The Sunflower County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on Monday but no one showed up to lodge a protest or comment regarding the proposed $1.5 million bond issue passed last month.
The public had until 8 a.m., July 2 to voice any concerns or objections, but there were none. Attorney Johnny McWilliams said it would have required a petition containing the signatures of 1,500 electors to sufficiently pose a change.
The supervisors voted during their June meeting to advertise for the bond issue, which was not expected to raise taxes since some mils are expected to come off at the end of the fiscal year. The money is supposed to be used to make some much-needed repairs to the county’s roads and bridges.
As part of the county annual process, the county tax assessor/collector presented the affidavit and tax rolls for the current year, which indicated a $6 million increase in property values over last year. The tax rolls are available at the Chancery Clerk’s office for public inspections and county taxpayers have until August 1 to review the rolls and raise any objections regarding the amount of taxes they have been assessed.
Supervisor Dennis Holmes said the increase in value affects the farmers and large landowners more than the average homeowner.
Attorney Johnny McWilliams informed the county lawmakers that this is also a base reappraisal year and the citizens will have to be notified of what the millage rate is supposed to be for taxes this year, plus what it would have been if the value had not changed.
He said they intend to go ahead and borrow the planned $1.5 million as soon as possible, but the actual mils needed to repay the debt will not be determined until after the August 1 deadline.
Renee Upton from the Sunflower County Tax Assessor/Collector’s office said the bottom line is, “Property values are going up this year, and we don’t know what the millage rates are going to do yet.”
In other business,
The officials presented a certificate of achievement to former Gentry High basketball standout and county assistant receiving clerk Augusta Forest Swan in recognition of her induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
The board discussed a complaint that President Glenn Donald said he received from the Indianola police chief and court officials regarding prisoners having to stay in the county jail longer because a public defender was not appearing in court on the appointed court dates, and it is costing the city money. Sheriff James Haywood explained the current process and said, “I haven't seen a problem. I don't think they are right about that.”
Haywood suggested that the county officials talk to the public defenders about the issue. Donald said the allegation was that they are either not showing up or calling up at the last minute and saying that they have court dates in Circuit Court that conflict with the municipal court dates.
The board suggested that the county administrator address the issue with the public defenders, since there is an ongoing issue with at least one of them not filing their reports in a timely manner.
The county officials also addressed an accusation in relation to first responders not responding when they are called out.
Donald said he has had complaints regarding the E-911 dispatchers, however Haywood said he has not received any complaints and that all the first responders have his number and he has told them to call him if there is a problem.
He said not one of them has called him about a grievance.
Haywood, however, said he has had several instances over the past six months where the emergency personnel did not show up for calls. Haywood said his department has “bent over backwards” to accommodate them.
