Kathleen Costello, principal assessor for the Town of Mattapoisett, was recently awarded the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers MAA Designation award after completing a number of courses with the association.

The required courses included the Massachusetts Department of Revenue Course 101 and Mass Appraisal of Real Property. These courses include 185 +/- hours of classroom instruction and a final examination for each course.

The purpose of the assessing officers association, established in 1890, is to educate the officers of Massachusetts and their assistants in the field of assessing in this state, to assist in creating efficient and uniform administration of local tax laws, to afford opportunity for the discussion of subjects pertaining to local taxation, and to provide methods for encouraging the development of desirable tax laws and to discourage the adoption of harmful measures relating to taxation or to the duties of local taxing officials; and to promote public understanding of Assessing Officials work efforts to the general public.