Tax assessor deals with old issues
When tax assessor Barbara Belfoure took office, one of the first things found was a lot of new homes were not assessed on the property rolls prior to her taking office.
Stacks of building permits had not been entered into the computers or been followed to see if homes were built.
After a thorough investigation, it was found that many owners of new homes had not had their houses assessed on their subdivision lots.
The ramifications of oversights remain to be researched and rectified.
One such instance was an individual whose 32 x 36 foot 2008 mobile home with an added 20 x 23 foot room and patio that had burned but was still being assessed along with another much smaller mobile home placed on the property roll in 2022.
Belfoure said the 2021 tax on the property went up from $755 to $1,614 without a mobile home on it. The 2024 tax bill on the property was $2,400.
Belfoure said the citizen was assessed taxes on the burned mobile home and the new one and it was found the owner was being assessed for both.
Belfoure said the error was corrected and the owner wants her money back for three years.
Tax assessor Wayne Herring advised that the assessor can only go back two years.
Marshall County board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith recommended the board take the the concern under advisement at the September 2 meeting.
District 5 supervisor Ronnie O’Neil Bennett assured the resident.
“We are going to get this resolved for you,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to pay extra taxes.”
“I know I can do one year,” Belfoure said.
“I just want you to know, the previous administration has done this,” said District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker.
The resident said her home that burned was a very large house and was replaced with a lot smaller house.
“We got everything we need to make this correction,” said Belfoure. “The new house is a 2012 (mobile home) and smaller.”
Bennett made a motion to correct everything that can be corrected under the law, and the motion passed.
Belfoure said there was another issue with another house that burned in 2021 and was not taken off the roll. That property went through the tax sale, she said.
She cited an example of a person who was deceased and was not taken off the homestead and land rolls.
Smith said families who inherited the property were not entitled to an exemption.
Elecia Cox came before the board concerning a 2023 tax bill to properties that did not include the tax assessment on the new homes. She said she represents about 10 other property owners and threatened a class-action lawsuit.
Cox said there were between 120 to 130 properties that were mis-assessed for the 2023 year and property owners found out about it in a letter sent out from the tax office in July 2024.
“You are asking for the board to order to forgive all that were mis-assessed?” asked District 4 supervisor George Zinn III.
“For specifically the 2023,” Cox said.
Belfoure said there were properties on which homes were not assessed in 2023 and 2024.
“She made an argument and is asking for taxes to be forgiven,” Zinn said.
“My recommendation is that Elisha should not represent a class of people,” Belfoure said. “She can represent herself.”
Zinn made a motion to table the discussion and it passed.
“I just don’t know the legality of it,” said Walker.
In other business, the board held a public hearing on the closure of Drew Road, a 0.2 mile section of road that intersects Highway 311.
The reason to close the road was that it does not provide access to property to anyone other than those using it. Traffic is intermittent.
The road is maintained but is not a part of the County Road system.
Walker made a motion to vacate the 0.2 mile segment because it is in the public interest to do so. District 3 supervisor Terry Rodgers seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. The public hearing was closed.
Zoning Clean-up hearings were held by zoning administrator David Johnson. The following items were taken up: · a vacant lot on Alvin Drive in a subdivision where multiple cars are not tagged and one RV is parked. The board approved issuing a clean-up order. · a property at 200 Roper Cove where parts are being removed from multiple cars for selling. Auto-parts and debris is scattered about.
The board approved a clean-up order.
• a property at 14 Lee Drive was reported cleaned up and taken off the list.
• a tractor trailer truck and 8 to 10 trailers parked on county property on Old Victoria Road. Johnson recommended a sign be put up ordering the trailers be removed and that a notice be put in the newspaper. Johnson said the equipment was not allowed to be parked on county property.
Circuit clerk Monet Autry said water is still coming in her office and ruining the wall which is beginning to crumble. “A lot of money has been spent to redo that office,” she said. Rodgers said the moisture had to be coming through the mortar on the brick. Simpson Stroupe said there could be a leak at the downspout.
“Is the courtroom holding up o.k.?” Rodgers asked.
Autry said the problem is happening all around the courtroom. Paint is crumbling.
Bennett said mortar could be tuckpointed, since it is crumbling.
Rodgers said there is a sealer that can be applied.
Stroupe said there is a rubberized sealer that will hold up.
“Tuckpoint it either way,” he said.
Autry said the public address system and monitors have not been installed in the courtroom but money was set aside for it.
The November 4 election has candidates running for supervisors in District 1 and District 3 and the Marshall County School Board. Candidates will be certified by the election commission, she said.