

• Location: Virtual via Zoom

• Cost: Free

• Materials: All registrants will receive a digital PDF of the presentation

• These workshops will be held as public meetings in conformance with Open Meeting Law.