PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Maine Association of Assessing Officers recently held their annual meeting, during which they named Presque Isle Tax Assessor Lewis Cousins the Assessor of the Year.
The organization sponsors the award annually to recognize professional and dedicated service by an Assessor to their profession and community. Cousins was nominated by his peers who recognized his leadership in the profession, high quality of work, integrity and involvement as an educator in the field of assessing.
City Manager Martin Puckett received a plaque for the city.
“Working with Lewis for over 10 years, I have seen firsthand the high quality of work, dedication, and his willingness to help in a wide array of projects,” Puckett said. “He has a wide array of skills ranging from a health officer to code inspector — a municipal renaissance person.”
Cousins has worked with the University of Maine at Presque Isle and CAI Technologies to create an online geographic information system, or GIS, database with multiple layers for public use, a first for the city.
He has served as a health officer, assessor, code enforcement officer, and plumbing inspector for over a dozen towns in his career and served as assessor for the City of Presque Isle since 2014. He is a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers, MAAO and past president of the Aroostook Code Enforcement Organization.
The Assessor’s Office is responsible for creating and maintaining an accurate record to include valuation, assessment details, map details, and ownership of record as of April 1st each year of all real estate and personal property located in the City.
“The assessing staff is committed to providing these services with accuracy, professionalism, and respect for the citizens we serve. It is the mission of the Assessor’s Office to continually and consistently maintain our assessments at or near true market value to the benefit of the City and all property owners,” Puckett said.
The City’s GIS Assessing database may be accessed online by visiting http://presqueislemaine.gov/assessing/.
