Board to give free garbage service

Residents in Marshall County, excluding the municipalities, will receive free solid waste service, according to District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor.

He said the free service was chosen instead of reducing the mill rate so everyone benefits.

The topic came up when Barton resident David Moak complained about his property tax increase at the last county-wide reappraisal. Neighbors properties were assessed lower, he said.

County administrator Tim Powell began the discussion with Moak by saying that the county cannot levy a tax unless the law allows it.

That means that the only way a person’s tax can be rolled back is within the millage, he said.

Other taxes such as school district taxes and municipal taxes are not under the control of the board of supervisors, he said.

Taylor said the board discussed cutting the levy by two mills but instead decided to give everyone free garbage collection.

“It all comes out of the same checkbook,” Taylor said, adding that residents do not show up at school board meetings to protest the increased millage they will pay in school taxes.

District 5 supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett weighed in.

“People don’t realize the school board of Marshall County controls 30 percent of your taxes,” Bennett said.

“I don’t mind them getting it as long as I’m getting something for it,” Moak said.

“Somebody paid my kids school taxes,” Taylor said.

“We don’t control all of that other 70 percent because it goes out to different (taxing districts),” Powell said.

“I disagree,” Moak said. “I’m getting a second opinion.” He said he received a double-digit tax increase and lives on a fixed income.

“It’s a hard thing to swallow,” Moak said. “I’m taking it to court. I’m going to be from Missouri. I want somebody to show me.”

“We decided to give tax breaks to people who live here (not to property owners who do not live in the county but hold property),” Taylor said.

“It’s a catch 22 situation,” Moak said. “I’m locked in (at a higher appraisal value).” (Moak’s neighbors had their appraisals locked in at a lower rate because they are considerably older and had met the age requirements of 65 so their property assessments would never be increased. Tax assessor Casey Hillmer said some people were locked in at an appraisal value at which their property values can never go up because of a new state law. Those people had their appraisals locked in before the county-wide reappraisal increased the property values, Hillmer said. The board and tax assessor cannot change Moak’s appraisal because it is state law, he said.) District 4 supervisor George Zinn III said there was a debate about whether to lower the mill rate or give garbage bill relief.

“Mr. Moak, you find out something, let us know,” Bennett said.

Ron Grandel rose to speak to the board to ask why his taxes went up 20 percent (due to reappraisal).

“I understand you could have adjusted the millage rate,” he said. “Some kind of explanation why you went up so much?”

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry said providing five ambulances had increased the budget by $3 million and if the mill rate had been lowered the ambulance service would not have increased over the county.

Grandel asked if the board knows what the tax increase will be next year.

“You are seeing industry built, but it’s not there yet,” Powell said.

“Keep in mind, we’ve always been a distressed county,” said chancery clerk Chuck Thomas. “Industry is helping us and the board is talking about doing a gradual 10-year reduction.”

Thomas said the tax reduction would have to be gradual because “if the big boxes (warehouses) were to be empty (close down) up there it kills us.”

“The 20 percent scares me,” Grandel said. “If I was going to move here to work, it’s cheaper to move to Tennessee. I would settle in Tennessee, if I was going to work here.”

Bennett said he thinks Grandel will see more of a break with the county paying the garbage collection fees than cutting the tax levy by two mills.

“With growth, we have growing pains,” Terry said. “We will eventually see the results of the growth.” Taylor said the board put extra money in the budget so the sheriff’s department could give deputies raises to keep experienced and certified officers here.

The board has proposed to give each certified deputy a $5,000 increase to go into effect January 1, 2023, but the budget is not final.

Thomas said the board has put on a spending freeze twice this year to manage cash flow and expenditures.