Union Co. Board of Supervisors’ meeting, June 27th

The Union County Board of Supervisors learned at their meeting on June 27, 2016, that county property values have increased because of new home construction.

“New home construction last year and the year before was the most we have had in recent years,” Randy Dunnam, Union County Tax Collector and Assessor told the supervisors. New homes mean higher assessed value and some overall improvement in property tax collections.

Dunnam said assessments are under review with some assessments being reduced as, for example, if a house or other building on a parcel of real estate is burned or otherwise destroyed. With regard to manufacturing operations, goods in process are tax exempt, but the products are taxable when finished.

Circuit Court Clerk Phyllis Stanford told the board that her office had been holding appeals bonds on criminal appeals going back as far as the 1990s. As a result of recent circuit court orders dismissing old appeals, the bonds are forfeited to the county. The clerk told the board she was turning over about $9,000 in forfeited appeals bond money to be deposited in the county treasury.

The office of Sheriff Jimmy Edwards reported the county has received payments from the Mississippi Department of Corrections (DOC) to reimburse for state prisoners being held in the county jail. The county received $9,200 plus $681 in medical reimbursement for April, 2016, and $12,800  plus $330 for medical expenses during May.

The county board appointed District Five Supervisor Steve Watson as its representative for a full term on the board of the Three Rivers Planning and Development Authority.

Because of the Fourth of July holiday, county garbage collections normally done on Mondays will be picked up next week on Wednesday.

The board will meet again at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5th.