This year, Windham Town Hall welcomes Elisa Trepanier of Raymond to the role of tax assessor. Trepanier takes the place of David Sawyer, who retired at the end of last month.

Trepanier, who worked as assistant assessor for the town under Sawyer for 10 years, was appointed to the position by the Town Council. Council Chairwoman Donna Chapman is confident in Elisa’s abilities and thinks “she will do a great job.”

“I’m excited for what she’s going to bring,” Chapman added.

For her work, Trepanier uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a computer-based system used to analyze geographic and spatial information (such as a tax map).

Town Manager Tony Plante said Elisa has “contributed a great deal” to the town’s assessing and GIS program in past years, and he is “happy that we’re going to be able to take advantage of her skills in her new role and continue the progress in GIS, and continue the stability we had in (previous) years.”

Trepanier, who doesn’t “shy away from hard work,” recently received a Certificate in Applied GIS from the University of Southern Maine. She said the classes were “challenging and complex,” and said of the students: “(they) were just so brilliant, and it was just delightful to be in a class setting with so many brilliant minds.”

The Lakes Region Weekly sat down with Trepanier to learn about what she likes about Windham, how she spent her holidays, and what might surprise you about an assessing office.

Q: You’ve been working for the town in the assessing office for 10 years. What do you like most about this kind of work?

A: Even with as large as (Windham) is, with the large commercial area, there’s still a very tight-knit community. It’s very charming.

Q: Can you tell me a bit more about your work background?

A: Before I came to the Windham assessing office, I worked for the town of Raymond for eight years, and that’s where I’d gotten my start in assessing and GIS. Before that I worked in a larger law firm in Portland, for an attorney who specialized in commercial and residential real estate law. That’s where I got my real estate background.

Q: What got you interested in this work?

A: An assessing office position became available in Raymond, where I was living, and I had the experience they were looking for. It just seemed like a natural transition to go from commercial real estate law into assessing and municipal government.

Q: How do you feel about your new position?

A: I’m very excited, while at the same time I know it’s going to be a tremendous amount of work. I’ve never shied away from hard work, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.

Q: What is the most surprising thing about what you do? Is there an aspect of your job that someone who isn’t familiar with your work wouldn’t expect?

A: I think the most surprising and gratifying thing that happens in an assessing office is when the opportunity arises to truly help someone. You wouldn’t think that would happen in an assessing office.

It can be explaining an exemption program to a resident that they might not have realized they qualify for, or assisting residents with locating deeds or property surveys after a death in the family, or answering questions from a first-time homeowner.

It has its ups and downs, but when you can really help somebody – which happens here, more often than you might think – it makes the job very rewarding.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: I have a lot of different interests, but I do spend most of my free time working with and caring for my horses – just pleasure ride, I don’t compete in any way.

Q: Did you do anything special during the holidays?

A: I did. I spent the holidays with my children and my adorable grandchildren. They’re pretty special; we just stayed local but we had a really wonderful Christmas.

Elisa Trepanier at her new office in Windham. Trepanier was appointed to the position of tax assessor in December.