Virginia Ignatowski, Chili Town Clerk / Receiver of Taxes

03/05/2026

A new law was passed in NY recently that now requires Town Clerks to accept voluntary contributions in support of shelters managed by Towns and to provide notification to residents with their renewal applications. This is a voluntary contribution that, for Chili residents, would be used in support of the Town of Chili Dog Shelter. The funds derived from voluntary contributions cannot be used to replace funding commitments (budgeted expenses). We have encountered individuals who would like to donate outside of a renewal / dog application process, so I wanted to alert residents that this does now exist and to give a heads up that they will see this modification with dog license renewal applications.

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12/31/2025

I just was made aware of a news story about modifications that the US Postal Service is making to postmark stamps. Starting in January 2026, a new rule will be put into place that the postmark will reflect the date an envelope is first processed by an automated USPS sorting machine, potentially days after it was dropped off – not the actual drop-off date. This could lead to late fees and penalties for anyone mailing time-sensitive documents such as tax returns or bill payments. This includes your property taxes!!

Real Property Tax Law requires that we use the Postmark date to determine if a payment was mailed timely. They are recommending that time-sensitive mail should be mailed at least several days before the deadline. People can also go inside their local post office and ask for a hand-stamped "manual postmark" on the date, or use certified mail.

Of course, residents can also come into our office, use our night drop box or pay online.

This is a massive change that I am afraid will catch many by surprise when they find that they are now late and have to pay late fees. I you are mailing your tax payment, I would recommend doing so at least a week before the due date.

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11/06/2025

Thank you to all that went out to vote on Tuesday and supported me. I appreciate each and every one of you! I look forward to continuing to serve you as your Town Clerk and Tax Receiver. I am blessed to live in this community and to have wonderful staff that shares the same passion of service to our residents.

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10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from the Chili Town Clerk/Tax Receiver Office! I am "The Queen of Spreadsheets" in case you are wondering. 😁

09/26/2025

NYS to begin mailing tax rebate checks on Friday; amounts range from $150 to $400.

I received this notification this morning:

"The state will begin mailing tax rebate checks Friday to about 8 million New Yorkers, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced. The "inflation rebate" checks stem from a budget surplus the state enjoyed last year. The check amounts range from $150 to $400, based on income, and there is an income cap on eligibility. These payments are separate from the School Tax Relief (STAR) checks some households will receive this fall."

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09/04/2025

Tax Bills delayed in mailing. The County was behind in producing bills this year for a variety of reasons. Wheatland-Chili bills were sent out last Friday, so those in that school district should have received their bills by now. Churchville-Chili and Cal-Mum bills went out on Tuesday, and Gates Chili are being mailed today. The bills are loaded on the County's website, so you can see them there. Full instructions on how to access this information can be found on the Chili Tax Receiver page:

The Receiver of Taxes is charged with the responsibility to collect all County, Town, Special Districts, Fire Districts and School Tax Levies within the town of Chili.

08/26/2025

I’ve received the 2025 school tax warrants. We’re still waiting for the bills to be printed and hope to have them by the end of this week.

Here are the updated tax rates (per thousand) from the warrants:

Cal-Mum: 12.783197 (down from 13.285738)

CC: 14.492725 (down from 14.567850)

GC: 16.409716 (down from 18.916442)

WC: 14.970065 (up from 14.576716)

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08/26/2025

Notice of Adjusted Office Hours – Town Clerk and Tax Offices

In preparation for and collection of School Taxes, the Town Clerk and Tax Offices will temporarily deviate from the standard Town Hall summer schedule beginning August 25.

August 25–28: Offices will be open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

August 29: Offices will operate from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Please note: The Town Hall will close at 11:00 AM on Friday, August 29. However, clerk staff will remain available by phone after that time.

September 2–5: Offices will be open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The Town Hall doors will remain open throughout this period. On Friday, September 5, staffing in other departments will conclude at 11:00 AM, though the Town Clerk and Tax Offices will continue to provide service.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this busy season.

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07/29/2025

Road Closing alert: The Town of Chili intends to close Brook Road to accommodate a culvert replacement from 7AM on August 4 until 5 PM on August 7. The closure for the work will take place approximately 1,000' west of the intersection of Brook Road and Ballantyne Road. "Road Closed - Local Traffic Only" signs will be posted at the intersections of Brook and Ballantyne, and at Brook and Humphrey Roads.

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07/15/2025

📣 Important Update from the Town Clerk's Office 🖋️

Please note that notary services will now be offered by appointment only. Recent changes in notary law have significantly increased the time required to complete notarial acts, which has impacted our ability to serve residents efficiently—especially during times of limited staffing.

While notary services are available from other providers such as banks and individuals that perform notary work as a business, many of the services we offer—such as issuing dog licenses and handicap placards—can only be completed in our office. Residents have experienced delays for these essential services due to time-intensive notary requests.

This change is similar to the successful transition we made to appointment-based marriage licensing five years ago, which has greatly improved service flow.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we continue working to serve you more effectively.

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07/09/2025

I have denied two companies' Peddler Permit Applications this year; Aptive Enviornmental (a pest control company) and Smart Home Pros/Vivint (a home security company). They were denied due to information I found on actions against them from other State Attorney General offices and, in the case of Smart Home Pros / Vivint, the Federal Trade Commission. It has come to my attention that Aptive Environmental is currently sending a sales force out into the Town of Chili. If you have someone come to your door from either of these companies, it is helpful if you obtain proof that they were there. Please send this information to our code enforcement at [email protected]. **Code enforcement has requested that you include your contact information in case your testimony is needed for court proceedings. **As always, you can also reach out to me at [email protected] as well.

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