Tax assessor told no to over time pay

Tax assessor Barbara Belfoure updated the Marshall County Board of Supervisors on recovery of escaped taxes on about 300 parcels in years 2023 and 2024 at the November 17 meeting.

The 2025 tax bills are ready to be mailed out in December, she said.

She said the 2025 tax bills cannot be mailed out until the assessor “deals with escaped taxes.” “We are a very long way to get there,” she said.

About 50 parcels that escaped taxes on the homes built have been completed.

“I can’t go in and push a button,” she said. “We will have to go all day and overtime every day this week and be finished by Monday (December 1),” Belfoure said.

County administrator Tim Powell asked if the after hours would be charged as comp time or over-time pay.

“I don’t think she (Belfoure) can get over-time,” said chancery clerk Nicole Phelps. “Elected officials can’t get overtime.”

Belfoure said her job is to work 40 hours a week.

“No, no, you have to do it until you get it done,” said District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker. “She’s refusing to work. This is something that is critical.”

“I’m referring to over-time,” Belfoure said.

“As an elected official, we have to do what we have to do,” Walker said. “This didn’t just come up last week. Why wait to now to get this done.”

“They need time, we need to satisfy,” said District 1 supervisor Goston Glover.

Belfoure said the tax cannot be completed until the value of the house has been determined.

“Number one,” she said. “Number two, we had to learn how to do it. This has been an ongoing process and had to create a letter.

“Unfortunately, I did not have time to get it done. We have close to 300 parcels to do. Our 2025 bills are ready to be done.

“The 2025 bills can go out before the escaped taxes go out.” “This is a learning process,” said District 4 supervisor George Zinn III.

“It’s best to pay over-time to get the bills out. It’s in our best interest,” he said.

“Let’s get it done,” Glover said.

The board passed a motion to pay employees overtime.

“The 2025 tax bills can go this week, if we can do the escaped taxes separate,” said tax collector Rosalyn DeBerr y.

(Update: At the December 1 board meeting, Belfoure said there were lots of comments over radio about the over-time discussion at the prior board meeting. She said she called the Mississippi Department of Revenue and was told an elected official is not required to work overtime and that she was told “you do the best you can with the time you have.”

She said the radio broadcast had “brought a lot of discomfort to me to even have to address that.” “An elected official is not required to work over-time,” she said.

She was told by DOR they do not have to work one hour a week.

“I took and oath. I’m gonna do my job,” she said. “At the end of the day, I’m still going to do my job. We’ve had a tough row to hoe.”

“You have uncovered things we would have not normally known,” Zinn said.) Following this discussion, deputy assessor Belen Manjarrez, presented individual instances to correct homestead exemption data.

One homeowner’s homestead could be reinstated as the owner was not living in the house because of health issues. The law allows the homeowner to continue receiving homestead as long as the house is not rented.

The board approved a motion to reinstate the homestead exemption on the parcel.

The board approved removal of homestead on property owned by the State of Mississippi, which is exempt. There was no building on the property and it was removed from the homestead roll.

The board approved correcting a 2025 tax bill because a building had been removed from the property.

In zoning matters, administrator David Johnson reported property at Alvin Drive has been cleaned up.

A property at 1965 Victoria Road was in violation of ordinances and the board ordered household garbage, waste and trash be cleaned up.

The board approved a beer license at a new service station at the intersection of Highway 72 and Highway 311.

Johnson said some 18wheeler trailers left on county property in a parking lot have been removed and some are being moved in and out. He said sufficient time has been given to owners to get their property off the county lot.

Johnson recommended two towing companies that would pick up the equipment and store it.

“Residents are constantly complaining,” said supervisor Glover.

The board passed a motion to have the equipment towed.

“The owner will have to deal with the towing company,” Johnson said. “Two are local services but tow the vehicles to Calhoun City.”