The Jones County Tax Assessors department has come a long way over the past year with updates at the December board meeting reporting all on track to meet upcoming deadlines.
Board Chairman Leigh Stanford called the Dec. 4 meeting to order, and board member Joe Rutledge led the opening prayer and pledge.
In addition to Stanford and Rutledge, board members Andrea Riley and Tina Presley were in attendance. Board member Justin Kelly was absent.
Tax Appraiser and Board Secretary Bill Goodman guided board members through the agenda that included the approval of four homestead exemptions for veterans and the continuation of one conservation use value assessment.
Goodman presented 36 error and relief documents, which were approved following review by the board and 20 motor vehicle appeals.
Updates
The appraiser then gave project updates, beginning with the mobile home digest. He said the digest is due Jan. 5, and staff members have entered updates. That digest is currently 95 percent complete.
Goodman reported all mobile home field review work will be completed by Technical Appraisals by Dec. 30. He said updates from Planning and Zoning and the Tax Commissioner’s office will continue to be received through that date.
The secretary said boat and business personal property tax returns will be mailed Jan. 31, with preparatory work and information gathering underway.
“Data entry will begin once the mobile home digest is completed, and both deadlines are expected to be met,” he said.
The business permit list from P&Z has been received and is under review, and the business license list for the City of Gray was received earlier in the day. Goodman explained that field reviews are required for new businesses and open businesses that do not yet have a business license.
The report of appeals numbers sounded like good news. Goodman said the total number of appeals filed was 488, and 461 had been resolved. That leaves 34 appeals remaining.
The Board of Equalization has 17 appeal hearings scheduled. The hearings were scheduled to begin Dec. 10.
He said all appeals are expected to be fully resolved by Jan. 31, barring new BOE or Superior Court actions.
Goodman gave a report about the progress of Technical Appraisal Services that is performing the countywide revaluation. He said 95 percent of the initial review is completed with its finalization expected this month. In addition, 35 percent of the data entry has been completed with the remainder to be finished by Feb. 1.
Preliminary residential schedules are undergoing testing, and the bottom line is the county is more than satisfied with the progress.
Chairman’s report
Stanford noted that the next meeting of the board would fall on Jan. 1 and needed to be rescheduled. The issue with that is the mobile home digest must be approved by Jan. 5. Following a short discussion among board members, it was decided to meet at 9 a.m. Dec. 29 to approve the mobile home digest.
The monthly meeting was rescheduled for Thursday, Jan. 8.
Stanford recognized interim Chief Appraiser Bill Davis who, was in attendance. Davis said he was glad to be at the meeting and stated Technical Appraisal Services was doing a great job.
The chairman said she followed up on the cost and need to update the county’s aerial photography. The estimated cost of the project is between $250,000 and $350,000. She said after a review with the state, updating the aerial photography this year is not mandatory.
Riley said she confirmed with Kenny Colson of the Department of Revenue that delaying the project would be acceptable.
Stanford said that was due in part to the quality of the current mapping. She said the idea for the project next year is to coordinate with other departments that will benefit from the aerial photography update and share the cost.
With no other business on the agenda, the meeting was adjourned. The Dec. 4 meeting in its entirety can be accessed on the county’s website, jonescountyga. org.
